2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

I PURCHASED A USED 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN DECEMBER 2008. THE VEHICLE OPERATED WELL FOR SIX MONTHS. SUDDENLY, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY ONE DAY, THE CAR BEGAN TO JERK. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR TWO MONTHS, THEN RETURNED MORE VIOLENTLY WITH THE VEHICLE TURNING OFF WHILE AT STOPS AND DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, EVEN AT 35 TO 40 MPH. I NOTICED THE RPM'S DROP SUDDENLY WHEN THE CAR JERKS. HOWEVER, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOESN'T COME ON, AND NEITHER DO ANY OTHER INDICATORS THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE PAID TO GET THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND COILS REPAIRED ON THE CAR, BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSISTS. AFTER ALMOST THREE YEARS OF HAVING THE VEHICLE, WHICH I AM STILL PAYING OFF TO THE FINANCE COMPANY, THE CAR STILL JERKS WHILE DRIVING EVEN AT 30 MPH WITHIN IN A 2 MILE RADIUS OF MY HOME. I HAVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE SLOWLY, WITHOUT ACCELERATING AND SUDDEN STOPS TO KEEP THE JERKING TO A MINIMUM. I HAVE CALLED HYUNDAI USA ABOUT THE PROBLEM, BUT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE I NO LONGER HAVE THE WARRANTY, SINCE I AM THE SECOND OWNER. THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP CANNOT PINPOINT THE PROBLEM AND NEITHER CAN OTHER MECHANIC SHOPS. I AM PRACTICALLY PAYING FOR A CAR THAT DOESN'T WORK! I HAVE SEEN THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OTHER OWNERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE HEARD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL IN CANADA ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE ON THE CAR JERKING, BUT NOT IN THE UNITED STATES. I SERIOUSLY BELIEVE THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM HERE IN THE U.S. BEFORE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OCCURS, SUCH AS WITH TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TR

I DRIVE A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, DRIVEN IN MD, 136K MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT HANDLING RIGHT IN THE CAR, IT WOULD PULL BACK AND FORTH WHILE DRIVING AT ALL SPEEDS, IT WAS WORSE IN WET CONDITIONS. I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE HYUNDAI DEALER FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND ASKED FOR THEM TO LOOK INTO THE STEERING WHEEL PROBLEM. THE REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT MY FRONT CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED INTO THE SUB-FRAME OF MY CAR. WHAT OCCURRED IS WHAT THE NHTSA ID # 09V123000 RECALL WAS SUPPOSED TO FIX. I HAD THE RECALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON MY VEHICLE APPROXIMATELY FIVE MONTHS AGO. I THINK HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS PART BASED ON THE TIME THAT ELAPSED BETWEEN INITIALLY ADDRESSING THE RECALL AND TODAY. FAILURE TO FIX THIS MALFUNCTION WOULD MOST LIKELY RESULT IN A CRASH OR OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR

2003 - HYUNDAI SANTA FE - MARCH 29, 2011. THE FRONT RIGHT SPRING BROKE ON MY SANTA FE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE. LUCKLY I WAS JUST PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND NOT ON THE ROAD. HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING, I MAY NOT BE HERE TODAY. I HAD TO REPLACE BOTH FRONT SPRINGS, STRUTS, AND FOUR NEW TIRES FOR THE ENTIRE COST OF $1300. I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS REPAIR COST SINCE IT WAS THERE DEFECTED SPRING THAT BROKE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT LOSS IN THE STEERING CONTROL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL AND MANEUVER THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER LOWER CONTROL ARM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 06/01/11*LJ THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE HYUNDAI CORROSION CLASS ACTION AT A COST OF $ 2100. UPDATED 08/04/11

PURCHASED AS A USED VEHICLE WITH 30,000 MI. IN 2008 FROM A DEALERSHIP WITH OWNERS MANUAL MISSING. ON 8-1-2010 WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK, THE VEHICLE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING ON A BRIDGE ON A BUSY ROADWAY, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES. OTHER VEHICLES IN THE AREA HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION CAUSING A IMMEDIATE HAZARDOUS CONDITION. UPON HAVING THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR GARAGE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE WAS THE RESULT OF A DEFECTIVE TIMING BELT THAT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR THIS MODEL AND MAKE OF VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED CHANGING OF THE TIMING BELT WAS TO BE 60,000 MILES, THUS TELLING ME THE BELT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN 2007 AT THE 60,000 MILE MARK. AS YOU CAN SEE, I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2008 WILL 30,000 MILES ON IT (NO OWNERS MANUAL). I WAS TOLD I WAS TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT MOTOR, WHICH OF COURSE WAS A USED MOTOR BECAUSE THEY REDESIGNED THE 3.5 LITER ENGINE IN 2005 WHEN THIS PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT AND THOSE ENGINES WOULD NOT FIT MY 2003. WHY WAS THERE NOT A RECALL THEN ON THIS FOR ENGINE FAILURE AT THAT TIME? THEY HAD REPLACED THE BELT WITH A NEW DESIGN TIMING CHAIN FOR THE NEWER VEHICLES. WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS UNDER REPAIR, ANOTHER 2003 SANTA FE WAS ALSO IN FOR THE SAME ISSUE. FORTUNATELY, I WAS NOT INJURED, BUT THE POSSIBILITY WAS THERE. A MINUTE EARLIER, I WAS TRAVELING DOWN A STEEP GRADE PRIOR TO THE ENGINE FAILURE. THIS LOOKS LIKE AN INHERENT PROBLEM FOR THE HYUNDAI 3.5 LITER ENGINE, THEY HAD TO GET MY REPLACEMENT ENGINE FROM TEXAS. WERE USED CAR BUYERS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WITH THE HYUNDAI 3.5 LITER ENGINE MODELS PRIOR TO 2006? THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY VIOLATION. THE VEHICLE ENGINE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING! HOW ABOUT HYUNDAI REIMBURSING ME $4000.00?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THE BOTTOM OF THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED AND LEAKING FUEL. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THERE WAS FUEL ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THE TYPE OF FAILURE AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AT THE CONTACTS EXPENSE. . THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHEN STOPPED WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE, THE VEHICLE JERKED FORWARD. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. UPDATED 03/08/11 *BF UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN

FROM TIME TO TIME, MY 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKS VIOLENTLY WHILE UNDER NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. SOMETIMES THIS OCCURS WHILE TRAVELING AT A STEADY SPEED (AROUND 40 MPH) AND SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS JUST AFTER I RESUME ACCELERATION AFTER LIFTING OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR (COASTING). I REALLY HAVE TO 'BABY' THE ACCELERATOR ALL OF THE TIME OR THIS WOULD HAPPEN MUCH MORE OFTEN. THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM HERE, WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE HARM TO MYSELF AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD. UNFORTUNATELY, I KNOW THAT NOTHING WILL EVER BE DONE TO CORRECT OR ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. *LN

IN MY 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, THE DOOR LATCH CHROME PLATING IS SO THIN THAT IT WORE OUT AND CUT MY WIFE'S HAND AND MY HAND. THIS IS A DEFECT ON BOTH SIDES OF THE CAR. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE DEFECT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS NOT THE MOST SERIOUS DEFECT BUT, QUOTED FROM CARS.COM "HYUNDAI HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR 91,202 SONATA VEHICLES FROM THE 2002-03 MODEL YEARS, ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION. THE RECALL IS DUE TO A THIN CHROME PLATE ON THE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE." WHEN WILL THE FIX MINE. *TR