2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

View complaints related to 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 300 complaints submitted for the 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - MINNEAPOLIS, MN

    PLEASE REFERENCE THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT THAT WAS FILED IN JUNE 2010. THE REF. NO. IS 10351059. THE ABOVE VEHICLE IS STILL EXHIBITING "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" AND HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE AND OTHER LIKE VEHICLES. SINCE THE ORIGINAL COMPLAINT THE VEHICLE HAS HAD "UNINTENDED ACCELERATION" ABOUT 10 TIMES. WHOEVER DRIVES THE VEHICLE ALWAYS KEEPS THEIR HAND ON THE SHIFT CONTROL AND SHIFTS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN COMING TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. WE MAY BE CONTACTED BY PHONE FOR MORE INFORMATION CONCERNING THIS PROBLEM. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - PENNDEL, PA

    I HAVE 78000 MILES 03 SANTA FE AND HAD LEAKING POWER STEERING LINES THEY RUSTED RIGHT THROUGH. *KB

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - NORTH HOLLYWOOD, CA

    CAR JERKS VIOLENTLY WHEN AT HIGHWAY SPEED EVEN THOUGH IT HAS NEW SHOCKS, STRUTS, AND FRONT DRIVE AXLES. THE TRANSMISSION ALSO SEEMS TO ENGAGE SUDDENLY WHEN MOVING FORWARD FROM COMPLETE STOP. REGULAR MAINT. AND TRANSMISSION INSPECTION PERFORMED. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - LAS VEGAS, NV

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VISOR ON THE VEHICLE BROKE FROM THE ARM AND FELL DOWN. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VISOR WAS NOT CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - BALTIMORE, MD

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE, ESPECIALLY WHEN DRIVING UPHILL. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SEVERAL TIMES WHERE NUMEROUS REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 119,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - LITTLETON, NH

    THIS VEHICLE HAS 124,350 MILES AND LOOKS TO BE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION YET HAS UNDERLYING PROBLEMS THAT HAS GONE UNDETECTED UNTIL VERY RECENTLY. ONE IS THE FRONT FRAME RAIL ATTACHMENT TO UNDERSIDE (FLOORBOARD) OF BODY ON PASSENGER SIDE WHICH IS HEAVILY RUSTED AND ONE LARGE AREA IS HOLED. ALSO THE METAL SHIELD OVER THE BOTTOM OF FUEL TANK IS NEARLY COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND FELL DOWN ONTO REAR ROTATING DRIVE SHAFT. I FEEL BOTH OF THESE ISSUES SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE AND I ALSO FEEL BOTH COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY IF THE REMAINING STEEL ATTACHMENTS TEAR AWAY DUE TO SEVERE SECTION LOSS OF COMPONENTS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - BRENTWOOD, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC STOP WHEN THE CONTROL ARM FROM THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE FRACTURED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHO ADVISED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS COMPLETELY ROTTEN AND CORRODED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FRAME WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - CHULA VISTA, CA

    I PURCHASED A USED 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN DECEMBER 2008. THE VEHICLE OPERATED WELL FOR SIX MONTHS. SUDDENLY, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ONE DAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR TWO MONTHS, THEN RETURNED MORE VIOLENTLY WITH THE VEHICLE TURNING OFF WHILE AT STOPS AND DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, EVEN AT 35 TO 40 MPH. I NOTICED THE RPM'S DROP SUDDENLY WHEN THE CAR JERKS. HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON, AND NEITHER DO ANY OTHER INDICATORS THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE PAID TO GET THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND COILS REPAIRED ON THE CAR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. AFTER ALMOST THREE YEARS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE, WHICH I AM STILL PAYING OFF TO THE FINANCE COMPANY, THE CAR STILL JERKS WHILE DRIVING EVEN AT 30 MPH WITHIN IN A 2 MILE RADIUS OF MY HOME. I HAVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SLOWLY, WITHOUT ACCELERATING AND SUDDEN STOPS TO KEEP THE JERKING TO A MINIMUM. I HAVE CALLED HYUNDAI USA ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE THE WARRANTY, SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP CANNOT PINPOINT THE PROBLEM AND NEITHER CAN OTHER MECHANIC SHOPS. I AM PRACTICALLY PAYING FOR A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK! I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN CANADA ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON THE CAR JERKING, BUT NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. I SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM HERE IN THE U.S. BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS, SUCH AS WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - ANNAPOLIS, MD

    I DRIVE A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, DRIVEN IN MD, 136K MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT HANDLING RIGHT IN THE CAR, IT WOULD PULL BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS, IT WAS WORSE IN WET CONDITIONS. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE HYUNDAI DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ASKED FOR THEM TO LOOK INTO THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT MY FRONT CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED INTO THE SUB-FRAME OF MY CAR. WHAT OCCURRED IS WHAT THE NHTSA ID # 09V123000 RECALL WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX. I HAD THE RECALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS AGO. I THINK HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS PART BASED ON THE TIME THAT ELAPSED BETWEEN INITIALLY ADDRESSING THE RECALL AND TODAY. FAILURE TO FIX THIS MALFUNCTION WOULD MOST LIKELY RESULT IN A CRASH OR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - WARSAW, IN

    2003 - HYUNDAI SANTA FE - MARCH 29, 2011. THE FRONT RIGHT SPRING BROKE ON MY SANTA FE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. LUCKLY I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON THE ROAD. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I MAY NOT BE HERE TODAY. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS, STRUTS, AND FOUR NEW TIRES FOR THE ENTIRE COST OF $1300. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR COST SINCE IT WAS THERE DEFECTED SPRING THAT BROKE.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE