2004 Hyundai SANTA FE: complaints, problems and recalls

WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH STEERING WHEEL PULLED TO THE LEFT. THIS WAS CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALERSHIP MECHANIC TRIED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE 3 TIMES, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. CRUISE CONTROL IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. *AK *MR

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10052042 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE HEATER KNOB WAS LOOSE. WHILE TURNING HEAT ON HEATER IT DID NOT RESPOND. DEALERSHIP SERVICED VEHICLE.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10053647 at NHTSA ↗

BRAKE FAILURE OF MY 2004 HYUNDAI, SANTA FE. THE CAR HAD 1,940 MILES ON IT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. I BRAKED, TO STOP BEHIND A CAR THAT WAS STOPPED FOR ANOTHER CAR TURNING LEFT. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND MY CAR ROLLED INTO THE STOPPED CAR. HYUNDAI IS DENYING THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR! I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR FOR A MONTH NOW (WITHOUT A RENTAL CAR DUE TO THE FACT THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG) AND THEY TELL ME, TO PURSUE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE, WILL TAKE UP TO TWO MONTHS. ONE OF THE THREE DEALER MECHANICS THAT LOOKED…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,940 miles reported. Look up ODI 10054896 at NHTSA ↗

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND LUNCHED FORWARD. VEHICLE ALMOST HIT A CONCRETE WALL AND PEDESTRIANS. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED 3 TIMES, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 1,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 10063585 at NHTSA ↗

MY WIFE HAD ENTERED A SMALL PARKING LOT AND WAS COMMING UP TO A CURB ABOUT 6" HIGH. WHEN SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE JUMPED OVER THE CURB AND INTO A TREE. SHE IS SURE THAT SHE APPLIED THE BRAKE AND NOT THE ACCELERATOR.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10064201 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE CONSUMER FELT THE VEHICLE SHAKING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SHIFTED FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE CONSUMER COULD FEEL THE ENGINE SLIPPING. THE DEALER HAS EXAMINED THE VEHICLE THREE TIMES CONCERNING THE ENGINE. THE DEALER FOUND THERE IS A COMPONENT THAT IS MISSING FROM THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DID NOT EXPLAIN WHAT THE COMPONENT WAS THAT IS NEEDED. *NM *SC

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074356 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED MY NEW CAR ON 02/09/04 AT BRONX HYUNDAI. IT IS A 4-WHEEL DRIVE 3.5 LTR ENGINE HYUNDAI SANTA FE. UPON DRIVING I FELT A HARD KNOCKING-VIBRATING SOUND WHEN I DRIVE ON LOCAL (DRY) STREETS AND THEN A FEELING THAT THE CAR JUMPS (LUNGE FORWARDS)AFTER I STOP. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS I THOUGHT SOMEONE HIT ME FROM BEHIND. THIS CONTINUES TO HAPPEN ONLY WHEN I DRIVE LOCALLY. THE CAR HAS NEVER DONE THIS ON THE HIGHWAY, WHICH IS PART OF MY DAILY COMMUTE. I WASN'T SURE WHY AT FIRST, THE CAR DID THAT AND I THOUGHT IT WAS PART OF THE TRACKING CONT…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074599 at NHTSA ↗

I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REVIEW THIS LETTER. MARCH OF THIS YEAR I PURCHASED A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. I WAS MOTIVATED TO DO THIS BASED ON MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE, AS A FORMER OWNER, ALONG WITH THE COUPLED KNOWLEDGE OF HYUNDAIS IMPROVED WARRANTEES. IN THE PAST I HAD NO REASON TO BRING A HYUNDAI INTO THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS, OTHER THAN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE PROBLEM IM HAVING WITH MY CURRENT VEHICLE IS FOCUSED IN THE DRIVE TRAIN, SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 5000 MILES. INITIA…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10074848 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2003-12-18 (December 18, 2003)

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

Consequence: THE TIRE PRESSURE LABELS DO NOT CONTAIN THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.

Remedy: OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECT LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2004-03-16 (March 16, 2004)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS (ABS), IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 3 AND 12 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PAD FRICTION SURFACES ARE WET, A VIBRATION MAY OCCUR BETWEEN THE BRAKE DISCS AND PADS CAUSING ABS SENSOR ELECTRONIC SIGNAL NOISE TO DEVELOP. AT SPEEDS BELOW 5 MPH, THE ABS SENSOR SIGNAL NOISE MAY CAUSE THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO ACTIVATE THE ABS, EXTENDING THE STOPPING DISTANCE.

Consequence: IF AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS ECU. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2014-07-18 (July 18, 2014)

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 “salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.

Consequence: If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 124.