2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

SHORTLY AFTER HAVING A COMPLETE BRAKE OVERHAUL (ROTORS, CALIPERS, PADS, SHOES, ETC) STARTED EXPERIENCING THE ABS/TRAC CONTROL LIGHTS RANDOMLY COMING ON AND OFF. HAD TO MECHANIC AND FOUND NO FAULT ISSUES. LIGHTS CONTINUED TO RANDOMLY COME ON AND OFF, AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS AND BRAKING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, STARTED HEARING THE ABS MOTOR RUN WITH AND WITHOUT THE LIGHTS COMING ON. TAPPING THE BRAKE PEDAL STOPPED THE ABS MOTOR/PUMP FROM RUNNING AND WOULD ELIMINATE WHAT APPEARED TO BE ELIMINATED THE PUMP RESETTING ITSELF. APPROXIMATELY 3 MONTHS AGO, THE ISSUE AFFECTED BRAKING DISTANCES, IN HAT YOU MAY BE STOPPING AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND THE ABS MOTOR WOULD ACTIVATE, EVEN ON DRY PAVEMENT AND SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE STOPPING DISTANCE. THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS, NOT ONLY WITH OTHER VEHICLES BUT WHEN PULLING THE CAR INTO MY, OR A SHOPS' GARAGE. HAVING BEEN RESEARCHING I HAVE FOUND NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF 2002 SANTA FE'S HAVING THE SAME ISSUES, AND HAVE FOUND THAT HYUNDAI HAS ISSUED SERVICE BULLETINS THAT ARE ABS ASSOCIATED, BUT THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTION TO RECALL OR FIX THE ISSUES. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL, AS THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS FOR WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE SAME ISSUE ON LATER YEAR VEHICLES, SO IT WOULD APPEAR THAT THIS IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE SANTA FE MODEL ABS BRAKING SYSTEMS. *TR

EVERY TIME IT RAINS I HEAR A ROARING IN THE BACK RIGHT TIRE AREA. TOOK BACK TO DEALER 5 TIMES THEY COULDN'T FIND ANY THING WRONG. WHILE FILLING UP WITH GAS THE ENGINE DIES, AND IS VERY HARD TO START. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS A BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE FRONT INTERMITTENTLY AS THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN SHAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,807.

TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR A NORMAL OIL CHANGE, AND WHEN TECHNICIAN WAS UNDER THE CAR, HE TOOK SOME PICTURES OF THE FRAME IN THE FRONT RIGHT CORNER BY THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE. HE WAS SHOWING ME THE FRAME WAS RUSTING VERY, VERY BADLY. HE WARNED US THAT IF WE HIT A SMALL POT HOLE/BUMP OR THE CURB AT EVEN 5 MPH THE FRAME COULD BUST AND WE COULD CRASH. THE STEERING WOULD SHAKE AND MADE CHUGGING FEELING WHEN TRYING TO TURN, WAS LOOKED AT AND POWER STEERING LOOKED TO BE FINE AND FLUID WAS FULL. AFTER JULY 7TH IT MADE IT VERY HARD TO DRIVE AND NOT SAFE FOR OUR FAMILY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V435000 (SUSPENSION). HOWEVER, THE PART NEEDED TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURE EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V123000 (SUSPENSION), THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN AND EXCESSIVE FORCE WAS REQUIRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS ALIGNED AND ALL FOUR TIRES WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UNDERBODY, THE FRONT STRUT FRAME AND THE COILS SPRINGS RUSTED WHICH NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V435000 (SUSPENSION) AND PENDING REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 27 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE, TRACTION CONTROL, AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY TWO DIFFERENT PRIVATE MECHANICS. BOTH MECHANICS OFFERED DIFFERENT OPINIONS OF WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE FRONT BRAKES OR THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRINGS COULD BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V435000 (SUSPENSION) BECAUSE THE CONTACT DID NOT RECEIVE THE SECOND RECALL NOTIFICATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. ..UPDATED 11/12/14 *BF

POWER STEERING BECAME HARDER (WITH A SHIMMY FEEL IN STEERING WHEEL), AND NOTICED A LOUD WHINING SOUND WHEN STEERING WHEEL WAS MOVED. STOPPED CAR, AND CHECKED P/S FLUID LEVEL, AND IT WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL (CHECKED ON A REGULAR BASIS). THIS MORNING (9/29/14), NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF OIL ON DRIVEWAY BELOW CAR. AGAIN CHECKED P/S FLUID LEVEL, AND IT WAS WELL BELOW THE MIN. MARK. WENT TO STORE AND BOUGHT P/S OIL, AND FILLED UP THE RESERVOIR. RETURNED HOME AND SAW P/S FLUID DRIPPING ONTO THE DRIVEWAY, REFILLED THE RESERVOIR, AND WENT TO THE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. THE DEALER INSPECTION REVEALED RUSTED METAL LINES LEADING TO AND FROM THE P/S COOLER (BELOW RADIATOR), AND QUOTED $540 FOR REPLACEMENT OF THE METAL LINES AND COOLER (& 2 DAYS LEAD TIME TO GET PARTS). THERE IS NO RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS CORROSION ISSUE. LATER WENT TO THE LOCAL AAA REPAIR CENTER, AND THEY CONFIRMED THE HYUNDAI DEALER'S FINDINGS. BOTH INDICATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR IF THEY HAD BEEN DRIVEN IN THE NORTHERN STATES (THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED NEW IN NORTHERN OHIO, & GARAGED THERE FOR 8 YEARS). THIS IS A SAFE DRIVING ISSUE IF THE P/S PUMP FAILS DUE TO INSUFFICIENT P/S OIL FOR COOLING & LUBRICATION DUE TO FLUID LOSS FROM CORRODED METAL LINES. *TR

WHEN EVER THE UNDER ENGINE GETS WET THE CAR TURNS OFF AND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHTS COME ON. WHEN IT STOPS I CAN'T TURN THE WHEEL AND IT LOCKS UP. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN THE RAIN AND THE CAR STARTED JOLTING THAT THE CAR WAS OFF THEN ON THEN OFF THEN ON AGAIN. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR IN THE TORRENTIAL RAIN GOING 60 MILES AN HOUR. WHENEVER IT RAINS OR IF I GO THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER THIS HAS HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE AUTO DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, I WAS TOLD THAT NORMALLY THERE IS AN ENGINE UNDERCOVER BUT THERE IS NOT ONE ON MY CAR NOR WAS THERE EVER ONE PUT ON BY THE MANUFACTURER. HAVING NO ENGINE UNDERCOVER CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL OUT WHENEVER WATER IS SPLASHED UP ONTO THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSES THE BELT TO AJAR AND THAT STOPS ELECTRICAL FROM FLOWING TO THE CAR AND THEREFORE IT STALLS OUT AT VERY DANGEROUS TIMES; LIKE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. NO ENGINE UNDERCOVER IS AVAILABLE AND THEREFORE THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE FIXED. WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR?? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARMS FRACTURED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE DRIVER SIDE TRAILING ARM, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE TRAILING ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V123000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,736.