2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

View complaints related to 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 250 complaints submitted for the 2010 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.

  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - HEATHSVILLE, VA

    WHEN PUSHING THE GAS PEDAL TO ACCELERATE FROM STOPPED POSITION THERE IS A NOTABLE PAUSE. (1-3 SECONDS??)THIS THEN CAUSES YOU TO PUSH ACCELERATOR FURTHER ,THEREBY CAUSING A MUCH MORE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. I AM USED TO IT BECAUSE IT HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENTLY SINCE CAR WAS NEW, BUT SOMEONE COULD GET IN TROUBLE. HYUNDAI SERVICE SAYS ITS BECAUSE THE PEDAL IS SENDING A POSITION OF PEDAL THROUGH AN ELECTRONIC SIGNAL TO FUEL METERING SYSTEM.

    Source: PORTABLE SAFETY COMPLAINT FORM
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - LANSING, KS

    THIS IS A LOW-MILEAGE HYUNDAI AWD SANTA FE LIMITED WITH 19" ALLOW RIMS. AT ABOUT 11,500 MILES I NOTICED GREASE ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT-LEFT WHEEL. IT WAS THICK AND GREEN IN COLOR, THE GREASE USED TO LUBRICATE THE AXLE JOINT. THE CENTRIFUGAL FORCE FROM THE AXLE SPRAYED THE GREASE ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE WHEEL. I CHECKED THE CV BOOT AND AXLE AND IT APPEARED THE GREASE WAS LEAKING FROM THE SEAL BETWEEN THE BOOT AND THE AXLE HUB. THERE WAS A VERY SLIGHT LEAKAGE COMING FROM THE RIGHT WHEEL AXLE AS WELL. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN WITH A VEHICLE ONLY A YEAR OLD. I TOOK IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THEY CONFIRMED THE LEAKAGE ON BOTH WHEELS AND ORDERED TWO AXLE SEAL KITS, WHICH WILL INCLUDE REPLACEMENT OF THE JOINT. THERE WAS NO CHARGE FOR THE INSPECTION AND THERE WILL BE NO CHARGE FOR THE REPAIR. IF THIS WENT UNNOTICED IT COULD CAUSE AN AXLE TO OVERHEAT AND FAIL. AT HIGH SPEEDS THIS COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT.

    Source: PORTABLE SAFETY COMPLAINT FORM
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - DALLAS, TX

    I HAVE A 2010 SANTA FE WITH 19K MILES.....TWICE THIS WEEK I WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. BRAKES WORKED, THANK GOODNESS. ANYONE ELSE HAVE "SUDDEN UNINTENDED DECELERATION"?? AFTER THE FIRST EVENT, I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER (FOLLOWING PROTOCOL IN THE MANUAL). THEY REPORTED A NEW RECALL (IT HAD BEEN SERVICED A FEW MONTHS AGO), EXECUTED A COMPUTER UPDATE AND ALL WAS FIXED (OR SO I THOUGHT). 4 DAYS LATER, WITH LESS THAN 100 MILES DRIVEN SINCE THE REPAIR, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS IN 35MPH TRAFFIC SO WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NO LONGER WORKED, I ALMOST WAS REAR-ENDED. I WAS ABLE TO COAST OUT OF TRAFFIC (BRAKES AND STEERING FINE)TO A SIDE STREET. I WAS ABLE TO COAST HOME (.5 MILE OR SO). CAR WOULD ACCELERATE AFTER STOP SIGNS, ALTHOUGH THE GAS PEDAL DOESN'T RESPOND AT ALL. VERY SCARY THAT IT EVEN SHIFTED TO A HIGHER GEAR AND WOULD GO 30MPH AND KEEP ACCELERATING IF I DIDN'T BRAKE! THE FIRST REPAIR INFO: 1. SPRING PROTECTOR INSTALL (TSB#11-01-021); CAUSE: CAMP 2.TC7 CM ECM UPDATE P0111 10-01-034; CAUSE: CAMP *TT

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - CHARLOTTE, NC

    2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL RELATED TO DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION CAUSING LOSS OF MOTIVE POWER *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED SHE WAS NOT NOTIFIED ABOUT THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED SHE ONLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL, WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER IT SUDDENLY STOPPED ON A SIX LANE HIGHWAY AND WOULD NOT ENGAGE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION HAD BEEN DESTROYED AND DAMAGED THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT NO CHARGE TO THE CONSUMER. *JB

    Source: CONSUMER LETTER
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - NORFOLK, VA

    THE WEEKEND WE PURCHASED OUR 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LIMITED, V6, WHILE DRIVING IN AREA WITH MODERATE GRADES VEHICLE HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING BETWEEN 1ST & 2ND GEARS, 2ND & 3RD GEARS. WE THOUGHT IT COULD BE THE AREA WE WERE DRIVING IN, SO WE CONTINUED TO DRIVE IT TO SEE IF THAT WAS IT. IT WAS NOT. HARD SHIFTING HAS CONTINUED FOR THE COMPLETE EXTENT OF OUR OWNERSHIP COMMENCING AT THE START. ON 12/7/2010, TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO BE CHECKED, CAUSE: FOUND TRANSMISSION JERKING. MODULE ASSY-AUTO TRANS CONTROL RE, RESET ADAPTIVE TRANS VALUES. RECALL, P0111, ECM UPDATE, PERFORMED CAMP TC7. BRING BACK IF CONTINUES AFTER A COUPLE WEEKS. IT DID CONTINUE, BUT I AM A BUSY PERSON. ON 4/21/2011, RETURNED AGAIN STATING THAT VEHICLE WAS CONTINUING TO SHIFT HARD, JERKING. DEALER SVC STATES COULD NOT DUPLICATE. VEHICLE DUPLICATED FOR ME ON WAY HOME FROM SVC APPT. ON 6/10/11, RETURNED AGAIN FOR SAME PROBLEM WITH HARD SHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS, JERKING. CAUSE: TCM UPGRADE, RE-RESET ADAPTIVE TRANS VALUES, AFTER WHICH SVC DEPT SAID COULD NOT DUPLICATE AGAIN. SVC MGR STATES THAT A NEW REFLASH HAD BEEN ISSUED SINCE THEY UPGRADED IT LAST ON 12/7/2010. THRU RESEARCH I FIND NO NEW UPGRADE HAS BEEN RELEASED ON SVC MESSAGES/NOTIFICATIONS. I BELIEVE I'VE BEEN MISLEAD. I AM POSITIVE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL DO THIS AGAIN. ALSO, INTERMITTENTLY WHEN ONLY CRANKING THE VEHICLE AND BEFORE THE VEHICLE IS PUT IN GEAR IT WILL IMMEDIATELY HAVE A FEELING OF A LARGE "BANG OR SLAM" AND THEN LUNGE FORWARD EVEN THOUGH STILL IN PARK. THE VEHICLE ALSO MAKES "POPPING" SOUNDS WHEN IN PARK KIND OF LIKE SMALL "BACKFIRES". I HAVE ALSO ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE THIS AND DID NOT GET A SATISFACTORY RESPONSE. THEY STATE THAT ALL OF THESE SYMPTOMS ARE CONNECTED TO THE "NEW REFLASH" THAT HAS COME OUT SINCE THE 12/7/2010 SVC APPT. IT "SHOULD" FIX IT. I SAY RECALL IT.

    Source: PORTABLE SAFETY COMPLAINT FORM
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - MANSFIELD, MA

    STARTED CAR TO BACK UP OUT OF DRIVEWAY. CAR JUMPED A LITTLE. CONTINUED ON ROAD AND FELT LITTLE JUMPING AT RANDOM. WENT SLOW AND TRIED TO BRAKE AND ACCELORATE TO UNDERSTAND TRIGGER. TURNED AROUND AFTER 1.5 MILE TO HEAD BACK HOME. A FEW YARDS IN THE CAR MADE LOUD DROPPING SOUND AND GRINDING AND SCRAPING AND WOULD NOT ACCELARATE. SO LOUD I THOUGHT THE BOTTOM CAME OUT. PEOPLE PUSHED IT INTO PARKING LOT FOR ME. AAA TOWED IT TO DEALER. 24 HOURS LATER TOLD IT WAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. 24 HOURS AFTER THAT TOLD THEY ARE REPLACING WITH NEW TRANSMISSION. ASKED IF THIS WOULD TRIGGER ANY FUTURE PROBLEMS AND THEY CLAIM NO. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - LOUISVILLE, KY

    THE VEHICLE STOPS OR STALLS ON SHIFTING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR. IT HAS JUST DIED MERGING INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP SIGN AND I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ROLL TO THE SHOULDER. IT WILL NOT ALWAYS PULL UP AN INCLINE FROM A STOP SUCH AS A STEEPER DRIVEWAY. I HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL TO "FIX' THIS BY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK IN GEAR. THIS PROBLEM IS WELL DOCUMENTED IN THE HYUNDAI FORUMS ON LINE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - BECKER, MN

    I PURCHASED THE 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE NEW WITH ONLY 60 MILES ON IT IN JUNE 2010. IN JANUARY 2011 WE BEGAN SMELLING A FUEL SMELL. THIS OCCURRED ONLY AFTER THE CAR WAS RUNNING AND SHUT OFF THEN SUBSEQUENTLY TURNED BACK ON LESS THAN AN HOUR LATER LIKE WHEN RUNNING ERRANDS. I NEVER SMELLED GAS IF THE CAR SAT OVERNIGHT. WE ALSO WOULD EXPERIENCE AN INTERMITTENT LONG CRANK. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER IN JANUARY 2011 AND THEY REPLACED 2 O-RINGS THAT THEY STATED WERE LEAKING AND FOUND FUEL AROUND. AFTER THESE WERE REPLACED, I STILL HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN FEBRUARY 2011 AND NO KNOWN PROBLEMS WERE FOUND BY THE DEALER. AGAIN, I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN MARCH. THIS TIME THEY FOUND FUEL IN THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. THEY STATED I WAS OVERFILLING THE TANK WHICH WAS WHY THERE WAS FUEL IN THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE MANAGER, THEY AGREED TO COVER THE PART AND LABOR AT NO CHARGE AND REPLACED THE CHARCOAL CANISTER. AFTER THIS WAS REPLACED, I NO LONGER EXPERIENCED THE LONG CRANK BUT I STILL SMELL GAS AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS. HYUNDAI WILL AGAIN BE LOOKING AT THE CAR FOR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS, BUT THE DEALER IS REALLY STUMPED SO FAR ON THIS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - PAINESVILLE, OH

    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE CONTACT TOOK HER FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WAS COASTING. WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE RPMS INCREASED AND THERE WAS A HARD BUMP AND A SHUTTER FELT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION ADAPTER WAS RESET, THE KEEP ALIVE MEMORY AND ADAPTIVE VALUES WERE CLEARED, AND AN ECU UPDATE WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE CONTACT WAS TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER A FORTH TIME FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,889. UPDATED 5/9/11 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS A HARSH SHIFT BETWEEN 20-30 MPH. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER SIX TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED TWICE. UPDATED 08/17/11.*JB

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - RIO RANCHO, NM

    GAS/FUEL SMELL COMING FROM ENGINE COMPARTMENT INTO CABIN OF 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE GLS (2.4 L AUTOMATIC). SMELL IS NOT NOTICEABLE AT COLD START OVERNIGHT, OR AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS OF SITTING. SMELL IS VERY NOTICEABLE AFTER THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND THEN SHUT OFF FOR ANYWHERE FROM 10 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. THE FUEL SMELL COMES DIRECTLY INTO THE CABIN WHEN THE HVAC SYSTEM IS SET TO VENT, BUT NOT ON RECIRCULATE. DEALER HAS REMOVED AND REPLACED FUEL INJECTORS AND FUEL RAIL. SMELL STILL PERSISTS. THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE. THE SMELL ALSO OCCURS WHEN STOPPED FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME WHILE DRIVING/IDLING. THE SMELL OCCURS WHEN THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE IS OFF, BUT THE KEY IS TURNED TO THE POINT THE HVAC WILL TURN ON. THIS MEANS THE SMELL OCCURS REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THE ENGINE IS RUNNING OR NOT. THE SMELL ACCUMULATES UNDER THE HOOD AND IS STRONGEST NEAR THE PASSENGER SIDE MIDDLE. THE SMELL IS BAD ENOUGH TO PERMEATE CLOTHES WHILE DRIVING AND TO BE SMELLED INSIDE THE HOUSE WHEN THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE IS OPENED. IT'S BAD ENOUGH TO FORCE PARKING THE VEHICLE OUTDOORS. IT APPEARS THIS ISSUE IS BEING DISCUSSED ON THE HYUNDAI FORUMS WEBSITE AND MOST COMPLAINTS ARE FOR THE HYUNDAI SONATA AND SONATA TURBO, BUT THE DESCRIPTION OF THE ISSUE AND POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS POINT TO THE SAME CAUSE FOR MY SANTA FE. THE DEALER HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE SMELL, BUT NOT IN WRITING. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FIVE TIMES FOR THIS COMPLAINT - TWICE WITH WORK DONE, TWICE WITH NO WORK DONE (CLAIM WAS COULD NOT REPLICATE), AND ONCE I WAS SENT HOME BEFORE ANY WORK WAS DONE AS THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE DETERMINED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AT THAT TIME. THERE APPEARS TO BE NO KNOWN SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE COMING FORTH FROM HYUNDAI AT THIS TIME. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE