2004 Hyundai Santa Fe

I WAS IN A SERIOUS CAR ACCIDENT BACK IN DECEMBER 7, 2005 WITH MY 2004 HYUNDIA SANTE FE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND SCRAPPED THUS I DO NOT HAVE THE VIN NUMBER HANDY. I DO STILL HAVE THE PAPERWORK FROM THE HOSPITAL AND THE PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS THE ONLY PERSON IN THE VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON MY USUAL ROUTE ON EASTON AVENUE. I'M TOLD (REPORTS FROM WITNESSESS) A YOUNG GIRL CAME OUT OF A SIDE STREET AND HIT ME IN THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE WHICH IN TURN SPUN MY CAR INTO 2 OTHER VEHICHLES ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE ROAD I WAS TRAVELLING DOWN. AS STATED EARLIER I HAVE LITTLE RECALL SINCE THE IMPACT KNOCKED ME UNCONSCIOUS. I SUFFERED A BROKEN NOSE (SCAR STILL THERE) AND TORN LEFT SHOULDER- WHICH STILL BOTHER ME DAILY. I WAS HIT BLINDSIDE AND SPIN INTO 2 OTHER VEHICLES- KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS. I STILL SUFFER NIGHTMARES RESULTING FROM THIS ACCIDENT AND AM CURRENTLY SEEING A COUNSELOR SPECILIZING IN TRAUMA AND PTSD.

RECEIVED LETTER FROM HYUNDAI THAT THE COMPANY WAS "PREPARING A REMEDY" FOR POSSIBLE RUSTING SPRINGS ON MY SANTA FE. I WAITED ABOUT A MONTH FOR SECOND LETTER AS TO WHERE AND WHEN TO GET SPRINGS INSPECTED. CALLED HYUNDAI 1-855-671-3059 GOT RUN AROUND NO ASSISTANCE. I CAN GET CAR INSPECTED MYSELF AND PAY FOR SPRINGS MYSELF. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

FOR A LONG TIME I KEPT HEARING THIS CLUNKING TYPE NOISE BUT WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT IT WAS. THEN ON SUN. SEPT. 21, 2014 I NOTICED SOME EXTRA PLAY IN THE WHEEL. WHEN I MADE A TURN I HAD TO TURN THE WHEEL TWICE AS MUCH AS NORMAL AND THEN IT LOCKED AND I HAD TO REALLY PULL HARD TO GET IT BACK STRAIGHT. WE VERY CAREFULLY DROVE IT TO THE AUTO SHOP ONLY A MILE AWAY. THEY SAID MY POWER STEERING LINE WAS RIPPED OPEN. THEY SAID THE BOLT THAT ATTACHES TO THE POWER STEERING GEAR RACK SHEARED OFF OF THE SUBFRAME. I HAVE PICTURES. ALSO SINCE THERE IS A RECALL ON THE COIL SPRINGS FOR CARS SOLD IN THE SALT BELT I THOUGHT THIS ALSO COULD BE A CORROSION ISSUE BECAUSE THE MECHANIC SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE. THE BOLT DIDN'T COME LOOSE, THE ACTUAL SUBFRAME TORE APART AND THE STEERING RACK WAS JUST HANGING THERE BY ONE BOLT AND OVER TIME IT RIPPED THE RUBBER TO SHREDS. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSE FATALITIES. WE HAD TO PURCHASE A NEW SUBFRAME AND STEERING RACK TO GET THE CAR DRIVABLE. IT SEEMS TO ME IT WAS FAULTY MANUFACTURING OR A RUST CORROSION ISSUE. THE SUBFRAME IS A HUGE THICK IRON FRAME WHERE YOU WOULD THINK NOTHING COULD BREAK IT, BUT IN THIS INSTANCE IT ACTUALLY RIPPED. I WOULD LIKE SOME COMPENSATION FOR THE REPAIRS. I WANTED THIS COMPLAINT OUT THERE BECAUSE IT COULD BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE FOR OTHER DRIVERS. *TR

I WAS IN TN WHEN I HEARD A SLIGHT "THUNK" AND THEN A CONTINUOUS RATTLE UNDER THE VEHICLE. I ASSUMED A BROKEN EXHAUST BRACKET AND LEFT TN ON 8/17/2014 TO RETURN TO MY HOME IN SAINT LOUIS MO. I TRAVELED I55 IN SPEEDS IN EXCESS OF 75 MPH AND LISTENED TO THE RATTLE FOR ABOUT 100 MILES. AND THEN THE RATTLE STOPPED AND I ASSUMED THAT THE BROKEN BRACKET HAD FINALLY COME LOOSE AND IS NOW LOCATED SOMEWHERE ON I55. I TOOK MY CAR TO FIRESTONE AND WAS STUNNED TO LEARN THAT MY RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING WAS MISSING AND MY RIGHT FRONT STRUT WAS BROKEN. AN INSPECTION OF THE LEFT FRONT COIL SPRING ALSO INDICATED SIGNIFICANT CORROSION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED FOR SAFETY. HYUNDAI HAS RECALLED 419,000 VEHICLES OF THIS TYPE IN DC AND 20 OTHER STATES SPECIFICALLY STATING EXCESSIVE CORROSION AS A RESULT OF ROAD SALT--THIS LIST EXCLUDED THE STATE OF MO WHICH HAPPENS TO ALSO USE ROAD SALT. MY HYUNDAI HAS BEEN IN MO FOR 12 YEARS. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO DO THE RESPONSIBLE THING AND EXPAND ITS RECALL TO ALL STATES THAT USE SALT AND PERHAPS TO COASTAL STATES THAT HAVE OCEAN SALT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STRIKER PLATE THAT CONNECTS TO THE TAPING PLATE WAS NOT PROPERLY WELDED ONTO THE DOOR FRAME; AS A RESULT, THE LEFT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT REMAIN CLOSED. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT SINCE HER VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY THAT SHE WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,289. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,580.

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) PASSENGER WENT TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND GOT THEIR HAND CUT BY A SHARP EDGE ON THE DOOR HANDLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE CHROME-PLATING HAS TURNED INTO A SHARP EDGE, SIMILAR TO A RAZOR-BLADE (IDENTICAL TO WHAT OCCURRED IN NHTSA ACTION # PE08071 ON THE HYUNDAI SONATA). I HAVE TEMPORARILY TAPED THE SHARP AREA, SINCE BOTH THE DEALER AND HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE DANGER OF THIS PROBLEM, AND REFUSE TO REPLACE THE HANDLE AT NO CHARGE. THEY TELL ME THAT SINCE THERE IS NO RECALL AND THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, THEY WILL NOT CHANGE THE DEFECTIVE (UNSAFE) HANDLE EVEN THOUGH MY OTHER THREE HANDLES ARE PERFECTLY FINE. HYUNDAI COMPLAINT FILED (TWICE), LATEST DATE WAS 3/10/2010 CASE #[XXX]. *TR

MY 2004 SANTA FE HAS SERIOUS RUSTING ON THE UNDER FRAME. RUST IS ON THE WELD POINTS AND THE FUEL AND ENGINE COVERS ARE COMPLETELY COVERED WITH RUST AND HAVE CHUNKS MISSING. A RECALL OF 2001 THROUGH 2003 SANTE FE VEHICLES DOES NOT INCLUDE OURS. WE HAVE 64,000 MILES ON IT AND WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND WE OUR VERY CONCERNED THAT FURTHER RUSTING WILL CAUSE IMPORTANT PARTS TO GIVE WAY. I WAS TOLD BY HYUNDAI THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE BUT I COULD WRITE A LETTER OF COMPLAINT TO HYUNDAI OF AMERICA. THIS I DID AND HAVE NOT HAD ANY RESPONSE AS OF 10/26/2009. MY VEHICLE '!@#$%. I AM SURE THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED VEHICLE AND PROBABLY PEOPLE DO NOT REALIZE THERE IS AN ISSUE BECAUSE LIKE OUR CAR, IT LOOKS GREAT UNTIL YOU PUT IT ON A HOIST. *TR

THE CHROME PLATE ON THE DRIVERS DOOR HANDLE ON MY 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS CRACKED AND SPLIT. EVERYTIME I OPEN THE DOOR TO LEAVE THE CAR THE HANDLE SLICES MY HAND. IT'S AS SHARP AS A RAZOR BLADE. I HAVE PUT TAPE AROUND IT BUT THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY FIX. MY WARRANTY HAS RUN OUT SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT OPTIONS I MAY HAVE. *TR