2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

DRIVING 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ON BUSY FREEWAY WITH HUSBAND AS PASSENGER. SUDDENLY THE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DROPS INTO MY FACE FROM ITS CORNER ATTACHMENT, DANGLING BY ONLY ELECTRICAL WIRE. HUSBAND GRABBED SUN VISOR AND LIFTED UP, PREVENTING POTENTIAL SERIOUS ACCIDENT WITH SURROUNDING VEHICLES. TALKED TO HYUNDAI SERVICE DEALERSHIP; THEY REFUSED FREE REPLACEMENT DUE TO BEING OUT OF WARRANTY. GAVE ESTIMATE $185 PLUS TO REPLACE. ONLINE COMPLAINT WEBSITES DETAIL DOZENS OF SAME DEFECT WITH 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR DROPPING FROM EXACT SAME LOCATION, AND DEALERS ADMITTING FACTORY USE OF CHEAP PLASTIC ASSEMBLY AS CAUSE. WE CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORPORATE IN FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA. THEY REFUSED TO INITIATE DEFECTIVE DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR RECALL. SAID THEY NEEDED MORE COMPLAINTS TO JUSTIFY RECALL. TOLD THEM IT'S BEEN 4 YEARS, AND THERE ARE ALREADY DOZENS OF COMPLAINTS. ADVISED THEM IT'S VERY DANGEROUS NOT TO DO RECALL. SERIOUS LIABILITY ISSUES. HYUNDAI CORPORATE REFUSED TO CONSIDER RECALL AS OF 02/15/11. CURRENTLY PROPPING UP SUN VISOR UNTIL RECALL IS INITIATED. FILING COMPLAINT WITH STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS. *TR

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHEN TURNING. VERY HARD TO TURN. AT ONE POINT IT TOOK MY HUSBAND TO HELP ME TURN THE STEERING WHEEL FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT. HAS HAPPENED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES FOR SERVICE FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO CORRECT PROBLEM OR FIND THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE TIRES BOUNCED BECAUSE OF MULTIPLE DEFECTS WITHIN THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT HE SHOULD ROTATE OR REPLACE THE TIRES TO CONTROL THE SUSPENSION. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 26,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WAS A WIRING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO ADVISED THAT IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE AIR BAGS COULD POSSIBLY NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 70,000. UPDATED 03/16/11 *BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE HEADLIGHTS WENT OUT AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED 10 TIMES OR MORE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. ALSO, THE PASSENGER FRONT DOOR WAS NOT LOCKING/UNLOCKING PERIODICALLY. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE VEHICLE HAD AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. UPDATED 06/03/11

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, CAUSING HER BRAKE LIGHTS TO MALFUNCTION WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V122000 ( SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC SWITCHES:BRAKE LIGHT). THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT HER VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT DID NOT INFORM THE MANUFACTURER NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 87,843. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 87,800. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

THIS COMPLAINT REFERS TO THE SRS AIRBAG SYSTEM IN THE SANTA FE. WHILE THE AIRBAG SYSTEM IS INTACT I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A CERTIFIED HYUNDAI REPAIR CENTER THAT THE CLOCK SPRING AND THE JUNCTION BOX HAVE FAILED. GIVEN THE PREMATURE NATURE OF THIS FAILURE I BELIEVE THAT THIS SYSTEM IS FLAWED AND REPRESENTS A WIDESPREAD HAZARD TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC. IN ADDITION, ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS AND THE SWAY BAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH LESS THAN 70,000 MILES DUE TO EXCESSIVE WEAR WHICH RENDERED THEM UNSAFE (ACCORDING TO THE AFOREMENTIONED CENTER).

ACCIDENT INVOLVED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND OWNERS SUSPECT ELECTRONIC DEFECT IN THE CAR. FORTUNATELY DESPITE EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE STORE AND VEHICLE, NO ONE INJURED. OWNERS ARE WORKING WITH BOTH INSURER AND VEHICLE MANUFACTURER TO REQUEST APPROPRIATE INVESTIGATION. DRIVER'S STATEMENT: "I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SLOT AT LOCAL STORE. EVERYTHING WAS GOING NORMALLY. I APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP AND THE CAR RESPONDED AND SLOWED. BUT JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE ENGINE REVVED UP SOME AND THE CAR KEPT MOVING FORWARD. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES HARDER, BUT THE CAR MOVED FORWARD EVEN FASTER. I HAD NO TIME TO SLIP INTO NEUTRAL OR CUT THE ENGINE. I FINALLY LIFTED MY FOOT FOR SECOND AND STOMPED ON THE BRAKE PEDAL HARD, BUT MOMENTUM CAUSED THE CAR TO JUMP THE CURB AND I SHATTERED A HUGE PLATE GLASS WINDOW IN THE FRONT OF THE STORE. THE CAR FINALLY CAME TO A STOP IN A HAIL OF GLASS SHARDS PARTIALLY INSIDE THE STORE, THE ENGINE STILL REVVING HIGHER THAN AT "IDLE" SPEED. I SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AND THAT'S WHAT I RECOLLECT ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED IN THE FEW SECONDS IT TOOK FOR THE CAR'S FAILURE TO STOP AND RUNNING THROUGH THE WINDOW.

AT THREE YEARS AND 63000 MILES ALL FOUR BRAKE ROTORS REQUIRE REPLACEMENT DUE TO WHAT THE DEALER DESCRIBES AS "NORMAL" WEAR. THERE IS NO SCORING ON ANY OF THE ROTORS IT IS OUT OF SPEC BECAUSE IT DOES NOT MEET MINIMUM THICKNESS REQUIREMENTS. IDENTIFIED THROUGH LOUD NOISE AND POOR BRAKING. *TR

2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ~36,000 MILES. REAR BRAKES COMPLETELY REPLACED IN MAY 2010. WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, LOUD GRINDING BRAKE NOISE HEARD FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. LARGE AMOUNTS OF 'BRAKE DUST' ON RIM OF REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR INSPECTION. DETERMINED CALIPER WAS SEIZED UP DUE TO RUST. THEY WILL NOT REMEDY VIA WARRANTY B/C THEY DETERMINE THAT IT IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE. (SALT/ROAD DEBRIS BUILDUP). NEW BRAKE PADS/ROTORS WERE DAMAGED AS A RESULT. THIS HAS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS THE RIM OF THE WHEEL GOT EXTREMELY HOT DURING USE. COULD THIS EVENTUALLY LEAD TO A TIRE BLOW OUT WHILE DRIVING? NOT SURE!? SEARCHING ONLINE RESULTS IN A LOT OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON BLOG/CAR SITES. SAME PROBLEM EVERYTIME: REAR DRIVER'S SIDE CALIPER IS STUCK RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO ROTORS AND PADS. *TR

2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. REAR BRAKES ( DRIVER SIDE ) CALIPER SIEGE, CAUSING PREMATURE WEAROUT OF BRAKE PADS ON LEFT SIDE. SOME ROTOR SCORING. REAR BRAKES REPLACED AND CALIPER LUBE AND CLEANED OF RUST. COST $153.58. *TR