2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

AM RADIO ANTENNAE LOCATED IN REAR WINDOW DOES NOT WORK AND DEALER, AFTER REPLACING THE RADIO AND 2 SUBSEQUENT SERVICE INSPECTIONS SAID THAT WAS JUST THE WAY IT IS - IT JUST WILL NOT WORK. *NM

LEFT FRONT BALL JOINT FAILED SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT STILL OK. FAILURE CAUSED LACK OF ABILITY TO STEER THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT. MECHANIC SAID IT IS VERY RARE TO SEE SUCH WEAR ON ONE SIDE AND NOT THE OTHER. CAR WAS BADLY DAMAGED DUE TO RESULTING ACCIDENT.

DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING THE HARMONIC BALANCE FELL OFF. SHE HEARD A LOUD CLUNG, AND THEN LOOKED INTO REARVIEW MIRROR. AT THAT TIME SHE SAW IT ROLLING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. SHE THEN PULLED OVER AND HER DAUGHTER TRIED TO PICK IT UP. THE PART WAS HOT, AND SHE BURNED HER FINGERS. THE PART WAS PUT IN THE VEHICLE AND TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE SHE PURCHASED IT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED TO GET THE REPLACEMENT PART. THEY WERE UNAWARE OF WHY OR HOW THIS OCCURRED. *AK

DT: 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE - VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED AND UNDER ANY CONDITION. AS A RESULT VEHICLE LOST POWER. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE WILL RESTART BACK UP, AND AT TIMES THE CONSUMER HAS TO WAIT A FEW MINUTES TO RESTART VEHICLE. THE CAR IS AT DEALERSHIP FOR REPAIRS. THEY SAID THE PROBLEM WAS CRANK SHAFT SENSOR. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON THE SIX CYLINDER ENGINES OF THE HYUNDAI SANTA FEE. BUT THIS VEHICLE, NOT A FOUR CYLINDER ENGINE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, ASKED THE MANUFACTURER, AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW WHY. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CAR WITH AC ON THE BATTER DIES BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER SAID NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW NO ONE WILL ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR

4/6/06 I HAD AN AUTO ACCIDENT GOING 75 MPH IN A 70 ZONE. FULL IMPACT OF MY FRONT END TO THE OPPOSING PARTIES VEHICLE (SUV). I DID A 360 AND FLIPPED AND LANDED ON MY DRIVER'S SIDE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ALL. NEITHER DRIVER SIDE OR PASSENGER SIDE. I SUSTAINED BACK AND NECK INJURIES - CURRENTLY IN TREATMENT. MY VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS AND IS NOW IN A SALVAGE YARD.

THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ISSUES WITH MY 2002 SANTA FE. THE FIRST BEING 6 MONTHS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. I HEARD A CONSTANT GRINDING NOISE AND NOTICED THE VEHICLE SUSPSENION NOT RESPONDING SMOOTHLY. WHEN THE DEALER CHECKED THE PROBLEM, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES. SINCE THIS TIME, I HAVE HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED FREQUENTLY, (SINCE I PERCEIVE A FREQUENT PROBLEM WITH GRINDING AND PROBLEMS STOPPING...THE CAR DOESN'T STOP WELL)...AND I'M OFTEN AFRAID IT WON'T STOP. THIS SUMMER AFTER HAVING THE BRAKES CHECKED, WHILE PARALLEL PARKING, THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED RESULTING IN MY VEHICLE HITTING ANOTHER PARKED CAR. THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP UNTIL I QUICKLY PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURNED IT OFF...NOT YET BEING IN THE SPOT COMPLETELY. MY REAR BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED EVERY 6 - 8 MONTHS SINCE THE CAR WAS PURCHASED. MY MECHANIC STATES THAT THE BRAKES FOR THE SANTA FE'S ARE CONFIGURED LIKE SMALL CAR BRAKES AND ARE NOT SUFFICIENT FOR THIS SIZE VEHICLE THUS REQUIRING THEM TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. ANOTHER, SEPARATE INCIDENT OCCURED APPROX 6 MONTHS AGO, AGAIN WHEN THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP (HEARD A CLICKING/GRINDING NOISE). HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE BALL JOINTS (I THINK IT WAS ALSO THE BALL JOINTS) AND FRONT AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. DEALER SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THE CRACK IN THE AXLE, BUT WAS NOT USER CAUSED. *AK

THE CONSUMER'S 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. *NM THE COMPANY HAS ANOTHER 2002 SANTA FE( VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER KMHSC81BP2U260090) THAT HAS THE SAME UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER. NUMEROUS SERVICE HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES.

DRIVER NOTICED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE TIRE TRACK CONTROL ENGAGED . THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN ON ITS OWN WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKES. DRIVER TOOK VEHICLETO THE DEALER, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

MY 2002 V6 4WHEEL DR HYUNDAI SANTA FE WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT 65- 70 MPH DROPPED A DRIVE LINE, IGNITING FLAMES TO THE REAR OF THE CAR. LITHIA OF FRESNO CLAIMS IT WAS DUE TO LOW FLUIDS IN THE TRANSFER CASE, THUS IT OVERHEATED AND THE LINE SNAPPED OFF. I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED 2 WEEKS PRIOR, THE FLUIDS WERE FINE, THE TRANSFER CASE WAS OKAY. THERE WAS A VAGUE HUM IN THE DRIVE OF THE CAR AFTER RETURNING FROM THE MOUNTAINS THE WEEK PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. OTHER 2ND OPINIONS BELIEVE THE AUTO SWITCH IN THE SMART SYSTEM FAILED AND LEFT IT STUCK IN 4WHEEL DR HENCE OVERHEATING THE TRANSFER CASE. IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARANTY FOR REPAIRS (120,000 ON POWER TRAIN/ENGINE) THEY DENIED THE WARANTY COVERAGE, SO IT'S NOT REPAIRED. ESTIMATE IS OVER $6,000.00. THERE SHOULD BE AN INDICATOR LIGHT IN THE CAR AS TO WHAT DRIVE IT'S IN, AND ENGINEERING MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND HAZZARD. INVESTIGATE PLEASE.*AK