Hyundai Santa Fe Complaints

8,019 consumer complaints on file.

#10247482November 2, 2008
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
ON A FREQUENT BASIS I CAN SMELL GASOLINE FUMES IN THE VEHICLE INTERIOR WHILE DRIVING. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE FUMES THEY ACTED LIKE IT WAS NORMAL, AND DID NOT INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. IF THE FIRE WALL AROUND THE VEHICLE IS INTACT HOW CAN FUMES GET INTO THE VEHICLE INTERIOR? THEY DID SUGGEST IT MAY BE CAUSED BY AN AIR LOCK IN THE SYSTEM. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10247104October 29, 2008
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
AS I BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY MY FRONT BRAKES FAILED. THE FRONT DRIVER BRAKE PAD HAD SEPARATED FROM THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY . THE PAD WAS ON THE DRIVEWAY. INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE BONDING AGENT HAD FAILED. THE JENKINS HYUNDAI OF BRADENTON CONFIRMED THE DEFECT IN THE BONDING AGENT-BUT STATED THAT THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS NOT COVERED BY HYUNDAI WARRANTY. ALL BRAKE PADS WERE REPLACED. I RETAINED THE DEFECTIVE BRAKE PAD. *TR UPDATED 02/01/10.*JB UPDATED 03/08/10 *BF UPDATED 04/29/10.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246765October 26, 2008
AIR BAGS
AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON FOR THE THIRD TIME IN TWO YEARS OF OWNERSHIP, DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE REPLACED A SENSOR ON THE SECOND VISIT. I AM CONCERNED IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH THE AIR BAGS WILL NOT DEPLOY. IT ALSO CAUSES THE ALARM TO GO OFF 15 SECONDS AFTER LOCKING DOORS. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246611October 24, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR
WE FOUND THAT BOTH REAR TRAILING ARMS WE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. WE HAD TO GET THEM BOTH REPLACED BY THE DEALER FOR $650 A PIECE. THE OLD PARTS WERE DISCARDED BY THE HYUNDAI DEALER. THE DEALER THINKS THIS IS NORMAL WARE AND TARE ON AN 2002 VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE IS THAT THE REAR TRAILING ARMS ARE A MAJOR SUSPENSION COMPONENT. FIFTY PERCENT OF THE VEHICLE WEIGHT RESIDES ON THESE COMPONENTS. HYUNDAI SHOULD HAVE BUILD THEM WITH HIGHEST QUALITY IN MIND. MY OPINION THE REAR TRAILING ARMS SHOULD HAVE LASTED LONGER THEN THE FENDER ON THE CAR. THEIR WAS NO EVENT LEADING UP TO THE SUSPENSION PROBLEM. ONE DAY THE CAR FELT LIKE THE WHEEL ALIGNMENT WAS OUT. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO HANDLE ON THE ROAD. WE THEN ARRANGED FOR THE CAR TO GET A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. THEY SAID THAT THEY COULDN'T DO A ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THEIR IS A SUSPENSION PROBLEM WITH THE REAR TRAILING ARMS. THEY ALSO INFORMED US THAT THE CAR IS NOT SAFE AND TO BRING IT TO A DEALER TO GET FIXED. I FEEL THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A FATAL ACCIDENT!!! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10246268October 21, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG ARMS AND DISARMS INTERMITTENTLY DEPENDING ON THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER. RECENTLY MY 21 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO WEIGHS 130 POUNDS HAD THE AIR BAG LIGHT GO ON INDICATING THAT THE AIR BAG WAS TURNED OFF WHILE WE WERE DRIVING. I CANNOT GET ANYONE FROM HYUNDAI OR THE DEALERSHIP TO GIVE ME AN EXACT WEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. CAN A SMALL ADULT WHO WEIGHS 115 TO 120 NEVER SIT IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO PERMANENTLY ARM THE AIRBAG IF WE WANT. I CANNOT GET ANYONE TO HELP ME WITH THIS MATTER. THE DEALERSHIP SAYS THE AIRBAG CHECKS OUT FINE SO THEY ARE AT A LOSS. I CALLED HYUNDAI AND THE WILL NOT COMMIT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10245750October 16, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON A LITTLE ST. IN FOSTORIA,OHIO ON OCT 16 AT APPROX. 4 PM. HER SPEED WAS AROUND 35 MPH AND THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE GOOD. SHE HAD A LARGE VEHICLE ON HER DRIVER SIDE AS THIS IS A TWO LANE HIGHWAY. A BLAZER/BRONCO CROSSED FROM THE ONCOMING LANE ATTEMPTING TO TURN ON A SIDE STREET (SOUTH UNION STREET, CUTTING RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE IMPACT STOPPED HER VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND DROVE HER CAR INTO A TRUCK WAITING TO TURN ONTO LITTLE STREET FROM THE SAME SIDE STREET. ALTHOUGH THE ACCIDENT CAUSED A FRONT END IMPACT TO OUR HYUNDAI, THE AIRBAG IN OUR HYUNDAI DID NOT DEPLOY. MY WIFE SUSTAINED INJURIES TO HER LEFT COLLARBONE AND SHOULDER, AND ALSO TO HER RIGHT KNEE, REQUIRING A TRIP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM AND XRAYS. SHE WAS ALSO UNABLE TO WORK FOR A SHORT TIME DUE TO HER INJURIES. *TR
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#10245004October 9, 2008
SUSPENSION
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING OVER 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. SHE ALSO FELT THE VEHICLE JERKING WHILE ATTEMPTING TO TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY A MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FINE AND HE COULD NOT FIND ANY FAILURES. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 126,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244752October 8, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR
AS MY WIFE WAS BACKING UP THE 2001 SANTA FE SUV AT A LOCAL PARK, SHE HEARD A LOUD THUMP. SHE THOUGHT SHE WENT OVER A POTHOLE, AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO LOOK. SHE DIDN'T SEE A POTHOLE, AND GOT BACK INTO THE CAR. AS SHE DROVE DOWN THE ROAD, A RHYTHMIC SCREECH BECAME VERY LOUD FROM THE RIGHT REAR SIDE. SHE STOPPED THE CAR, AND AGAIN GOT OUT TO TAKE A LOOK. THE RIGHT REAR TIRE LOOKED NORMAL. SHE GOT BACK INTO THE CAR AND CONTINUED TO DRIVE HOME, SLOWLY. THE SCREECHING BECAME LOUDER AND LOUDER. WHEN SHE GOT HOME, SHE LOOKED AT THE RIGHT REAR TIRE AND WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT IT WAS CAVED INWARD, AND A METAL PART WAS BROKEN AND HANGING DOWN. THE CAR WAS NOT DRIVABLE IN THIS CONDITION, AND A TOW TRUCK HAD TO COME TO OUR HOME AND LOAD THE CAR ONTO A FLATBED TRUCK AND TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER. THE HYUNDAI MECHANIC DISCOVERED THAT THE CENTER OF THE RIGHT REAR CONTROL ARM HAD FULLY RUSTED OUT AND THE SUSPENSION HAD BROKEN THROUGH. THE RIGHT REAR CONTROL ARM, THE LATERAL LINK, THE ABS SENSOR, CAM VOLT, AND NUT HAD TO BE REPLACED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. THE TOTAL COST WAS $1,549.22. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY OF THE CAR. I THOUGHT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED CASE. HOWEVER, AFTER DISCOVERING THERE WERE NUMEROUS CASES OF 2001 SANTA FE CONTROL ARMS RUSTING OUT, I DECIDED TO FILE AN NHTSA COMPLAINT. I AM VERY GRATEFUL THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AS MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AT A HIGH SPEED ON THE TOLLWAY. IT IS MY OPINION THAT HYUNDAI SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POOR DESIGN OF THE CONTROL ARM. FURTHERMORE, IN THE PAST TWO WEEKS, I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT CONTROL ARM IS SHOWING THE SAME SIGNS OF RUST THAT CAUSED THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT CONTROL ARM. IT WILL SOON NEED TO BE REPLACED, WHICH WILL BE EXPENSIVE. I FEEL IT SHOULD BE PART OF A SAFETY RECALL. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244898October 8, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING AND AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE DRAMATICALLY ACCELERATED. THE RPM'S SURGED TO APPROXIMATELY 3,000. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE OR PROVIDE A SUFFICIENT REMEDY. AS OF OCTOBER 8, 2008, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244675October 7, 2008
POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
I BOUGHT A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, STANDARD 5-SPEED. SINCE THAT TIME I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE CLUTCH TWICE. NOW I AM REPLACING IT AGAIN AS IT WAS DAMAGED BY THE FLY WHEEL. A NEW FLY WHEEL COSTS $1500.00. I HAVE MADE EXTENSIVE EFFORTS TO FIND A USED ONE. MOST OF THE SALVAGE YARDS TELL ME THAT THEY DON'T HAVE ONE BECAUSE IT IS A FREQUENT PROBLEM AND EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR ONE. MY MECHANIC TELLS ME MOST FLY WHEELS ARE MOUNTED TO THE ENGINE AND DON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM. ALSO MOST FLY WHEELS COST UNDER $100.00, SO MOST WARRANTIES DO NOT COVER THE FLY WHEEL. IT SEEMS THIS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEMS SINCE IT HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244545October 6, 2008
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DOING FREEWAY SPEEDS AT 5:30 AM GOING TO WORK WHEN MY TRUCK JUST SHUT DOWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I LOST ALL POWER COASTED ABOUT 300 FEET, PULLED OFF ON LEFT AND ENGINE DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. COME TO FIND OUT, TIMING BELT WENT BAD, ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. I'VE GOT LESS THAN 75000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK AND AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED ON THE WARRANTY AND THAT THE PARTS THEY USE TO PUT THESE TRUCKS TOGETHER ARE SO CHEAP! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244444October 5, 2008
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO GARY ROME HOLYOKE FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AND COMPLAINT OF A AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON. WE WERE TOLD THAT IT WAS A UNIT UNDERNEATH THE SEAT THAT WAS BAD. THEY GOT THE LIGHT TO GO OFF AND WE WERE TOLD TO SELL OR TRADE THE CAR BEFORE THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. WE WERE TOLD WE WERE OUT OF WARRANTY,BY LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND TO REPLACE THIS PART WOULD BE IN THE $2000-$3000 RANGE. THEY ALSO SAID IT WAS THE SIDE AIRBAGS AND THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THIS PART ON OTHER MODELS AS WELL. MY WIFE WAS TOLD THE SAME BY THE MANUFACTURER WHEN SHE CALLED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10244202October 2, 2008
AIR BAGS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHEN THE CONTACT'S WIFE IS SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES. THIS INDICATES THAT THE AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED. HIS WIFE WEIGHS APPROXIMATELY 125 LBS. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 IS FOR THIS SAME FAILURE, BUT NOT THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. UPDATED 11/10/08 *BF THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 11/13/08. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243973September 30, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG SENSOR LOCATED IN THE SEAT DOES NOT CORRECTLY CLASSIFY MY WIFE (130 LBS.) AS AN ADULT. AS A RESULT, THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG AND PASSENGER SIDE IMPACT AIR BAGS ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY ACTIVATED. THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" INDICATOR LIGHT LOCATED ON THE DASH IS ON AT LEAST 30% OR MORE OF THE TIME OF TRAVEL. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT DEPENDABLE IN THE EVENT OF A FRONT OR SIDE IMPACT. THERE IS NO WAY TO KNOW WHEN THE SYSTEM WILL BE ACTIVATED AND PROTECTING MY WIFE. SHE WEIGHS 130 POUNDS IN BODY WEIGHT. I BELIEVE THE SENSOR IN THE SEAT IS POORLY DESIGNED AND ULTIMATELY UNRELIABLE AND UNSAFE. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243749September 29, 2008
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS. *NJ WHILE DRIVING ON AN UN-LIGHTED OR HILLY ROADWAY, THERE WAS A DISCERNABLE HORIZONTAL LINE BETWEEN THE LIGHTED ROADWAY AND DARKNESS. THE CONSUMER COULD SEE THE LINE ABOUT 3 FEET ABOVE THE ROAD SURFACE. THE LINE ALSO EXTENDED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AT TIMES, THE LIGHTED ROADWAY WAS LESS THAN 30 FEET WHILE GOING UP AND DOWN THE HILLY ROAD. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THAT 30 FEET OR LESS WAS TOO SHORT OF A LIGHTED LANE OF TRAVEL. A VISUAL INSPECTION, SHOWED THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHT WAS MOUNTED TOO FAR BEHIND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD TO BLOCK THE LOW BEAM REFLECTING UP. *JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243421September 25, 2008
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
AIRBAG SENSOR IN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT DETECT AN ADULT SITTING IN THE SEAT. AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243200September 23, 2008
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL, POWER TRAIN
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING LESS THAN 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE SLOWING DOWN AND ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE. THE CONTACT THOUGHT THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN DEPRESSING BOTH THE ACCELERATOR AND BRAKE PEDALS SIMULTANEOUSLY, BUT THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE FAILURE BEGAN TO OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY. WHILE SLOWING DOWN TO COME TO A STOP, THE VEHICLE JOLTED FORWARD AND ACCELERATED LOUDLY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 31,000. UPDATED 12/11/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN DRIVE, HIS FOOT WAS OFF THE GAS PEDAL THE VEHICLE MOVED SLOWLY. ONCE HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP, THE ENGINE SURGED. UPDATED 12/11/08.*JB
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243259September 23, 2008
STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
I TOOK MY 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR. I WAS TOLD THAT THEIR IS A RUST HOLE A LITTLE LARGER THAN A GOLF BALL IN THE CRADLE WHERE THE RIGHT FRONT CONTROL ARM BOLTS INTO THE CRADLE. THEY TOLD ME IT COULD BE A SAFETY HAZARD! AND I SHOULD SERIOUSLY CONSIDER REPLACING THE CRADLE TO THE TUNE OF 1700 DOLLARS! *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10243003September 20, 2008
AIR BAGS
MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS A DEFECT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR. WHEN MY WIFE SITS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT OF THE CAR THE "PASS AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT COMES ON WHICH INDICATES THAT IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION HER AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY. SHE WEIGHS 145 POUNDS, BUT IF I GET IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT, I WEIGH 210 POUNDS. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE WEIGHT SENSOR. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, I HAVE HEARD FROM MANY OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR VEHICLES COMPLAIN OF THE SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM , ALTHOUGH A RECALL FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM IN THE HYUNDAI SONATA WAS ISSUED. PLEASE BEFORE SOMEONE LOSES THEIR LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS, HAVE HYUNDAI ISSUE A RECALL. THANK YOU. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#10242534September 17, 2008
SUSPENSION:REAR
MY DAUGHTER WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND THE RIGHT REAR TRAILING ARM FAILED BECAUSE IT HAD RUSTED AND BROKE CAUSING THE REAR TIRE TO TURN OUT AND THERE WAS NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SHE JUST GOT OFF THE INTERSTATE RUNNING 70 MILES PER HOUR, THIS COULD HAVE HAD A REAL SAD OUT COME. WE ARE HAVING BOTH TRAILING ARMS REPLACED. *TR
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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