2005 Hyundai SANTA FE: complaints, problems and recalls

MY 2005 SANTA FE 3.5L ENGINE HAS A COMPUTER OPERATED GAS PEDAL THAT MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE A SMOOTH LINEAR ACCELERATION. I FEEL THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE CORRECTED BEFORE AND ACCIDENT OR INJURY OCCURS. *AK THERE WAS A DELAY IN ACCELERATION THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN THE GAS PEDAL AND THE TRANSMISSION. THIS SITUATION WAS ESPECIALLY AGGRAVATED ON WET, SNOWY OR ICY ROADS. *SC THE MANUFACTURER CHANGED THE CABLE SYSTEM GAS PEDAL TO A COMPUTER OPERATED GAS PEDAL. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10116602 at NHTSA ↗

DRIVER NOTICED THAT WHILE SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION VEHICLE WOULD DOWN SHIFT ON ITS OWN. DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10117366 at NHTSA ↗

AFTER STARTING THE CAR EACH TIME, AND EITHER BACKING UP AND THEN PULLING FORWARD OR PULLING FORWARD, THERE IS A POPPING SOUND AND A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE MOTOR MOUNTS, THEN IT WAS THE MASTER CYLINDER. AFTER HAVING MY BOSS WHO IS A MECHANIC, DRIVE THE CAR, HE SAID THAT IT WAS NEITHER OF THOSE ITEMS, AND COULD POSSIBLY HAVE SOMEETHING TO DO WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN OR THE U-JOINTS. I RELAYED THIS INFORMATION TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND THEY THEN WENT BACK OVER TH…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10128975 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED DELAYED ACCELERATION. CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER. THEY SAID IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. IF AT A COMPLETE STOP AND CONSUMER PUSHED THE GAS PEDAL IT TOOK A FEW SECONDS BEFORE VEHICLE WILL ACCELERATE. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10131965 at NHTSA ↗

I JUST BOUGHT A NEW 2005 HYUNDAI SANTA FE(2.7L AWD AT4) ON AUG 15, 2005. THEN TWO DAYS LATER I FOUND OUT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS FAILED THE NHTSA ROLL OVER TEST (TIP). *JB " NHTSA 2005 SUV CRASH, ROLLOVER RATINGS <HTTP://WWW.THEAUTOCHANNEL.COM/NEWS/2005/06/22/133124.HTML>" 1. WHY THE DEALERSHIP/MANUFACTURER NOT MANDATED TO WARN THE CUSTOMERS THE SAFEY DEFICIENCY INFO? A. DO I HAVE GROUND FOR RETURNING THE PURCHASE AND ASKING FOR REFUND? 2. WHAT ARE THE FOLLOW-UPS FOR THE MANUFACTURER TO REMDEY THE DEFICIENCIES OF T…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10133302 at NHTSA ↗

COMPLAINT IS ABOUT A 2005 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LX WITH 3.5L ENGINE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR THAT THERE IS A DELAY IN RESPONSE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PRESSED. THIS DELAY IS OVER A SECOND LONG, AND CAUSES THE DRIVER TO KEEP PRESSING DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR. WHEN THE SENSOR FINALLY REACTS, THERE IS MORE ACCELERATION APPLIED THAN IS DESIRED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO START OUT FASTER THAN INTENDED, OR NOT STARTING OUT WHEN THE DRIVER WANTED TO. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS THE DRIVER DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH ACCELERATION WILL BE APPLIED TO THE …

Owner-reported narrative. 25 miles reported. Look up ODI 10138089 at NHTSA ↗

ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE HESITATES WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP,THEN SUDDENLY ACCELERATES SOMETIMES MUCH TO QUICKLY CAUSING SOME LOSS OF CONTROL. MECHANIC AT HYUNDAI TRIED TO RESET COMPUTER BUT INFORMED US THAT IT IS SET TO MANUFACTURERS STANDARDS PROBLEM HAS SO FAR BEEN UN-FIXABLE AND THE VEHICLE REMAINS UNSAFE. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 6 miles reported. Look up ODI 10140049 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM DOESN'T ALWAYS WORK AS PER DASH LIGHT, DEALER CAN' T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH SYSTEM SUGGEST TURNING OFF ENGINE AND RESTARTING TO RESET COMPUTER. I TRIED THIS WHILE DRIVING IN HIGHWAY TRAFFIC AND LOST POWER TO MY BRAKES AND STEERING , MY WIFE WEIGHS 135 POUNDS THIS SHOULD WORK THE SENSORS. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10142909 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-10-04 (October 4, 2005)

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AS AN ADULT.

Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION CRASH OR THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE COLLISION CRASH; SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE'S OCS WILL PROPERLY CLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN WHEN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AND WILL DISABLE THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAGS. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN FOR RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 21, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2005-11-17 (November 17, 2005)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AS AN ADULT.

Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A FRONTAL COLLISION CRASH OR THE SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A SIDE COLLISION CRASH; SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH COULD OCCUR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL ENSURE THAT THE VEHICLE'S OCS WILL PROPERLY CLASSIFY CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN WHEN SEATED ON THE FRONT EDGE OF THE SEAT AND WILL DISABLE THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAGS. DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT TO PROVIDE AN INCREASED MARGIN FOR RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN SMALL CHILDREN. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 6, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.

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.