Hyundai Santa Fe Reviews

I wrote a letter to Hyundai Motor America expressing my concern that the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe I own had a power steering failure with only 16,671 miles. I found an oil leak of about 2 tablespoons of oil under the vehicle parked in my garage and took it to Five Star Hyundai, Warner Robins, GA for determination of what was causing the leak and cost for the necessary repairs. The repairman called to let me know that the power steering had failed and that it would cost me approximately $1400 for the purchase and installation of re-manufactured parts.

I bought a new 2007 Santa Fe with 15,000 miles (8,000 of 15,000 are all highway driving) in Dec. 2007 (17-month old). Rear brakes squealing show visible wear and calipers seem stuck-rotors heated after driving without brakes applied. We believed this should be warrantied. Driver's rear side is extremely hot. Front brakes had no wear at all! Rear brakes are almost gone. I took it to station. I believe there is a defect in the brakes design or caliper. I researched problem on internet and many similar complaints are listed with the same problem. Station will replace pads but will charge me $150 to clean calipers and check rotors. They also state that we must have the brakes serviced at $80 per axle every 15000 miles. This is unheard of! We have never heard of a car needing brakes redone every 15,000 miles! Brakes should not need replacing every 15,000 mikes especially rear brakes.

I purchased my Santa Fe new in 2003. I was fairly happy with it until I had a problem with a gas sensor. The vehicle has been back to the dealer at least 5 times with some type of fuel/filter/emission/sensor problem; the latest being yesterday - which is why I'm writing this- I've had it. Why is it that every time there is a problem with my Santa Fe, it is never covered under the warranty? To me, the warranty is not worth the paper it's written on. I also had a problem with the automatic door opening key ring device. It stopped working - of course, they couldn't just replace the battery - I had to purchase a new one ($160). What kills me is that I started just using my keys - can you believe my key would not open the hatch?? They wanted $300 to replace the lock on the hatch (I NEVER EVEN USED IT!). They said it didn't work because I had not used the key (isn't that the purpose of the door opening device?).

2004 Hyundai Santa Fe - Airbag light kept coming on. I had it to the dealer 4 times before the problem was diagnosed as faulty wiring. Dealer got the light to go out, but told me if the light comes back on, they will need to replace the entire passenger side airbag. They cannot tell me whether the airbag will deploy in an accident or not and said that Hyundai will not tell them. Today, the vehicle is in to have a bulb replaced behind the heater control. I was told it is not a bulb after all, but once again, faulty wiring. This vehicle has had every recommended service since the day it was purchased. Faulty wiring should not be an issue. This sounds to me like a factory problem that should not be my problem. I see there are many other people who have had these same problems. Why is something not being done to help the consumer?

I am the owner of two Hyundais (2008 Santa Fe's), each purchased from separate dealerships. The vehicle which I drive normally was purchased at the Arbor Place Hyundai Dealership. My vehicle was purchased in October 2008, and was a demonstrator with approximately 2600 miles on the vehicle. When last driven, the vehicle had approximately 7800 miles on the odometer. My wife and my daughter were taking my grandson to the pediatrician's office in the Warner Robins vicinity of Georgia. We reside in Atlanta, an approximate two-hour drive in distance. During this trip my daughter experienced difficulty in the steering mechanism while exiting the highway. They immediately notified Hyundai via the displayed 1800 number which is visible on my vehicle's left driver's door window. They were instructed to contact Hyundai in Warner Robins.

2001 Hyundai Santa Fe left rear trailing arm failed at low speed apparently due to corrosion. I'm not able to use car. Parts were provided incorrectly twice. I will possibly be compensated by Hyundai upon review of completed work order IF genuine Hyundai parts are used. Car is still in the shop as of 2/6/2009. Event occurred on 2/3/2009 on a busy road. I was able to get the car to the service place however.

During any type of rain, my 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe, when going through any puddle, will stall out. This has happened numerous times. I can even recall going down the Garden State Parkway at 55 miles per hour and going through a puddle and the engine completely stalled out. Fortunately I was able to pull to the side of the road and restart it. I brought to the Hyundai Dealer near my home, Route 1 Auto Mall 90-100 Route 1 North, Avenel, NJ, Tel # 732 815-0500, Service Dept. and when I explained the problem, the representative said, "This is normal for that vehicle." He then went on to explain that the water splashes up onto the serpentine belt, which throws it onto the engine and causes it to stall.

My 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe was in an accident, and it rolled over at least 4 times, according to eye witnesses. NONE of the airbags deployed... The car is totaled and I'm fortunate that none of the glass falling around caused me harm. Economically, I am forced to get a new car which is difficult for me. I had a seriously sprained right shoulder and mid-back contusion. At least the seatbelt worked.

While driving my 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe, I noticed that my vehicle would sway to the right and I had to compensate by steering the vehicle to the left. A preliminary inspection showed that I needed a wheel alignment and new tires due to the excessive wear to the tires caused by the vehicle not being aligned properly. The vehicle was brought to a local tire shop for tire replacement and wheel alignment. Upon inspection by the mechanic, it was discovered that the subframe of the passenger side of the vehicle where the lower control arm is attached has a rust hole where the right bolt attaches to the subframe. In fact the lower control arm of the passenger side of the vehicle is only attached with one bolt. As a result the vehicle needed a tie rod replacement and wheel bearing replacement caused by the lower control arm not being properly attached to the subframe. I was also informed by the mechanic that he was unable to align the vehicle or change the wheel bearings due to this condition. The mechanic informed me that the subframe needs to be replaced as the vehicle is not safe to drive in this condition.

My daughter bought a 2006 Santa Fe with the 100,000 mile warranty. At 90,000 miles a spark plug blew out. The dealer said it's not covered. The threads were stripped and estimated repairs, new head, are over $3000. She's in the USAF and traveling around the country. She has taken to several different dealers and private mechanics for regular service. The dealership isn't giving a reason why it's not cover, just that a spark plug isn't covered under her warranty.

Ever since we purchased our new 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe in June of 2008, the air bag light shows "off" when my wife is in the car. She weighs about 110 pounds. I have had the car in several times expressing this major safety concern. I can switch this (with a key) in my 2004 Ford F-150 - what a great feature. One of the sales people constantly suggests putting extra weights in her pockets! They keep telling me they just don't know what to do. Initially, they said the seat needs at a person at least 75 pounds. Well, that is certainly not the case. Now they say I need to bring the car with my wife (who works) in when the Hyundai rep is there. That's nuts - it simply does not activate with or without the Hyundai rep looking at the car! This is a huge safety issue! If this is supposed to be such a safe vehicle, why is she not able to be protected with air bags?

I own a 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe and my wife and two small children were driving down the road about 35-40 mph when the driver's side trailing arm broke in half from excessive corrosion.The passenger side has excessive corrosion also. What am I supposed to do about this matter.

I too, recently took my 2003 Santa Fe in for maintainance, and was told I have a rust hole the size of approx. a silver dollar in the cradle near the front wheel! I was told it would cost me $1700. to make my car safe! Im very concerned! This should not be happening!

My grandson an insured driver of my 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe stalled at the top of a hill at a stop sign and drifted back through 2 yards and into side of a house. The car was taken to the dealer service center and they hooked it to a machine to check the sensors and found nothing wrong. The car is currently being repaired but I no loner feel safe driving it. I don't know what to do I don't want to continue to pay for a car that is just going to sit there and I wouldn't want to resell it.

I was driving my 3 months old 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe on the freeway one Saturday evening. I accelerated to go up a steep portion of the hill. My accelerator stuck while my brakes simultaneously failed. I had to drive my car into the side of the hill to get it to stop. I was very shaken and was crying and upset. I could've been killed or killed someone else. A tow truck driver saw the whole thing and towed my car to my house which was nearby. It was a Saturday and the dealerships service department was closed and wouldn't be open again until Monday morning.

I have experienced the same problem that so many others have with Hyundai. I have a 2001 Santa Fe that rusted so bad underneath that the frame dropped down and caused a tire to blow while I was going about 45mph. It threw my car to the other side of the road and almost caused me to hit a tree. I am pregnant with my parents first grandchild and I don't think that's the last memory they would like to have of me and the only memory of their unborn grandchild. It makes me sick that they're doing nothing about this.

I purchased a 2001 Hyndai Santa Fe 5 years ago. While I was driving on the Highway on Friday 7/25/2008 I started to hear noise come from my right side rear tire and I lost complete control of my vechile. Thankful no cars were on the highway I was able to get off exit. My husband had to get out of work to get me. My car supension was completely off and my trailing arm was rusted out and hanging on by a thread.

Also when the vehicle was fixed we ordered the part over the internet when it came in it did not match the part in the vehicle, we then ordered it again from a local parts store again it did not match the vehicle. It was ordered a third time from the dealer the clerk said it was a unusual number for that vehicle, indicating to us this may be a 2005 part on a 2004 vehicle. We also do bot like having to anticipate replacing this again. The service we received from the dealer and the company was not impressive at all. There was no answer as to why this occurred so early in the vehicles life. We were told to expect it again.

Recently I purchased a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. Minutes after leaving the lot the vehicle begin to idle high, make a knocking noise and stall. The check engine light then appeared. I immediately brought the car back where after 4 hours they said they fixed the problem. Less then 50 miles after leaving with the car the problem occured again, check engine light reappeared and the vehicle was brought back to the shop a second time. On top of the that the paint on the roof was peeling and the car had to be repainted.

Hyundia will not honor this warranty, telling me the part is not covered, and I will need to pay the $335.00 to get the problem fixed. This is an outrage, especially when you are told by the salesman (Denny H., Rosedale Hyundia, Minnesota) that this warranty is a peice of mind. To the average consumer, this nomenclature is very misleading. Will have to pay $335.00 for a part that should be covered under the Extended Protection Plan I purchased for over $1,000.00 for a "peice of mind".

I took my vehicle to the Senator Hyundai service dept.on 7/14/08 because my check engine sensor light came on,I was initially advised by the service tech,Brian that I would be charged $135.00 per hour just to diagnose the problem, I promptly questioned him regarding the increase in price--he stated that there had recently been an increase but he would reduce it for me to $105, I agreed and signed the paperwork, shortly after (apprx 5-10) minutes I heard him on the telephone talking to a customer and he quoted a price of $95.00 per hour to diagnose that person's car problem,although this really bothered me-- I let it go. I dropped my vehicle (2002 Hyundai Santa Fe)off at around 10:00 am by apprx 3:00 pm I had not received a call regarding my car so I called and was advised by tech, Brian that there was a need for them to keep my vehicle overnight because they needed to call for technical assistance because the computer was indicating 3 problem codes, however, when they checked these 3 items identified by the computer no problem exist. I agreed to allow them to keep my car overnight at no extra charge to me.

Own a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe with 20000 miles, brake and battery light keep coming on when it rains. As soon as the lights come on, a belt starts making noise, then hear brakes dragging. First time I brought SUV in was told by the service dept that they couldn't find anything wrong after having vehicle for two days. Two days later same thing happens again while driving in the rain. Brought Santa Fe back in to the service dept, this time they tell me that my battery is not holding charge. I paid over a hundred dollars for the new battery, drive SUV home.

I bought Hyundai Santa fe form west borad Hyundai. at 82000 mile my car's engine failed. I still had warranty. Dealer looked my car they told me they are not going to pay it. I did not change timing belt. that's caused engine to fail. I took my car another repair shop. They told me timing belt was okay. Something else was caused engine to fail.

In Oct 2007 My wife and I with our granddaughter were in an accident in our 2003 santa fe with a ford mustang that pulled in front of us. We were all wearing seat belts my wife was driving and my granddaughter was in the back seat. We were doing between 40 - 45 mph. We hit the mustang head on. The air bags did not deploy and subsequently I was the most severely injured.

i took my 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe back to the dealership (where i had purchased in brand new 2 years earlier) for warranty work. After having it in their shop for almost 2 days they called and informed me that it had caught fire on their lot and was a total loss. They gave me several versions of what happened- from arson to an engine fire- but as of yet i have seen no fire report and wonder if there was an engine malfunction as the car had been making a strange noise and shaking when in idle-the warranty work I took it in for in the first place.

Was in car accident November 07. The front end of my Santa Fe was severely damaged (over $10,000 in repairs). Even front windshield was cracked. Although I was wearing my seat belt I suffered severe chest and neck trauma. Hyundai's response was appalling. All Ms. Harvey wanted to know was "what did I want from them." When I stated I wanted them to revisit their airbag deployment policy because of my experience her response was "Oh . . . well . . . I'll pass this along." To whom she would pass this information she never said, but it was pretty evident they could have cared less.

I bought a new 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe and at 128,000 miles I started having automatic transmission problems. Upon taking it to AAMCO they inspected it and found it full of metal shavings from dissolving gears and bearings. It's been a pretty good car but I am sorely disappointed to have a transmission fail so soon.

I was heading to pick up my 2 year old daughter after work today and was hit by a drunk driver nearly head on. My airbags never deployed and I believe that my 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe will be totaled. I prepared myself for the airbags to deploy (at about 40 mph) and they never did. Thank goodness that I'm only a bit stiff and sore (and that my child wasn't in the car). Very concerned and upset that this vehicle wasn't a bit more safe. Why did the airbags not come out?

I have a 2001 Santa Fe with 35,000 miles and I am being told that the front axle needs replacing; can this be with such little mileage? The car is in great shape and one look will tell you it has not been abused. If fact it still have its original tires. How can the axle just go and the cost of labor will be expensive. Can anyone advise me of my rights? Regards, Tim

My 2005 Santa Fe was taken in for service on June 8th and was returned June 12 after I called the dealership. I was informed that the warranty does not cover the cost of the repairs. I was also informed that I needed a cleaning for a throttle blade. When I told them the problem was a problem I experienced from day one they said this is what is required to fix it. I suspect that they were just trying to add to the bottom line. I called Hyundai Customer Care and I want to tell you what a crock that was. They said I declined the service the dealer said was required. I informed them that this was a problem from day one. I did the round and round with the representative until I decided it was futile. This vehicle was my second Hyundai purchase and my last. I will not buy another vehicle from this company. I made a mistake. I will not support a company that is not responsive in the least to my concerns.

ever since i bought my Hyundai Santa Fe 07, i have had trouble with the air bag indicator/sensor. I weight about 110 pounds and when i sit in the passenger seat of my car the air bag sensor doesn't work properly. even if i sit properly according to Hyundai the sensor comes on and off making the car unsafe for me to ride in. When i took it to the dealer their only suggestion was for me to ride in the backseat of my own car!

I purchased a 2007 Santa Fe on October 27, 2006. After driving it for two days I noticed that the Heat/AC was not working properly the exterior temp indicator would start at 68 and goup to 140 then back down and start over. I took the car back to Sport Hyundai Dodge were I purchased the car, they checked it out and said that the sensor was bad and had to order it.

Please Hyundai; Honor your HPP Warranty! I bought a Hyundai Santa Fe before I got married, and have had some problems regarding my extended warranty. It began when I first purchased my car one August weekend in 2002. I signed a bunch of papers with an agreed-upon interest rate and happily drove off with my new car, leaving my old car on the lot as a trade-in. On the very next Monday I received a call from the dealership saying that the bank I was supposed to be going through somehow fell through (no reason was given).

I bought a used 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe from Reedman in Langhorne PA in November 2003 for $12,000. It had 38k miles on it and came with the remainder of a 60k warranty. In July, the engine seized. Called Reedman, they looked it up in the computer and said it's still under factory warranty, so I took it to the local Hyundai shop for repairs. Hyundai told me that the warranty was voided when I bought it because the prior owners didn't keep up with the scheduled maintenance.

Hyundai overspecified the horsepower on 2001 Santa Fe's. They offered three options as compensation to customers. When I learned about the over-specification problem the compensation window had closed. They refused to offer me a choice of the three options.