Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints (2001)
209 consumer complaints on file.
- #10037455September 8, 2003FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY:MOUNTING
TAKE A LOOK AT WHERE THE OIL FILTER IS AT ON THE 2001 HYUNDAI SANTE FE'S. THE OIL FILTERS ARE VERY WEAK AND CAN BUST EASILY. ALL IT TAKES IS A BIG ROCK OR ANY FOREIGN OBJECT TO HIT IT ON THE ROAD AND ALL YOUR OIL IS OUT. THE FILTERS ARE RIGHT IN THE FRONT AND ARE OPEN TO ANY OBJECTS.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10033173August 20, 2003EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
WE HAVE APPROX. 90,000 MILES ON OUR SANTA FE AND HAVE HAD A/C TROUBLE OFF AND ON THE PAST YEAR. WE HAVE SPENT OVER $2000.00 WHILE THE DEALERSHIP AND A PRIVATELY OWNED A/C SHOP REPLACED VARIOUS PARTS. I AM AWAITING A RESPONSE FROM HYUNDAI AS TO WHAT THEY WILL DO TO RESOLVE THIS SITUATION. WE HAVE ALSO HAD THE STRAP ON THE BACK SEAT BREAK, THE PAINT IS PEALING OFF AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE, THE LIGHTS/RADIO/AIR CONDITION ALL DIM WHEN VEHICLE STOPS OR HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10021858May 29, 2003ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHUT OFF DUE TO DEFECTIVE TIMING BELT. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER TO PULL OVER. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10020604May 27, 2003ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
GOOD MORNING, I AM WRITING TO YOU TO LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MY DISSATISFACTION WITH HYUNDAI MOTORS. I HAVE CONTACTED HYUNDAI MANY TIMES SEEKING SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION TO MY COMPLAINT ON MY 2001 SANTA FE. THE SANTA FE WAS SOLD TO ME ADVERTISING 181 HORSEPOWER. THIS HOWEVER, IS NOT TRUE, AND I AM STILL WAITING TO HEAR FROM THEM. I HAVE OFFERED HYUNDAI MANY SOLUTIONS THAT I CONSIDER SATISFACTORY TO MYSELF, AND AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAINING MY RELATIONSHIP WITH THEM. I AM VERY UNHAPPY WITH THE WAY HYUNDAI IS HANDLING THE VALID COMPLAINTS FROM PEOPLE WHO, IN GOOD FAITH, PURCHASED A VEHICLE THAT IS NOT WHAT IT WAS ADVERTISED TO BE. I AM VERY UPSET WITH THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS MATTER IS BEING IGNORED. HYUNDAI DID HOWEVER, SET THEIR OWN DEADLINE OF SEPT 2003 FOR CLOSURE TO ALL AFFECTED BY THIS FALSE ADVERTISEMENT. THIS LEADS ME TO WONDER IF THEY ARE PURPOSELY DRAGGING THEIR FEET TO FORCE OWNERS OF THESE AFFECTED VEHICLES IN TO RESOLUTION THAT MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ACCEPTABLE. THE VEHICLE IS NOT WHAT I PAID FOR AND THE LACK OF CONCERN FROM HYUNDAI IS VERY UNSETTLING TO ME. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ALMOST 10 PERCENT LESS HP THAN ADVERTISED. THE AFFECT IT COULD HAVE ON THE SAFETY AND OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF THE VEHICLE IS SCARY. THE VEHICLE HAS A CERTAIN TOWING CAPACITY AND TORQUE. THIS ALSO HAS TO BE AFFECTED BY THIS. YOUR ASSISTANCE IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. HAVE A GREAT DAY. SINCERELY, STEVE COOPER 26MAY03 *TT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10020369May 21, 2003EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
NAR 05/21/2003 *MR WITH OUT NOTIFICATION THE CONSUMERS PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BRANDED AS A LEMON. PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH THE TRANSMISSION, AIR CONDITIONER COMPRESSOR, HEADLIGHT DIMMERS, AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS FAULTY. THEY'RE REQUESTING THE DEALERSHIP TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE. *CB
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #10013938April 3, 2003VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
THROTTLE STUCK ON VEHICLE IN A FAST IDLE POSITION. CONTROL OF VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED BY USE OF FOOT BRAKE. VEHICLE HAD 23020 MILES AND IS A GLS WITH ALL WHEEL DRIVE, DATE OF MANUFACTURE WAS 13 JAN 01. NO INJURIES, NO PROPERTY DAMAGE. DEALER REPLACED CRUISE CONTROL CABLE AND STATED THAT THE CAUSE WAS THAT THE CABLE WAS MISROUTED. ACCORDING TO DEALER THE CABLE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ROUTED THROUGH A METAL CLIP AT RIGHT REAR OF SURGE TANK/INTAKE MANIFOLD. THIS CLIP IS ADJACENT TO THE CLIP USED TO SECURE THE GAS PEDAL CABLE. THE REPLACEMENT CABLE APPEARS TO BE SHORTER THAN THE ORIGINAL CABLE AS IT IS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO BE PLACED IN THE METAL CLIP. THE REPLACEMENT CABLE USED WAS PART #96430-26110 AND HAS A YELLOW LABEL WITH "TO2" ON IT.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #769240November 3, 2002ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
THE VEHICLE HAS STALLED TWICE WHILE DRIVING UP TO SPEEDS OF 60 MPH. THERE IS NO POWER, NO GAS, NOTHING. THE SECOND TIME IT STALLED I WAS IN THE CALDECOTT TUNNEL, HIGHWAY 24, BERKELEY CA. DRIVING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH. THERE IS NO PLACE TO PULL OVER FOR SAFETY. THANKFULLY THE TUNNEL IS ON A DOWNHILL SLOPE, AND I WAS ABLE TO COAST OUT OF THE TUNNEL AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE TUNNEL IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS PLACE FOR ENGINE FAILURE. THE FIRST TIME I EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE WAS ON A TWO LANE ROAD OUTSIDE OF ANTIOCH, CA. AT NIGHT DRIVING BY MYSELF. IT IS AN TERRIFYING FEELING TO BE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF 55-60 MPH AND HAVE THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY. THERE IS NO WARNING. I HAVE TAKEN THIS VEHICLE IN SEVERAL TIMES FOR SERVICE, WHINING TIMING CHAIN, SEVERAL TIMES, AND EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. NOW WITH THE ENGINE STALL PROBLEMS I AM VERY AFRAID THAT I OR OTHERS DRIVING WITH ME AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD MAY INJURED OR WORSE KILLED DUE TO THIS MAJOR DEFECT IN THIS CAR. I BABYSIT MY GRANDCHILDREN ON A REGULAR BASIS AND FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY AS WELL. I TRIED CONTACTING HYUNDAI AT THEIR 1800 NUMBER AND THERE WAS NO EXTENSION AVAILABLE TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE IN ORDER TO FILE A CLAIM. ALSO AFTER WAITING 20 MINUTES TO GET THROUGH IT SENT ME TO VOICE MAIL. THE CAR IS NOW AT HYUNDAI IN CONCORD, CALIFORNIA WAITING FOR SERVICE. I WAS WITHOUT A CAR FOR ONE WEEK THE FIRST TIME IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY REPAIRED AFTER THE FIRST STALL. BESIDES BEING FEARFUL OF MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF OTHERS I WILL NOW HAVE TO GO WITHOUT A VEHICLE AGAIN FOR A LENGTH OF TIME. DT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #768451October 14, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
VEHICLE DASH BRAKE AND ALTERNATOR LIGHTS COME ON WHEN VEHICLE SPLASHES THROUGH WATER PUDDLES. ON ALL OCCASIONS I ALSO LOSE POWER STEERING CONSTROL. THE DEALER'S RESPONSE TO THE PROBLEM REPORTED IS SIMPLY NOT TO SPLASH WATER WHILE GOING OVER PUDDLES. THIS IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO DURING THUNDER STORMS FOR WHICH TAMPA BAY IS WELL KNOWN. WATER IS OBVIOUSLY GETTING INTO THE ALTERNATOR AND WETTING THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. ON ONE OCCASION I LOST POWER STEERING AS I WAS NEGOTIATING A RIGHT TURN. VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. MR
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766731September 5, 2002ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
CAR STALLED AFTER STARTING AND WOULD NOT RESTART. ENGINE CHECK BY DEALERSHIP REVEALED WATERLOGGED AIR FILTER AND NON-OIL LIQUID IN THE OIL RESEVOIR. DEALERSHIP CONCLUDES ENGINE FLOODED WITH WATER (IT WASN'T); OTHER (NON-DEALERSHIP) EXPERT MECHANICS SUSPECT CRACKED CYLINDER LINER.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766624September 3, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
HYUNDAI WILL NOT REPLACE ALTERNATOR WITH HIGHER OUTPUT. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766631September 3, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
THE CAR "MISSES" SO BADLY IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE. IN ADDITION, IT PERIODICALLY DIES WHILE IDLING. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS ELECTRICAL ISSUES. HYUNDAI HAS REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY WITH HIGHER OUTPUT EQUIPMENT AND THE PROBLEMS HAVE WORSENED.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766547September 1, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN LEAVING FROM DEALERSHIP AFTER PURCHASING, CAUSE ACCORDING TO DEALER WAS DEFECTIVE BATTERY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED. ELEVEN MONTHS LATER I EXPERIENCED ENGINE HAD SLOW CRANKING TO START AND LIGHTS DIMMED WHEN AIR COMPRESSOR ENGAGED AND THE CAR WAS AT LOW RPMS. RADIO THEN TURNED OFF LIGHTS WENT OUT, AND VEHICLE ALMOST STALLED. TURNED OFF AIR, RADIO AND LIGHTS (LUCKILY IT WAS SUNDOWN NOT DARK YET) AND PROCEEDED HOME. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND ONCE AGAIN PROBLEM WAS ATTRIBUTED TO DEFECTIVE BATTERY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT HYUNDAI HAD INCREASED THE OUTPUT OF THE ALTERNATOR IN THE NEWER SANTA FE MODELS TO 110AMP OUTPUT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEY HAVE NOTED THE INADEQUATE OUTPUT OF THE EARLIER ALTERNATOR. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RETROFITTING OF EARLIER VEHICLES TO THE HIGHER OUTPUT ALTERNATOR. ALSO DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE IN SOME INSTANCES OBTAINED A REPLACEMENT FOR THE UPGRADED ALTERNATOR THROUGH WARRANTY.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766496August 31, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
BATTERY CHARGE INDICATOR SHOWED A LONG TERM "LOW" CHARGE LEVEL, AND DURING VERY HOT WEATHER, BATTERY FAILED TO START VEHICLE DUE TO ALTERNATOR NOT KEEPING BATTERY CHARGED UP PROPERLY.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766296August 27, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
OCCASIONALY AS I DRIVE AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM, CLOCK WILL FLASH, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL SLOW DOWN BECAUSE THE ALERNATOR WILL NOT CHARGE THE BATTERY. OCCASIONALY WHEN I STOP AND TURN THE CAR OFF I WILL COME BACK OUT TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT WILL NOT START BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY BEING DEAD AND NOT BEING CHARGED BY THE ALTERNATOR. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED ONCE ON 7/26/02 AND IT IS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN. I AM IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS AT WWW.SANTAFEFORUM.NET AND ALOT OF THEM ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766315August 27, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
WILL LIKE THIS RESOLVED BY HYUNDAY AMERICA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766199August 26, 2002POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
SPPEDOMETER OUT BY 7.75% , O2 WAS A RECALL NEVER CONTACTED BY MFG HYUNDAI REPLACING WHEN OWNERS STOP IN FOR SERVICE, ALSO OWNERS ON SANTA FE FORUM HAVING ALTERNATOR PROBLEMS NUMEROUS ALTERNATORS BEING REPLACED (ECU REPROGRAMMING)ON CASE BY CASE BASIS?
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #766231August 26, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
FROM THE FIRST DAY WE PICKED UP THE VEHICLE (6-01-01) THE KEYS STUCK IN THE IGNITION & WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GET THEM OUT WITHOUT JIGGLING THE GEARSHIFT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN INTO PATTERSON'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON 10-25-01, 3-1-02, 7-5-02, & 8-7-02, BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NEVER REPAIRED. ON THE LAST OCCASION THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT CAUSED AN EVEN GREATER PROBLEM TO OCCUR. EVIDENTLY THEY HAVE DISCONNECTED THE SAFETY MECHANISM WHICH KEEPS ONE FROM REMOVING THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION IN ALL GEARS EXCEPT PARK. NOW WE CAN TURN OFF THE VEHICLE AND REMOVE THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION IN ANY GEAR. WHEN WE DROVE THE VEHICLE INTO OUR GARAGE THIS PAST FRIDAY, AUGUST 23RD, WE PUT THE GEARSHIFT INTO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS PARK (THE SHIFTER WOULD NOT GO ANY FURTHER), TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE, REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND STARTED GETTING OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STARTED ROLLING OUT OF THE GARAGE. IT TURNED OUT THE GEARSHIFT WAS IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO PUT INTO PARK NOW ESPECIALLY IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS NOT FULLY DEPRESSED PAST THE NORMAL STOPPING TENSION. THE DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #567188August 23, 2002ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE HESITATES. DEALER CHANGED SPARK PLUGS TWICE, OXYGEN SENSOR AND TRANSMISSION COMPUTER. AFTER REPLACEMENT VEHICLE BEGAN TO OVERHEAT AND STALLED OUT LOSING POWER. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT DEALERSHIP 15 TIMES AND THEY ARE STILL NOT ABLE TO FIND THE PROBLEM. *TT
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #764674July 24, 2002ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CAR STALLS AND OR FAILS TO ACCELERATE UNEXPECTEDLY. *AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0
- #764584July 22, 2002ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY
THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, WE WERE STOPPED AT LIGHT AND THE RADIO STARTED TO GO OUT AND THE CLOCK LIGHT DIMMED. WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY (IT SAT ON THE SHIP TOO LONG AND DRAINED THE BATTERY). ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THAT THE CONNECTIONS TO THE BATTERY WERE CORRODED AND THAT I MUST CLEAN THE CONNECTIONS EVERY 3K MILES...YEAH RIGHT! ANOTHER MONTH WENT BY AND THE DOME LIGHTS BEGAN FADING, THE CAR WAS VERY SLOW TO TURN OVER, AND THE A.C. WOULD BARELY WORK. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. FINALLY, THIS WEEKEND, THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T TURN OVER, LEAVING MY WIFE AND 4 MONTH OLD CHILD STRANDED IN 95+ DEGREE TEXAS HEAT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS LEFT ME A MESSAGE RIGHT AT BUSINESS END TODAY STATING THAT THE "NEW" ALTERNATOR IS EXPECTED IN ON WEDNESDAY BUT THAT THEY HAVE "INTERESTING" NEWS TO REPORT ON THIS PROBLEM. I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS MIGHT BE. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO HAVE OUR ENTIRE LIFE REARRANGED 4 TIMES, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE. THE WORST PART IS THAT I LOVE THE WAY THE SANTA FE DRIVES, FEELS, LOOKS. JUST WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO USE THE STUPID WARRANTY THIS MUCH. JUST HOPE THIS IS NOT HAPPENING TO EVERY SANTA FE OWNER AS I KNOW THESE CARS ARE BIG SELLERS! THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VENT!*AK
- Crash:
- No
- Fire:
- No
- Injuries:
- 0
- Deaths:
- 0