2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

P235/60R18 ON HYUNDAI SANTA FE LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AND WE HAD TO REPLACE TWO TIRES DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR .......... NOW WE RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE THAT TIRES ARE AFFECTED BY INCORRECT TIRE PRESSURE LABEL. DO WE HAVE ANY RECOURSE? WE EXPECTED TIRES TO LAST MUCH LONGER ON THIS CAR!!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION IN THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE ERUPTED FROM THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WAS NO WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE VEHICLE AND INSPECTED UNDERNEATH THE HOOD, BUT THERE WAS NO SMOKE OR FLAMES. THE WINDSHIELD WAS DAMAGED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT CALLED TO THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETECT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,000. UPDATE 09/10/08 *CW UPDATED 09/16/08 *JB

DRIVING FROM MY MOTHER'S HOME, WHERE I WAS VISITING, TO THE GROCERY STORE NOT THREE MILES AWAY MY 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE ALL OF SUDDEN LOST POWER AND STARTED OVERHEATING. I WAS ABLE TO PULL IT OFF THE ROAD AND CALLED ROADSIDE SERVICE FOR ASSISTANCE. THIS BEING THE FOURTH OF JULY LONG WEEKEND, THE ORLANDO DEALERSHIP WAS NOT OPEN. THE FOLLOWING DAY I SPOKE TO THE SERVICE ASSISTANT AT ORLANDO HYUNDAI. SEVERAL HOURS LATER, I WAS INFORMED THAT THE RADIATOR WAS DAMAGED AND NOT A WARRANTY ITEM, THE REPAIR WAS $700. BEING FROM OUT OF THE AREA I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY THE MONEY AND GET THE CAR FIXED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, WAS SOME ITEM DAMAGED THE RADIATOR AND USING HIS WORDS "PROBABLY ROAD DEBRIS" PASSING THROUGH THE GRILL. HE CONTINUED THE EXPLANATION THAT THERE ARE NOT BARRIERS THAT WOULD PREVENT SMALL ITEMS FROM PASSING THROUGH THE GRILL AND DAMAGING THE CONDENSER AND RADIATOR WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAYS. ASKING THE SERVICE MANAGER IF THIS COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, HE REPLIED YES. THE FAILURE OF HYUNDAI TO FORESEE, DESIGN AND PROVIDE ANY TYPE OF SCREEN BARRIER BEHIND THE GRILL ALLOWS ANY TYPE OF DEBRIS TO CAUSE HARM TO THE CONDENSER OR RADIATOR AT ANY TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON JULY 5, 2008 BY ORLANDO HYUNDAI IN ORLANDO FL. I DISPUTED THIS CLAIM AS SUBJECTIVE TO HYUNDAI OF AMERICA AS SOON AS I RETURNED. THEY SENT ME TO MY LOCAL DEALER, JENKINS HYUNDAI OF BRADENTON. THE SERVICE MANAGER THERE TOLD ME HE COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. I WAS GIVEN THE RUNAROUND. I SUGGEST THE FOLLOWING SOLUTION, SENT IN BY ANOTHER COMPLIANT, SHOULD BE LISTENED TO. A SMALL AMOUNT OF HARDWARE CLOTH ATTACHED TO THE BACK OF THE GRILL WOULD DEFLECT MOST ALL DEBRIS AND PROTECT THE CONDENSER AND RADIATOR FROM DAMAGE WHILE STILL ALLOWING AMPLE AIR FLOW. TODAY, MY CAR OVERHEATED AGAIN! I WILL BRING IT TO THE DEALER TOMORROW WITHOUT CONFIDENCE IN THIS PRODUCT OR THE WARRANTY WHICH IS WHY I BOUGHT THE CAR IN THE FIRST PLACE. *TR

MY 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LIMITED (16,600 MILES) BEGAN MAKING A VERY LOUD SCREECHING/SQUEALING NOISE AFTER ABOUT 20 MINUTES OF DRIVING THAT GOES AWAY WHEN YOU EVEN LIGHTLY TAP ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I TOOK IT TO THE NATICK, MA HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT, WHO SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, BUT SUGGESTED THAT I PAY $89 FOR A REAR BRAKE SERVICING, WHICH THEY EXPLAINED WILL CLEAN ANY RUST/CORROSION ON MY ROTORS AND WILL ADJUST THE REAR BRAKES. I ASKED IF THEY SAW ANY SIGNS OF RUST OR CORROSION ON MY REAR BRAKES WHEN THEY WERE INVESTIGATING THE NOISE, AND THEY COULDN'T ANSWER THAT. I ASKED IF IT IS NORMAL TO HAVE RUST OR CORROSION OR TO REQUIRE AN ADJUSTMENT OF THE REAR BRAKES IN A CAR THAT IS 1 YEAR OLD, AND THEY SAID NO. I ELECTED TO SKIP THE REAR BRAKE SERVICE, AND TOOK THE CAR HOME, AT WHICH TIME IT STARTED MAKING THE NOISE AGAIN. I TOOK IT BACK AND HAD THE MECHANIC GO FOR A DRIVE WITH ME AND HE SAID IT SOUNDS LIKE THE REAR BRAKE PAD ON THE DRIVER SIDE SLIPPED AND NEEDS TO BE FIXED. HE SAID IT IS VERY COMMON IN THE 2007 SANTA FE. I LEFT THE CAR TO BE FIXED, AND WHEN THEY CALLED TO LET ME KNOW IT WAS READY, THEY SAID IT WOULD COST $89 FOR THE REAR BRAKE SERVICE. IF MY BRAKE PADS SLIPPED AND IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS CAR, WHY WAS A FORCED TO PAY $89 TO CLEAN AND ADJUST THE ROTORS? AFTER SOME INTERNET RESEARCH AND SPEAKING WITH AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, I HAVE LEARNED THAT THE CALIPER FRAME IS MACHINED WRONG AND HYUNDAI IS CRAMMING THE BRAKES IN, CAUSING THE BRAKE PADS TO SLIP, OR EVEN WORSE, CAUSING THE BRAKES TO SEIZE. MY CAR IS UNDER WARRANTY AND IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT AFTER A YEAR OF DRIVING IT (PURCHASED BRAND NEW) I HAD TO PAY FOR WHAT IS CLEARLY POOR DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION BY HYUNDAI. *TR

PASSENGER AIR BAG GOES ON AND OFF WHEN PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. OFF MORE THAN ON. IT OCCURS EVERYTIME PASSENGER IS IN SEAT. PASSENGER WEIGHS APPROX 115 LBS. DEALER SAYS THAT AIR BAG SENOR IS SENSITIVE TO WEIGHT OF PASSENGER. DEALER DID NOT FIX. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

I HAVE ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM ON MY 2007 SANTA FE LIMITED (THE AIRBAG INDICATOR AND THE ALARM SOUNDING FOR NO REASON AT THE SAME TIME). THEY BOTH STARTED HAPPENING AT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE THE AIRBAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED IN THE LOWER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THE DASHBOARD CONTROL PANEL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP ON THIS PAST MONDAY (23 JUNE 2008) AND THEY WERE ABLE TO SEE THE ERROR CODE. BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE WHAT THE ACTUAL PROBLEM IS. SO THEY CLEARED THE ERROR CODE, CHANGED THE OIL, AND WASHED IT. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO COME BACK IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IS THAT IT COMES AND GOES. AS I WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE INDICATOR WENT OFF. BUT ONCE I GOT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WENT TO CHECK IT, IT CAME BACK ON AND STAYED ON. WELL, IT HAPPENED AGAIN THE VERY NEXT DAY. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY HAVE INSTRUCTED ME TO BRING IT IN BECAUSE THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING. THEY HAVE OFFERED TO PUT ME IN A LOANER CAR WHILE THEY INVESTIGATE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH MY TRUCK. OH I FORGOT TO TELL YOU WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THEY CLEARED THE CODE. AFTER THEY CLEARED THE CODE ON THE 23RD, THE ALARM DOES NOT SOUND WHEN YOU PRESS THE CONTROL BUTTON TWICE. THEY DISARMED SOMETHING ON THE OTHER DAY. I'M THINKING THAT THEY SHOULD DO A WHOLE SYSTEM RESET OR SOMETHING. I WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON WHAT THEY FIND DURING MY VISIT THIS EVENING OR WHENEVER MY TRUCK IS RETURNED TO ME. HERE'S THE TRICK TO THE SOUNDING ALARM PROBLEM THAT I FIGURED OUT. 1. ARM THE ALARM. 2. WAIT FOR THE 30 SEC'S FOR IT TO SOUND. 3. DISARM THE ALARM. 4. ARM THE ALARM. 5. ALL IS WELL AT THIS POINT WITH THE ALARM. I HAVE FOUND THIS TO WORK FOR ME. BUT IT IS A PAIN IF YOU ASK ME. HOWEVER, UNTIL THERE IS A FIX FOR IT, THIS IS A SOLUTION THAT WORKS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT ACCELERATED TO PASS ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE STEERING FELT LIGHT, AS IF IT WERE LIFTING OFF THE GROUND. THE STEERING WHEEL PULLS TO THE RIGHT AND HE MUST OVERCOMPENSATE TO THE LEFT TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RELEASED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE FAILURE STOPPED. HE CALLED THE DEALER ONCE HE ARRIVED TO HIS RESIDENCE AND ASKED SOMEONE TO RETURN HIS CALL; HOWEVER, NO ONE HAS YET RESPONDED. PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR SIMILAR FAILURES AND THEY ROTATED THE TIRES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUES. THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, HE DISCOVERED TWO COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME FAILURE. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE TIRE PRESSURE WAS CORRECT ACCORDING TO THE MONITORING SYSTEM. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 5,100.

CAR PULLS TO RIGHT SIDE WHEN ACCELERATING HEAVY. HAVE TO PULL WHEEL TO LEFT,THEN I HAVE OVER STEER. *TR

FRONT BRAKE CALIPER STICKS AND WILL TURN ROTOR A VERY HOT RED COLOR, WHICH CAUSES VEHICLE TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY AND INCREASES THE TIME NEEDED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. DEALERSHIP HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR OVER 2 WEEKS AND SAYS THE ONLY PROBLEM IS THE CALIPER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED, WHICH IS COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE IT GOES DEEPER THAN JUST REPLACING A CALIPER, WHICH TAKES ABOUT HALF AN HOUR. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, THE CONTACT HAS EXPERIENCED AIR BAG LIGHT FAILURE WITH THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, BUT NOT THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATES WITH OR WITHOUT AN OCCUPANT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC ON THE SEAT. THEY REPLACED THE SEAT WITH A NEW ONE, BUT THE FAILURE WAS STILL PRESENT. THE DEALER THEN REINSTALLED THE OLD SEAT, BUT REPLACED THE SEAT MODULE. THIS ALSO DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NO FURTHER REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 33,000. UPDATED 08/01/08