2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE AND APPLYING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A BUILDING. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED HOWEVER, A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED FOR THE CAUSE OF THE ACCELERATION FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE FOR MY SON WHICH HE TOOK TO COLLEGE. DURING WINTER BREAK, I TOOL IT TO A LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER TO HAVE A COMPLETE TUNE-UP, AS WELL AS CHECK A CREAKING SOUND IN THE LOWER LEFT REAR AND A "POP" SOUND WHEN DECELERATING. THE DEALER INFORMED ME THE LOWER REAR LEFT TRAILING ARM IS BAD AND NEEDS TO REPLACED ASAP FOR SAFETY REASONS AT AROUND $500. I CHECKED ONLINE AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS A RECALL ON TRAILING ARMS FOR THIS YEAR, CONTACTED HYUNDAI - WHO PROMPTLY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT COVERED AS I AM NOT IN A "ROAD SALT" STATE. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WHICH HYUNDAI ADMITS, AND I FEEL ALL OF THE TRAILING ARMS HAVE FATIGUE ISSUES FROM THESE YEARS DUE TO INFERIOR MATERIALS. I FEEL HYUNDAI SHOULD STEP UP AND COVER THE COST, NO MATTER WHAT STATE WE LIVE IN, AS IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF. WE HAVE PLENTY OF RAIN, FLOODED STREETS AND "SALT AIR" HERE IN FLORIDA! *TR

MY SEAT BELT ALL-OF-A-SUDDEN STARTED POPPING OUT AFTER BEING SNAPPED IN PLACE. IT HAS DONE THIS A NUMBER OF TIMES SINCE LAST WEEK. YESTERDAY, IT MUST HAVE DONE IT ABOUT FIVE TIMES. I HAVE TO KEEP SNAPPING IT IN PLACE AND TUGGING ON IT TO MAKE SURE IT IS SECURE. IT IS ESPECIALLY UNNERVING WHEN IT OCCURS WHILE DRIVING. YOU MAY LEAN TO THE SIDE AND ALL-OF-A-SUDDEN IT POPS OUT. I NEVER KNOW WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN, BUT MY GREATEST CONCERN IT MAY FAIL WHEN I NEED IT MOST, LIKE IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY TO HER BACK. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE VEHICLE INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THEY ALSO ADVISED HER THAT THE VEHICLE COULD POSSIBLY BE DEEMED DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT THEN ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A STUCK THROTTLE. THE THROTTLE, BRAKES AND ROTORS WERE ALL REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 99,606.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDIA SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED HAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING AND FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP WHO STATED THE MALFUNCTION WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE ENGINE MOUNT BRACKET BOLT. THE VEHICLE WAS NO REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 170,000.

I OWN A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN WHICH THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED STARTING IN DECEMBER 2006. AT WHICH TIME THE AIR BAG "CLOCK SPRING" WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY ON 12/6/2006 AT 33,154 MILES. *TR THE SECOND OCCURRENCE WAS IN MARCH, 2011. I WAS TOLD IT WAS THE "CLOCK SPRING" AGAIN, WHICH WAS NOW NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND WOULD COST OF AROUND $285.00. THIS WAS NOT REPLACED DUE TO A SUGGESTION FROM THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT MECHANIC. THE INDICATOR WAS RESET AND HAS BEEN OFF FOR OVER A YEAR. THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS IN MAY 2012 (MILEAGE APPROX. 88,500), THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND NOW I'M TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW AIRBAG AT A COST OF AROUND $750.00!! THE INDICATOR WAS RESET AND AIR BAG NOT REPLACED THE LIGHT STAYED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS. A SEARCH ON THE INTERNET REVEALED HUNDREDS OF "POSTS" ON THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM (MOST OF THEM ON THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S (NHTSA) WEBSITE). HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR NEARLY 10 YEARS! AND, TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, REPLACING EITHER THE CLOCK SPRING OR THE AIRBAG APPARENTLY DOES NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY, THUS CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL (#103) FOR THE 2007-2008 MODELS. THIS RECALL SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED ALL SANTA FE'S NOT JUST TWO YEARS. APPARENTLY, THIS PROBLEM IS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT NOT A NORMAL WEAR & TEAR ISSUE.

THE RIGHT FRONT ROCKER ARM RUSTED OUT CAUSING THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO NO LONGER BE PROPERLY SUPPORTED. THE LOWER SUPPORT ARM IS NO LONGER FASTENED TO THE FRONT SUPPORT FRAME. THIS CAUSED THE ALIGNMENT TO BE OFF, IMPROPER AND EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR (REPLACED TIRES WELL BEFORE THE WARRANTY WAS UP). HYUNDAI HAD A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON OTHER MODELS (FRONT SUB-FRAME) BUT NOT ON SANTA FE'S (ONLY REAR TRAILING ARM WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL). WHEN EXPERIENCING ISSUES IN MULTIPLE VEHICLES FOR THE SAME REASON, BUT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS, ALL LOCATIONS SHOULD BE CHECKED AND NOT ONLY THE ONLY THAT IS PROMINENT. A 5 MINUTE ADDITIONAL INSPECTION VS. THE ULTIMATE WORSE CASE SCENARIO OF A DEATH, SEEMS LIKE A NO BRAINER. HYUNDAI KNEW THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM AND REFUSED TO ADDRESS IT. THIS HAS NOW COST US ALMOST $3000 IN REPAIRS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. THE MECHANIC THAT FOUND THE PROBLEM WILL NOT LET THE VEHICLE BE DRIVEN FROM HIS SHOP, AS IT IS TOO DANGEROUS. THE WORST PART IS IF THAT IF THIS FAILURE HAD OCCURRED WHILE TRAVELING OVER THE HIGHWAY, IT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SEVERE CRASH, WHICH AS YOU KNOW COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. HYUNDAI WAS NOT INTERESTED IN HEARING ABOUT THE PROBLEM WHEN WE CONTACTED THEM. *TR

DRIVING DOWN THE ROADWAY AT 45 MPH AND VEHICLE THE FRONT END OF THE CAR WAS SHAKING AND MAKING THUMPING SOUNDS. THE STEERING WAS PULLING THE VEHICLE ALL OVER THE ROADWAY. I HAD TO HAVE THE TRUCK TOWED TO THE GARAGE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CAR CAN NOT BE FIXED DUE TO THE CONTROL ARM RUSTING AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY INCREASED ACCELERATION. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED REPEATEDLY; HOWEVER FAILED TO REDUCE SPEED AND CRASHED INTO THE PROCEEDING VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END BUMPER AND WAS NOT TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.