2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ENGAGE WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE MANUFACTURER'S STOP LAMP SWITCH REPLACEMENT RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 78,485.

WHILE TRAVELING @ 50 MPH, REMOVE FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR AND CAR FAILED TO SLOW. DEPRESSED BRAKE AN CAR STILL FAILED TO SLOW. TURNED KEY TO OFF AND PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD TO FULL STOP. RESTARTED ENGINE AN IT AGAIN OVER ACCELERATED SO TURNED IT OFF. DEPRESSED ACCELERATOR SEVERAL TIMES AND RESTARTED, DROVE TO WORK AREA TO HAVE INSPECTION OF PROBLEM. *TR

HARD CLUNKING IN THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL. SOUNDED LIKE A LOOSE BRAKE CALIPER. REMOVED THE TIRE TO CHECK IT OUT AND FOUND THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS BROKEN IN HALF ON THE ONE SIDE. IF IT BROKE ALL THE WAY WHEN THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE COME OFF AND THE CAR WOULD HAVE FLIPPED OVER. THIS IS SERIOUS. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DRIVING THIS CAR. *JS

STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION, FOOT ON BRAKE, ENGINE BEGAN REVVING, THEN DECELERATED, BUT REVVED AGAIN, THIS TIME FORCING MY CAR FORWARD. ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS APPROACHING FROM THE LEFT, SO I STEERED RIGHT. IMPACT ON LEFT FRONT WHEEL, CAR CAREENED INTO A LIGHTWEIGHT PLASTIC TYPE FENCE AND STOPPED. MY FOOT REMAINED ON THE BRAKE THE ENTIRE TIME. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT AND WAS NOT INJURED. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL BY AMBULANCE. BOTH VEHICLES WERE INSPECTED BY THE SAME INSURANCE ADJUSTER AND TOTALED. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI, BUT SO FAR, THEY HAVE NOT SENT AN INVESTIGATOR TO CHECK OUT THE VEHICLE. *TR

BRAKES FAIL TO ENGAGE, ABS SENSOR LIGHT COMES ON. HAPPENS WHEN TRAVELING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, BUT INTENSIFIES WHEN ROADS ARE WET. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING THE BRAKES THE ABS ENGAGED ON THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL, NOW THE SAME THING HAS HAPPENED ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL, BOTH TIMES IT INVOLVED A SENSOR RING THAT HAD CRACKED IN HALF AND THE BRAKES ON THAT PARTICULAR WHEEL FAILED TO HOLD. *TR

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE USED IN 2012 AND EXPERIENCED MY FIRST INCIDENT WITH THE BRAKES APPROX. 5 MOS LATER. WHENEVER I HAVE TO STOP IN A HURRY AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE. VEHICLE SLIDES, DOES NOT STOP. I CAME CLOSE TO HAVING SEVERAL ACCIDENTS AND WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE INTO NEXT LANE TO AVOID HITTING CAR IN FRONT OF ME OR GOING THROUGH A RED LIGHT. THIS IS VERY SCARY AND I CAN'T BELIEVE HYUNDAI HAS NOT RECALLED VEHICLES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS. BRAKES WORK FINE IF YOU HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO STOP, BUT IF YOU HAVE TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP AND STEP ON THE BRAKES, THEY WILL NOT ENGAGE EVEN IF YOU PUMP THEM. VEHICLE JUST SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO EXPLAIN THE REASON FOR THIS MAL-FUNCTION OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM IN THE SANTA FE MODELS. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE INJURED OR DIE BECAUSE THEY CANNOT STOP THEIR VEHICLE SUDDENLY AT AVERAGE TO HIGH SPEEDS WHEN TRAVELING. *TR

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE STRUT SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. FORTUNATELY THIS HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN MOTION AS IT WOULD HAVE PUNCTURED THE TIRE AND LOCKED THE TIRE IF DRIVING, CREATING A SEVERE EMERGENCY. *TR

I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKES SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN SEPTEMBER 2012. HAD TO BRING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE. THEY FINALLY GOT THE BRAKES TO FEEL OK IN NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, BUT EVERY TIME IT SNOWS, SNOW AND ICE GET STUCK IN MY BRAKES AND I CAN NOT STOP. I ALMOST CRASHED 4 TIMES ON MY WAY TO WORK THIS MORNING, AND HAS HAPPENED EVERY TIME IT SNOWS. THEY WILL NOT FIX WITHOUT A CHARGE BECAUSE IT'S PAST THE WARRANTY. *TR

AIR BAGS LIGHT IS ALWAYS LIT ON THE DASH. THE SENSOR IN MIDDLE OF DASH RECOGNIZES SOMEONE GETTING IN THE PASSENGERS SIDE BUT PER LOCAL SHOP THERE IS A SHORT IN THE SRS SYSTEM UNDER THE PASSENGERS SEAT. BECAUSE OF THIS, THE AIR BAGS ARE DISABLED ON PASSENGERS SIDE. *TR