2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

I PURCHASED A 2003 SANTA FE LX 4WD WITH THE 2.7L ENGINE. ALMOST FROM THE TIME I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, IT HAS BEEN SUFFERING FROM A SULFUR SMELL. THE DEALER MADE ONE REPAIR THAT SEEMED TO LAST FOR ABOUT A WEEK, UNFORTUNATELY, THE ODOUR IS BACK. THE DEALER CLAIMS THAT THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THIS CONCERN, HOWEVER, THEY ONLY DRIVE THE VEHICLE 2 OR 3 MILES WHEN I TAKE IT TO THEM TO BE SERVICED. FUNNY HOW EVERYONE EXCEPT THE DEALER CAN SMELL THIS FOUL DISGUSTING ODOR. *AK

THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OBSTRUCTS THE VIEW ON THE RIGHT SIDE WHICH CAUSES THE CONSUMER NOT TO SEE VEHICLES OR OBJECTS. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.

THE VIN ON MY NEW 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IS AN INVALID ONE. THE DMV DATABASE THAT MY INURANCE ACCESSES HAS NO RECORD OF THIS NUMBER. I SPOKE WITH THE DEALERSHIP WHO WERE LESS THAN HELPFUL. AT THIS MOMENT, I HAVE 9 DAYS OF TEMPORARY INSURANCE FOR THE CAR, BUT MY AGENT INFORMS ME THAT UNLESS THE VIN NUMBER IS CORRECTED OR RESOLVED, THE CAR CANNOT BE REGISTERED, LICENSED OR INSURED IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA.*AK

I TOOK POSSESSION OF A BRAND-NEW HYUNDAI SANTA FE (2003 - 25 MILES ON ODOMETER) ON FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2003. SATURDAY, JUNE 21,2003 I TOOK THE CAR OUT FOR A DRIVE. DRIVING AT 35 MILES MPH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED (BY IT SELF) OUT OF "DRIVE (D") INTO ...? (NEUTRAL, I'M GUESSING BY THE REVVING OF THE ENGINE). THE CAR ROLLED SLOWLY DUE TO ITS OWN FORWARD MOMENTUM, HOWEVER, PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR SUCCEEDING IN ONLY REVVING UP THE ENGINE - "DRIVE" REFUSED TO ENGAGE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE FUTILE. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN (AFTER LIMPING TO THE SIDE OF A 6-LANE ROAD IN TRAFFIC!). WAITED A FEW MOMENTS (PERHAPS A MINUTE OR TWO) AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE TRANSMISSION ONCE MORE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AGAIN AND WAITED A LITTLE LONGER (PERHAPS TWO -THREE MINUTES) AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND I DROVE IT HOME - VERY CAREFULLY! I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP (KEYES HYUNDAI IN VAN NUYS) AND HAD THE CAR FLATBED TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY, JUNE 23 AT 7:30A.M. (PST) FOR THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN. MEANTIME - I HAVE A BRAND NEW CAR THAT HAS SPENT ONE DAY IN MY PHYSICAL POSSESSION AND WILL HAVE SPENT OVER 72 HOURS SITTING IN THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE BAY! *NLM

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE "DIED" AND WOULD NOT RESTART. DEALER DIAGNOSED THE CAMSHAFT GEAR HAD BROKEN. *AK *SCC *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID FROM THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE GROUND, UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER STATED THE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB