2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

HYUNDAI SANTA FE ESC LIGHT POPS ON INTERMITTENTLY AND AFTER PUSHING THE ON/OFF SWITCH DOES NOT PUT IT OUT. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ALSO POPS ON ALONG WITH THE ESC LIGHT. RESEARCH SHOWS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM IN MANY HYUNDAI MODELS AND RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. *TR

WHILE OUR VEHICLE WAS MAKING A SLOW TURN, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING AT APPROX. 50 MPH, CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE, THEN OUR CAR WAS FLIPPED AND LANDED ON THE ROOF. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. ALL PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS. WHEN THE CAR FLIPPED, THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT RELEASED AND BECAME UNSECURED, TOSSING THE PASSENGER. SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE CABIN CAGE AND SIDE DOOR PANELS. ....UPDATED 04/23/15 *BF

I HAD JUST PURCHASED GAS A FEW DAYS BEFORE AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY GAS GAUGE REGISTERED NO GAS. I KNEW I WAS NOT ON EMPTY AND WENT TO THE GAS STATION AND PURCHASED MORE GAS, WHICH WAS ONLY A COUPLE OF DOLLARS TO TOP IT OFF. IN THE PAST 6 WEEKS, MY GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATES BETWEEN EMPTY OR WHEREVER ELSE IT WANTS TO LAND. IT IS VERY UNRELIABLE TO USE THE ODOMETER/TRIP CALCULATOR TO PINPOINT HOW MUCH GAS IS LEFT IN THE TANK. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS FUEL SENSOR ISSUE ALL OVER THE INTERNET AND COME TO FIND OUT THIS HAS BEEN A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE 2007 AND 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE'S. HYUNDAI HAS FIXED THE PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL SENSOR STARTING WITH THE 2009'S SO THEY REALIZED THERE WAS AN ISSUE. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REPAIR FOR THE FUEL SENSOR CAN RUN ALMOST A $1,000, WHICH IS A HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR A PROBLEM THAT HYUNDAI KNOWS EXISTS. PLEASE HELP. *TR

3/18 DRIVING DOWN A ROAD HIT A LARGE POTHOLE ESC OFF AND ABS LIGHTS POP ON THE DASH PRESS THE ESC BUTTON WHICH DID NOTHING.I STOP IN A PARKING LOT TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN BACK ON THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON AS I PULLED AWAY THE LIGHTS TURNED OFF. 3/19 I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 25-30 AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ESC OFF AND ABS LIGHTS CAME ONE ONCE AGAIN I PARK AT THE GROCERY STORE TO SHOP. LEAVING THE GROCERY STORE I TURN ON THE VEHICLE ON THE DASH THE SAME LIGHTS ARE LIGHT UP AS I PULL AWAY THEY TURN OFF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V122000 IS A RECALL IN PLACE FOR THIS ISSUE ON MY MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE BUT IT STARTS FOR THE SANTA FES THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM APRIL OF 2007 AND FURTHER. MY SANTA FE WAS MANUFACTURED IN MID MARCH OF 2007 PLEASE LOOK INTO ADDING MY VEHICLE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V122000. *TR

FUEL GAUGE LEVEL ERRATIC. CHECK ENGINE CODE INDICATES FUEL LEVEL SENSORS. NO RECALLS HAVE BEEN ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AT THE SAME TIME, I NOTED WILD FLUCTUATIONS IN FUEL GAGE READOUT. ALSO, WHEN SELECTED, THE "RANGE" RAN FROM 0 UP TO 99 MILES. READING YOUR WEBPAGE LEADS ME TO BELIEVE THIS IS A REAL PROBLEM ON THE 2007 SANTA FE. MY ONLY OPTION IS TO CONTINUALLY TOP OFF THE GAS TANK TO INSURE THE VEHICLE IS FUELED. THERE IS NO WAY TO DETERMINE ACTUAL FUEL LEFT IN TANK. I BELIEVE THIS TO BE A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD, AS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL WITHOUT WARNING AT 65 MPH IN TRAFFIC WILL NOT ONLY SLOW THE VEHICLE, BUT KILL POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. ISSUE MUST BE ADDRESSED THROUGH RECALL. IT IS TOTALLY UNFAIR TO EXPECT CONSUMERS TO FOOT THE BILL FOR AN ESTIMATED 700 DOLLAR FIX. *TR

WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE INDICATING AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME, BUT NEXT DAY CAR WOULD NOT START DUE TO DRAINED BATTERY. BATTERY WAS THEN RECHARGED AND CAR DRIVEN TO LOCAL FIRESTONE STORE FOR DIAGNOSIS. WAS DETERMINED THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY DUE TO OIL THAT HAD LEAKED FROM THE FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET. THE ALTERNATOR WAS HEAVILY CAKED WITH THIS OIL/GRIME. AFTER INSTALLING NEW VALVE COVER GASKET AND ALTERNATOR TODAY, CAR NOW RUNS FINE. THIS PROBLEM SEEMS TO ME TO BE IDENTICAL TO THAT DESCRIBED IN HYUNDAI'S RECALL NUMBER 121 WHICH COVERED CERTAIN VERACRUZ MODELS (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 14V415000) AND THEREFORE I BELIEVE THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED TO COVER AT LEAST MY CAR AND PROBABLY OTHERS. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE INACCURATELY, FINALLY INDICATING THE TANK IS EMPTY AND EMPTY LIGHT IN ON. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON AS WELL. A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MECHANICS ESTIMATED IT WILL COST BETWEEN $700 AND $1,100 DOLLARS TO TRACK DOWN AND REPAIR THE PROBLEM. MY INSPECTION WILL BE OUT OF DATE SOON AND HAVE NOTICED THROUGH RESEARCH THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL HUNDRED CASES AND COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THIS ISSUE WITH 2007, HYUNDAI, SANTE FE AND OTHER HYUNDAI VEHICLES. WHY IS THERE NOT A FORCED RECALL FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO REPAIR THIS DESIGN FLAW FOR THESE CARS? DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO LOSE THEIR LIFE FOR THIS ISSUE TO GET REPAIRED? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POP NOISE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER TIRE BLEW. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MERGE OFF THE HIGHWAY AVOIDING A COLLISION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT TIRE SHOP. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE PASSENGER FRONT DEFECTIVE AND VERIFIED THAT ALL FOUR WHEELS WERE SCALLOPED ON THE INSIDE BEAD AREA OF THE RIM. AS A RESULT, ALL FOUR RIMS AND TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 158,000. VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

FUEL LEVEL GAGE READOUT IS FAULTY, PROVIDING ERRONEOUS AND IRREGULARLY FLUCTUATING READINGS ON REMAINING GAS LEVELS. TOOK IT TO DENNIS HYUNDAI OF DUBLIN OH AND WAS INFORMED BY SERVICE MANAGER THAT THIS IS A REGULAR PROBLEM ON 2007 SANTA FE'S. HE SAID THE YELLOW CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT SPORADICALLY LIGHTS IS TRIGGERED BY FAULTY GAS LEVEL SENSOR. THE DEALER CLEARED THE TROUBLE CODE FOR ME AND SUGGESTED I NOT WASTE MY MONEY ON THE COSTLY REPAIR OF THE SENSOR AND USE MY ODOMETER TO TRACK WHEN I SHOULD FILL THE TANK. UNFORTUNATELY THE ODOMETER IS NOT DESIGNED OR INTENDED FOR THIS PURPOSE. MOST OF THE TIME THE FUEL LEVEL GAGE ON THE DASHBOARD READS COMPLETELY EMPTY SO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH FUEL REMAINS IN MY TANK. ALSO WITH THE YELLOW CHECK ENGINE CONTINUALLY LIT I'LL HAVE NO PRACTICAL WAY OF KNOWING IF SOME OTHER EMISSION CONTROL FAULT HAPPENS WITHOUT REPEATEDLY HAVING TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER TO VERIFY THE TROUBLE CODE CAUSE. GAS GAUGES SERVE A VITAL ROLE IN KEEPING THE DRIVER INFORMED OF WHEN THE TANK NEEDS MORE FUEL. WITHOUT A RELIABLE FUNCTIONING GAUGE THERE IS CONTINUAL RISK OF DEPLETING THE FUEL, RESULTING IN A STALLED ENGINE AND LOSS OF POWER BRAKES AND POWER STEERING, GREATLY INCREASING RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. IT IS EVIDENT FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS FILED ON THIS PROBLEM THAT THERE IS A DESIGN FLAW OR DEFECT IN THE PARTS OR SYSTEM INVOLVING THIS FUEL LEVEL SENSOR AND GAUGE. ISN'T TIME HYUNDAI BE MADE RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING/FUNDING A REMEDY FOR THIS DEFECT? *TR