2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

4/1/2016: DRIVING ON INTERSTATE I-40 WESTBOUND IN LAS CRUCES IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE, THE CAR ENGINE DIED, BUT I WAS ABLE TO GET TO SHOULDER. CAR TOWED TO AUTO REPAIR SHOP, BUT PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED; CAR EVENTUALLY RESTARTED. 2ND ATTEMPT TO DIAGNOSE ON 4/11/16; NONE COULD BE FOUND. CAR STARTED TO MAKE OCCASIONAL LOUD ENGINE NOISE OVER ENSUING MONTHS. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI, AND IN OCTOBER 2016 WAS TOLD TO BRING CAR 100 MILES BACK TO LAS CRUCES, NM (BORMAN AUTOPLEX) FOR FURTHER DIAGNOSIS. BORMAN DIAGNOSED METAL SHAVINGS IN ENGINE (SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL TO PROBLEM FOR THE 470,000 SONATAS WITH METAL SHAVINGS IN THE ENGINE). A FULL ENGINE FAILURE AND ENGINE REPLACEMENT WAS RECOMMENDED. I CONTENDED THAT THE ENGINE SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE, AS IT WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND THE VEHICLE DYING WITHOUT NOTICE WHILE BEING DRIVEN COULD PROVE DANGEROUS OR FATAL TO THE DRIVER/PASSENGERS. THE ENGINE FAILED FULLY, AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVABLE. AGAIN, ISSUE BEGAN 4/1/2016; ENGINE FAILED COMPLETELY 12/28/2016. *TR

AS EARLY AS LAST SUMMER, MY 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE STARTED TO (INTERMITTENTLY) ACCELERATE WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE. FRANKLY, I THOUGHT IT WAS RELATED TO THE SANDALS I WAS WEARING. I THOUGHT I WAS OCCASIONALLY STEPPING ON THE GAS AND THE BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME (I HAVE VERY BIG FEET -- SIZE FIFTEEN). THE PROBLEM STOPPED WHEN I SWITCHED SHOES (WHICH ALSO CORRESPONDED TO THE END OF SUMMER). THE PROBLEM CAME BACK INTERMITTENTLY THIS SUMMER AND IS NOW REPEATABLE. WHEN I AM GOING DOWN A STEEP HILL AT SPEEDS OVER ABOUT 20 MPH, THE ENGINE RPM'S INCREASE WHEN I STEP ON THE BRAKE. IT DOES THAT WHILE IN GEAR AND WHILE IN NEUTRAL. OBVIOUSLY, IF THE DRIVE TRAIN IS IN GEAR, THE ENGINE "FIGHTS AGAINST" THE BRAKE; IF THE DRIVE TRAIN IS IN NEUTRAL, THE ENGINE REVS. IF THE ENGINE IS IN NEUTRAL OR IS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AFTER THE ACCELERATION STARTS, THE ENGINE RACES UNTIL I LET OFF THE BRAKE. IT HAS GONE AS HIGH AS 4-5 K RPM BEFORE I LET OFF THE BRAKE. ALL THAT'S REQUIRED TO GET THE CAR TO RETURN TO NORMAL IDLE IS THAT I PUMP THE BRAKE (LET OFF THE BRAKE ALL THE WAY -- I CAN IMMEDIATELY RE-APPLY THE BRAKE AND THE PROBLEM WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN). I HAVE IDENTIFIED A STRETCH OF ROAD NEAR MY HOUSE WHERE THE PROBLEM ALWAYS OCCURS. DRIVING EAST AT THE END OF WALNUT STREET AT THE INTERSECTION OF WALNUT AND BOSTON HILL CIRCLE, NEAR SOUTH STREET IN SHREWSBURY, MA 01545, IT PROBLEMS ALWAYS REPLICATES. IT ALSO ALWAYS HAPPENS AT THE BEND IN THE ROAD WHILE GOING DOWN HILL ON BOSTON HILL CIRCLE... UPDATED10/13/16 *BF ...VIDEO AVAILABLE *TR

SINCE PURCHASE (NEW), THE VEHICLE HAS INTERMITTENTLY EXHIBITED A ISSUE WITH ITS TRANSMISSION. WHEN COLD (ORIGINALLY IN THE WINTER MONTHS BUT NOW IN THE WARMER MONTHS AS WELL), BACKING THE CAR UP AND PLACING IT IN DRIVE CAUSES A 'HARD DROP OR LOCK INTO FORWARD GEAR AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS STARTED MOVING. THIS HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALER AND INSPECTION OF THE COMPUTER MEMORY SHOWS NO ISSUES. THE PROBLEM IS INCREASING INFREQUENCY AND REGULARITY.

ACCELERATING AWAY FROM STOP LIGHT, ACCELERATOR PEDAL DETACHED FROM FIREWALL. THE VEHICLE WAS 15-20 FT. INTO A FIVE LANE INTERSECTION. THE VEHICLE IDLED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION SAFELY INTO A PARKING LOT. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED AT 0610 ON 26 JUNE 2016 WHEN TRAFFIC WAS LITE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE CONTACT WAS ALERTED OF FLAMES UNDER THE VEHICLE AS BLACK SMOKE POURED FROM THE ENGINE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED BRUISES ON THE FACE AND CHEST AND EXPERIENCED TROUBLE BREATHING. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DESTROYED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

IMPOSSIBLE TO SIT WITH BACK FULLY UP AGAINST THE SEAT BACK BECAUSE THE HEADREST PUSHES MY HEAD FORWARD SO THAT I AM LOOKING DOWN AT MY LAP INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT AHEAD. PAINFUL AND UNSAFE. I HAVE REMOVED THE HEADRESTS AND TURNED THEM AROUND.

WELL MAINTAINED ENGINE WITH 128,000 MILES FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY WITHOUT WARNING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. OIL PRESSURE, RPM AND TEMPERATURE GAUGES DID NOT INDICATE A PROBLEM. PISTON APPARENTLY SHATTERED AND BLEW THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE.

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A "SCRAPING" NOISE WHEN TURNED. HYUNDAI SAYS THIS IS "NORMAL"; HOWEVER, UP UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO, THE CAR NEVER MADE THIS NOISE. MY WIFE AND I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE CAR ANYMORE; HOWEVER, HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND I OWN A SECOND VEHICLE THAT IS THE EXACT SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND IT DOES NOT MAKE THIS SOUND. SINCE THE STEERING COLUMN IS CRITICAL TO THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE -AND INCLUDES THE AIR BAG COMPONENTS, ETC., WE ARE VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD CAUSE PREMATURE DETONATION OF THE AIRBAG AND/OR SOME KIND OF STEERING FAILURE. HYUNDAI REFUSES TO FIX THE PROBLEM AND WE ARE CONCERNED NOT JUST FOR OUR OWN SAFETY BUT FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL HYUNDAI OWNERS DRIVING WITH THIS PROBLEM. ALSO, WHEN I TRIED TO ESCALATE THE COMPLAINT TO HYUNDAI'S CUSTOMER CARE, THE SUPERVISOR (MR. JULIO O.) REFUSED TO ESCALATE THE COMPLAINT -WHICH CAUSES ME GRAVE CONCERN THAT HYUNDAI IS OBSTRUCTING THE COMPLAINT PROCESS IN AN EFFORT TO PROTECT PROFIT MARGINS.

ALL EVENTS OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY.BEGAN TO HAVE A INTERMITTENT NO START CONDITION AROUND THE THIRD WEEK OF JANUARY 2016. THETA 2.4 ENGINE #165130 WOULD NOT TURN OVER. A JUMP START WITH 2ND VEHICLE BATTERY SUPPLY AND JUMPER CABLES WERE NEEDED FOR ENGINE TO RUN.TESTED THE BATTERY VOLTAGE OUTPUT ON SANTA FE WITH ENGINE COLD 12.65 AND ENGINE RUNNING 13.96 TO 14.02 RANGE ALL STARTING AND CHARGING COMPONENTS WERE OPERATING IN NORMAL CONDITIONS AND NO CHECK ENGINE OR BATTERY INDICATORS ILLUMINATING. NO SIGNS OF ENGINE MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT. ON 01/29/2016 AFTER HAVING TWO MORE NO STARTS WENT AHEAD AND REPLACED THE BATTERY WITH BRAND NEW ONE. ENGINE WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START.TESTED VOLTAGE ON BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, STARTER,IGNITION AND FUEL PUMP RELAYS. HAD SPARK ON ALL COILS AND FUEL. AIR FILTER WAS NEW. FELT CONFIDENT THERE WAS NO NEED TO CHECK COMPRESSION AS THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL SIGNS PRESENT. AT CERTAIN TIMES SOME ENGINE COMPONENTS DUE WEAR OUT SO I HAD A MECHANIC INSPECT THE ENGINE AND ASKED HIM TO REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR. ENGINE WOULD NOT TURNOVER AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND HE COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE. ON 01/30/2016 CONNECTED MY OBD2 AND GOT A TOTAL OF 11 CODES, P0445,261,267,270,264,448. FIVE OUT OF FIRST ELEVEN WERE DISPLAYED TWICE EXCEPT P0448.I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A HYUNDAI AUTHORIZED SERVICE DEPT ON 02/02/2016 THE SERVICE ADVISER AT FRANK HYUNDAI ADVISED ME HIS MECHANIC PERFORMED A COMPRESSION AND LEAK DOWN TEST AND INFORMED ME ENGINE HAD LOW COMPRESSION IN 3 OUT OF 4 CYLINDERS WITH ACTIVE CODES P0223 P0445 AND P2106.ONE CYLINDERS WAS SAID TO BE BLOWING AIR UP TOWARDS VALVE COVER.I WAS TOLD THEY SUSPECTED PISTON RINGS OR CYLINDER HEAD WAS CAUSE OF ENGINE FAILURE.HAD CAR TOWED HOME. AFTER FINDING BLOWN FUSE I WAS ABLE TO START CAR BUT SHUT IT DOWN IMMEDIATELY FROM LOUD NOISE COMING FROM VALVE TRAIN ROTATING ASSEMBLY.UNKNOWN SYMPTOMS.

I WAS TURNING INTO A PARKING LOT DOING ABOUT 5MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED, TOOK ME OVER A CEMENT BARRIER, A CURB, WENT AIRBORNE, LANDED IN A BUSH WHICH IT TORE IN HALF AND TOOK WITH ME, ACROSS THE SIDEWALK AND SPUN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION BEFORE THE TIRE BLEW OFF THE RIM AND I GOT IT TO STOP. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT HAS BEEN FOR ONE MONTH AS HYUNDAI DRAGGED THEIR HEELS UNTIL I GOT ANGRY AND EMAILED THEM. TWO DAYS AFTER I EMAILED THEM I GOT THE FOLLOWING LEAVING ME WITH THE REPAIRS AS WELL AS PAYING FOR THE RENTAL FOR A MONTH. THANK YOU FOR YOUR RECENT CORRESPONDENCE. WE HAVE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED YOUR COMMENTS AND REGRET THE CIRCUMSTANCES YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED. WE HAVE REVIEWED THE MATERIALS PROVIDED AND INSPECTED YOUR SANTA FE. THE ENTIRE ACCELERATION SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE PEDALS AND THROTTLE, THE BRAKE SYSTEM, AND THE TRANSMISSION WERE THOROUGHLY REVIEWED AND CHECKED. WE WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANY MALFUNCTIONS OR DEFECTS THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE CONDITION YOU CLAIM CAUSED YOUR ACCIDENT. *TR