Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#10230462June 10, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG "OFF" INDICATOR LIGHTS WHEN A 115 POUND, 5'8" ADULT SITS IN THE SEAT (INDICATING THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT). LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI NATIONAL 1-800 COMPLAINT LINE INDICATE THAT THE INDICATOR LIGHT IS PERFORMING TO SPECIFICATIONS. I BELIEVE SPECIFICATIONS (SUPPOSEDLY A 130 POUND MINIMUM FOR FULL FUNCTIONING OF PASSENGER AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM) ARE INAPPROPRIATE AND RESULT IN AN UNSAFE SITUATION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10230371June 9, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATES WHEN THE CONTACT'S WIFE IS SEATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HIS WIFE WEIGHS 103 LBS. WHEN AN OCCUPANT WEIGHTING 110 LBS OR MORE IS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAGS WORK FINE. THE CONTACT HAS ATTEMPTED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH THE DEALER OWNER, BUT HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 3,980 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,656.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10230142June 6, 2008
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS STRUCK ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE BY A TRACTOR TRAILER. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,000.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229640June 2, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED AIR BAG LIGHT FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BUT NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES WITH OR WITHOUT AN OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE SEAT. THEY REPLACED THE SEAT WITH A NEW ONE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS STILL PRESENT. THE DEALER THEN REINSTALLED THE OLD SEAT, BUT REPLACED THE SEAT MODULE. THIS ALSO DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NO FURTHER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000. UPDATED 08/01/08
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229660June 2, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC SEVERAL TIMES. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED. THEY CALLED ME AND SAID I HAVE A BAD CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR. I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR 2002 SANTA FE FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. BUT WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT , THEY RESPONDED WITH MY VIN # NOT BEING ATTACHED TO A RECALL. I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT THIS. I FEEL THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN, WHAT IF SOMETHING BAD HAPPENED DURING TRAFFIC WHEN MY CAR STALLED. THE COMPANY SHOULD WARRANTY THIS ISSUE, BUT THEY WON'T. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229405May 31, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR
RETURNING FROM 2 HOUR HIGHWAY TRIP, TURNED INTO DEVELOPMENT, HEARD LOUD SNAPPING NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER NEXT DAY, INFORMED DRIVER SIDE REAR CONTROL ARMS RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKEN, PASSENGER SIDE WELL ON WAY. AXLE WOULD ALSO NEED TO BE REPLACED. ONLY AXLE UNDER WARRANTY--HAD DEALER REPLACE SUCH. TOOK VEHICLE TO REGULAR GARAGE FOR REMAINDER OF REPAIRS. GARAGE EXTREMELY SURPRISED AT AMOUNT OF RUST CONTAINED IN REAR SUSPENSION----PAPER THIN. HAVE SAVED PARTS FOR ANYONE WISHING TO LOOK AT THEM. HAVE NOTED ON-GOING COMPLAINTS ABOUT 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRAS WITH SAME PROBLEM--MUST BE A HYUNDAI ISSUE--AS MINE IS A SANTA FE. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION AND COULD CAUSE MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND/OR DEATHS SHOULD CONTROL FAIL DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. WAS TOLD CONTROL ARM IS DEFECTIVE, AS THERE IS NO HOLES FOR ANY WATER/CONDENSATION TO DRAIN, THEREFORE WATER SITS AND RUSTS THEM OUT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229227May 29, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. ON MAY 27, 2008, WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 1-20 MPH, THE ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID CRASHING SEVERAL TIMES BY APPLYING THE HAND BRAKE. ON JUNE 17, 2005, SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V131000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE); HOWEVER, THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE IN THE 2002 MODEL. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED HIM TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT WILL TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,744 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,864.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10229016May 27, 2008
POWER TRAIN
LEAK IN THE TRANSFER CASE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10228325May 20, 2008
TIRES:PRESSURE MONITORING AND REGULATING SYSTEMS
I PURCHASED A 2008 -AWD -HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN APRIL 2008... THE PROBLEM IS WITH MY "TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) "... SINCE THE VERY FIRST DAY OF OWNERSHIP THE "TPMS" MALFUNCTION LIGHT GOES ON.. INFACT THE FIRST DAY THE DEALERSHIP RE-SET THE '"TPMS" TWICE... I NOW HAVE ABOUT 500 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THE "TPMS" WILL MALFUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY... IT WILL STAY-ON FOR TWO TO THREE DAYS THEN GO OFF FOR A DAY OR TWO... *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10227080May 8, 2008
TIRES
THE TIRES ON OUR VEHICLE ARE FAILING. THEY ARE PROSPECTOR BRAND TIRES, SIZE 225 70 16; DOT BF 5CF9CC 4404 (3 TIRES) AND DOT BF 5CF9CC 3604 (1 TIRE). IN THE 3 YEARS WE HAVE OWNED THESE TIRES WE HAVE ALWAYS HAD DIFFICULTY KEEPING THEM BALANCED. THE TIRES HAVE LESS THAN 20,000 MILES ON THEM, AND HAVE SIGNIFICANT TREAD LIFE REMAINING. OVER THE YEARS WE HAVE HAD TO REBALANCE THEM FREQUENTLY (ABOUT 7 TIMES, MOST RECENTLY LESS THAN 1000 MILES AGO). AT THE LAST BALANCING, THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE WERE BULDGES APPEARING IN THE TIRES, INDICATING TO HIM THAT THE TIRES WERE EXPERIENCING MULTIPLE PLY SEPARATIONS. NOW, ONCE AGAIN, THE TIRES ARE SHIMMYING ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY AT EXPRESSWAY SPEED; LESS SO AT SPEEDS BELOW 40 MPH, BUT STILL SHAKING. USING THE INTERNET, I FOUND THAT PROSPECTOR TIRES HAD BEEN RECALLED BY THEIR MANUFACTURER, BF GOODRICH, ONCE BEFORE. I CALLED BF GOODRICH (AT 1-877-788-8899) AND WAS TOLD THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO INFORMATION ON THE PROSPECTOR TIRES, OTHER THAN THAT THEY WERE MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME PLANT THAT MAKES BF GOODRICH TIRES. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE CHECKED SEVERAL TIMES WITH HER SUPERVISOR, RETURNING EACH TIME SAYING THAT BF GOODRICH HAD NO RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL RELATING TO THESE TIRES OR THIS ISSUE. I BELIEVE THESE TIRES ARE UNSAFE TO USE AND WILL BE REPLACING THEM WITHIN A WEEK. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226314April 30, 2008
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, SUSPENSION:FRONT
ONE MONTH AGO,WITH 40,600 MILES ON MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE AND SHREDDED MY TIRE WHICH THE HYUNDAI DEALER REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. THREE WEEKS LATER THE LEFT FRONT SPRING BROKE AND SHREDDED THAT TIRE ALSO. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE EXPRESS WAY, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE TO TELL ABOUT IT. IN THE PAST FIFTY YEARS I HAVE OWNED 15 CARS AND NEVER HAD A FRONT SPRING BREAK DOWN MUCH LESS TWO IN THREE WEEKS. EVEN THOUGH THE HYUNDAI DEALER,PATRICK OF SCHAUMBURG, REPLACED THESE SPRINGS UNDER WARRANTY, I STILL INCURRED A $200.00 CAR RENTAL BILL. HYUNDAI DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW WHAT THE CAUSE IS OF THESE SPRING FAILURES AT ONLY 40,600 MILES. ANY HELP AS TO THE CAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225998April 29, 2008
SUSPENSION
MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LIMITED HAS A VIBRATION BETWEEN 40 - 60 MPH AND HYUNDAI HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES. THEY HAVE ELIMINATED THE TIRES AS BEING INVOLVED WITH THE PROBLEM. TIRES AND WHEELS HAVE BEEN REBALANCED A NUMBER OF TIMES INCLUDING PUTTING ON A NEW SET OF TIRES WITH THE SAME VIBRATION. MOST IMPORTANT THE SAME PROBLEM HAS BEEN OBSERVED BY THE HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AS WELL AS MYSELF ON THREE OTHER BRAND NEW 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 1,400 MILES. I AM IN TOUCH WITH HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS BUT NO RESOLUTION AT THIS POINT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10226077April 29, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:ACCELERATOR PEDAL
THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR ON THE HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2007 VERSION. AFTER THE SECOND REPAIR ATTEMPT THE DEALER CALLED THE REGIONAL PERSON AND THEY OFFERED A THIRD SOLUTION BECAUSE THAT PERSON "HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE". THE THIRD SOLUTION DID NOT WORK AS WELL. THE PROBLEM IS THAT WITHOUT NOTICE YOU SIMPLY HAVE NO ACCELERATION. ENGINE RUNS AND THERE SEEMS TO BE POWER BUT THERE'S NO ACCELERATION. IT'S HAPPENED TO MY WIFE 3 TIMES PULLING OUT IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC. THEY HAVE REPLACED: A PEDAL SENSOR AND ENTIRE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY, REPAIRED A CONNECTION TO THE APS SENSOR, AND AS DIRECTED BY THE REGIONAL PERSON THEY REPLACED THE "THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY" AND TODAY, 4/29, THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AT A STOP LIGHT AND THEN VIOLENTLY LUNGED FORWARD. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225986April 28, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR
VEHICLE: 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY AND RELIABILITY OF A KEY SUSPENSION COMPONENT: THE RIGHT REAR BEARING ARM. THIS COMPONENT, WHICH ATTACHES THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AXLE TO THE CHASSIS COMPLETELY FAILED DURING A DRIVE ON A SECONDARY ROAD AT SPEEDS UNDER 55 MPH ON APRIL 9, 2008. THE STEERING WHEEL JERKED TO THE RIGHT A QUARTER OF A TURN, AND THE VEHICLE ALMOST FLIPPED OVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. MY MECHANIC INFORMS ME THAT THIS COMPONENT SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE VEHICLE. IN MY CASE, IT IS COMPLETELY CORRODED TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD NO LONGER SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED A STRUCTURAL FAILURE. I HAVE OWNED MANY CARS, AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A WEIGHT BEARING SUSPENSION COMPONENT FAIL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. HAD THIS FAILURE HAPPENED ON THE FREEWAY, I AM SURE THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WOULD HAVE COMPLETED DEPARTED THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN A COMPLETE LACK OF CONTROL AND PROBABLE DISASTER. WE CONSIDER OURSELVES VERY FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS HURT. HOWEVER, THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WAS EXPENSIVE. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS NEARLY $1,000. THE COST OF THE SUSPENSION COMPONENT ALONE WAS $567.79. I CONSIDER THIS FAILURE NOT A NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCE AND WOULD LIKE SOMEONE TO INSPECT THE PART AND VEHICLE FOR COMPLETE ANALYSIS. I HAVE THE OLD PART AS WELL AS DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE FAILED COMPONENT FOR YOUR REVIEW AS WELL AS REPAIR DOCUMENTATION. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO COVER THE COST OF THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR. IN MY OPINION, THIS COMPONENT SHOULD NEVER FAIL UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AND CERTAINLY NEVER FAIL IN A VEHICLE THAT HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THIS FAILURE HAS REALLY SHAKEN MY CONFIDENCE IN HYUNDAI'S DESIGN AND ENGINEERING QUALITY. IF WE HAD BEEN ON THE HIGHWAY, I AM CERTAIN THAT AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN INEVITABLE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225688April 25, 2008
STEERING
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE VEHICLE WAS INITIALLY TAKEN TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THERE WAS A POWER STEERING RESERVOIR LEAK. THE FRONT STEERING RACK WAS REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE AT THAT TIME. THE NEW FRONT STEERING RACK DEVELOPED A LEAK AND THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. HE IS CURRENTLY PREPARING TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR THE SAME FAILURE, AS WELL AS A NEW ONE. WHILE DRIVING OVER A BUMP AT ANY SPEED, MAKING A TURN, OR BACKING OUT OF A PARKING LOT, THE STEERING WHEEL MOVES FROM CENTER AND GOES TO EITHER THE LEFT OR RIGHT SIDE. IN ADDITION, THE ESC LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND DISABLES THE FEATURE. THE VIN AND PURCHASE DATE WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10225757April 25, 2008
AIR BAGS
2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE - PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR MALFUNCTION WITH AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON @ 250 MILES - LESS THAN 24 HRS AFTER PURCHASE. DEALER CLEARED CODE - PROBLEM RECURRED LATER SAME EVENING - NOW PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT. SEEMS AS IF THE 2007 MODEL ISSUE HAS CARRIED OVER TO THE 208 MODEL. NOT HAPPY - BAD START FOR WHAT IS MARKETED AS A SAFE CAR - WHAT GOOD IS 8 AIRBAGS IF THEY WILL NOT DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10224355April 13, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THIS VEHICLE HESITATES AND THEN LURCHES FORWARD WITH EXTREME UNCONTROLLED ACCELERATION. ON WET OR SLIPPERY PAVEMENT THIS VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE. I HAVE READ NHTSA WEB SITE AND CAN SEE COMPLAINT AFTER COMPLAINT ON THIS VEHICLE, YET NO RECALLS ISSUED BY NHTSA. NOT SURE WHY WE ARE WASTING MY TIME, BUT AT LEAST WHEN I AM KILLED IN THIS VEHICLE MY WIFE WILL BE ABLE TO NOW INCLUDE NHSTA IN THE LAWSUIT AS YOU, THE GOVERNING BODY, HAVE NOW BEEN OFFICIALLY INFORMED OF A SAFETY DEFECT! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223729April 8, 2008
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
POOR GAS MILEAGE, HARSH SHIFTING OF TRANSMISSION. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223543April 7, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
WAS DRIVING 2007 HYUNDAI SANTE FE AT 90KM PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY. WENT TO ACCELERATE TO 110KM PER HOUR AND IMMEDIATELY FELT ACCELERATOR MOVE AWAY FROM MY FOOT WHERE IT REMAINED PINNED AGAINST THE FLOOR. NOTICED THAT CRUISE CONTROL LIGHT HAD COME ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL BUT I DID NOT ENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. I TURNED THE CRUISE CONTROL BUTTON OFF AND TAPPED BRAKES. VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AND ACCELERATOR REMAINED PRESSED TO MAT. APPLIED FULL FORCE TO BRAKES AND MANAGED TO SLOW DOWN TO PUT VEHICLE IN PARK. VEHICLE BEGAN REVVING VERY HIGH SO I PUT VEHICLE BACK INTO DRIVE AND IT BEGAN MOVING ON IT'S OWN SINCE ACCELERATOR WAS STILL FULLY DEPRESSED. I DEPRESSED ON THE BRAKES AGAIN, PUT VEHICLE INTO PARK AND TURNED VEHICLE OFF, WAITED 30 SECONDS AND RESTARTED ENGINE. ACCELERATOR HAS WORKED NORMALLY SINCE AND VEHICLE WILL BE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. THERE WERE NO LOADS ON THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN LIGHTS BEING ON AND THE TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS WERE COOL WITH AVERAGE HUMIDITY FOR THE AREA. OVERALL, A VERY FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10223431April 5, 2008
INTERIOR LIGHTING
THERE'S A COMMON DEFECT WITH CERTAIN SANTE FE MODELS THAT LEAVES THE FRONT OF THE CABIN DARK AND WITHOUT LIGHTING WHEN THE FRONT DOORS ARE OPEN. IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM SURFACES ON MODELS BUILT AT CERTAIN TIMES OF THE YEAR. APPARENTLY HYUNDAI CHOOSES TO IGNORE CUSTOMER CONCERN IN THIS MATTER. MY LOCAL DEALER CLAIMS NOT TO KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE ISSUE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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