2008 Hyundai Santa Fe

MY WIFE INDICATED THAT WHEN SHE GOT ON THE RAMP TO RT. 80 , THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. SHE ALSO STATED THAT SHE ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT SINCE SHE HAD NO BRAKES NOR POWER STEERING. THIS OCCURRENCE HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY SAFETY BY A NUMBER OF OWNERS YET YOU CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM WHICH COULD BE ATTRIBUTED TO OIL DRIPPING FROM THE VALVE COVER ON TO THE ALTERNATOR. I GUESS YOU'RE WAITING FOR SOME ACCIDENTS TO HAPPEN BEFORE TAKING ACTION....MAYBE A FEW DEATHS RESULTING FROM A CRASH. VERY PROACTIVE!

MY SANTA FE AWD 2008 WAS BOUGHT IN JUNE 2009 AND NOW HAS ~99K MILEAGE. I HAD FOUR OR FIVE SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH MY SANTA FE STARTING ON 4/21/15, WHICH LED TO SIGNIFICANT POWER LOSS AND SPEED LOSS OF THE CAR ON THE ROAD. THE FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD AT ~25 MPH. SUDDENLY I FELT THE CAR LOST THE POWER AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. I STEPPED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THE CAR COULD NOT ACCELERATE (THE SPEED DROPPED TO ~10 MPH). I SAW 3 SYSTEM INDICATOR/WARNING LIGHTS ON: THE ESC OFF(ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS HAD A STEADY LIGHT AND THE AWD SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF THE CAR, WAITED ~1 MINUTE, AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON, BUT THE OTHER LIGHTS WENT OUT. THEN I DROVE THE CAR TO CONTINUE TO MY JOB. THE 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MY WAY HOME. THE SAME SCENARIO EXCEPT THAT I WAS DRIVING AT ~40 MPH AT THE TIME. THE SUDDEN POWER LOSS CAUSED THE CAR SPEED QUICKLY DROPPED TO ~10 MPH AND PROBABLY LED THE CAR BEHIND MINE TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP TO AVOID A CRASH. AGAIN, I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON. THE OTHER TIMES I WAS ON THE CRESENT CITY CONNECTION (BRIDGE) IN THE CENTER LANE. I HAD TO WORK MY WAY OVER TWO LANES TO TURN THE VEHICLE OFF TO RESTART TO CONTINUE ON MY WAY TO OR FROM WORK. AFTER THE 5TH TIME, I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND AN ARTICLE STATING THAT THIS PROBLEM WAS ON THE TSB (TECHNICAL SAFETY BULLETIN). MAYBE SOMEONE SOMEWHERE SHOULD BE AWARE OF MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM.......

FRONT VALVE COVER GASKET KEEP LEAKING OIL ON TO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING THE ALTERNATOR TO GO OUT . THE SECOND TIME IT HAPPEN THE CORE OF THE ALTERNATOR BURNED .I HAVE REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR 3 TIMES AND VALVE COVER GASKET TWICE. HYUNDAI HAVE A RECALL ON THE VERACRUZ FOR THIS SOME ISSUES BUT WILL NOT RECALL THE SANTA FE FOR THIS ISSUES .

SAFETY ISSUE: FAILURE OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT PERMANENTLY TURNS ON THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WHICH DENIES THE USE OF THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" FOR OTHER SERIOUS CONDITIONS. MANY CONSUMERS HAVE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. THESE UNITS COST BETWEEN $800 TO $1200 TO FIX SO MOST DRIVERS DO NOT FIX IT AND INSTEAD USE THE ODOMETER READING TO DETERMINE WHEN FUEL IS NEEDED. UNFORTUNATELY, DRIVING WITH THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ON AT ALL TIMES PREVENTS THE DRIVER FROM SEEING THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ILLUMINATE WHEN A SERIOUS CONDITION EXISTS. THEREFORE, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF CONSUMER REPORTS ALREADY SENT TO NHTSA REGARDING FAILED FUEL SENDING UNITS, HYUNDAI SHOULD IMMEDIATELY ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL TO FIX THESE UNITS.

AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF NORMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AS THE ENGINE COMPUTER ENTERED "LIMP HOME" MODE. PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR HAD NO EFFECT. DIAGNOSED AS THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR FAILURE. THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, WITH AN ENGINE RESTART CLEARING THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY. WHILE THESE INCIDENTS DID NOT RESULT IN A CRASH, THEY COULD EASILY HAVE, DEPENDING ON TRAFFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.

I WAS DRIVING TO A STOP LIGHT ON A DOWN HILL SLOPE WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN THE CAR WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR TURNED OFF. ALL AT ONCE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, AND I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO RE-START. I TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND AT THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I TRIED AGAIN AND IT STARTED BUT IT WOULDN'T LET ME ACCELERATE ALMOST AT ALL (THROUGH AN INTERSECTION!). THERE WAS ALSO A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, AFRAID IF I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE, TURNED THE CAR OFF, WAITED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, RESTARTED IT, SUCCESSFULLY. I LET IT IDLE FOR A WHILE UNSURE WHAT ELSE TO DO. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO OTHER INCIDENT. THE CLICKING WAS OFF AND ON THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME BUT HAS SINCE GOTTEN QUIETER. *TR

THE FIRST TIME I CAME OUT TO START MY CAR AND LOOKED UP, THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WOULDN'T START. I HAD IT TOWED. I WAS INFORMED IT WAS THE STARTER. THE STARTER WAS REPLACED AND APPROXIMATELY 6 MONTHS LATER, I NOTICED A BRUSHING SOUND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. OVER TIME IT BECAME MORE OFTEN. I RETURNED THE CAR SEVERAL TIMES TO THE INDEPENDENT AUTO SHOP. THEY COULDN'T FIND OUT THE NOISE. IN THE MEAN TIME I TOOK TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS THE STARTER AND TO TAKE IT BACK AND HAVE IT REPLACED. I RETURNED TO THE INDEPENDENT DEALER AND THEY REPLACED, IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AT THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD IT WASN'T CATCHING. TWO WEEKS LATER IT STARTED THE SAME BRUSHING SOUND WHEN I STARTED THE CAR. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DEALERSHIP TO INSPECT AND IN THE MEAN TIME THE CAR WHILE WARMING UP HAD A BURNT SMELL. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND IT WOULD NOT START. HAD IT TOWED. THE DEALERSHIP PUT THE CAR ON A DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND PUT A NEW STARTER IN. MY CAR WAS HELD FOR 5 DAYS. THEY TOLD ME OIL HAD LEAKED FROM THE STARTER AND THAT WAS WHERE THE SMOKE CAME FROM AND THE BRUNT SMELL. WITHIN A WEEK THE CAR WHEN STARTED HAD THE BRUSHING SOUND AGAIN. I TRIED TO RECORD THE SOUND AND AFTER I STARTED 4 TIMES IT STARTED TO SMOKE AND WOULDN'T START. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED AGAIN. IT IS NOW AT THE DEALERSHIP WAITING FOR A DIAGNOSTIC. *TR

THE GAS GAUGE HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR OVER 2 YEARS AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON MOST OF THE TIME BUT WILL GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. WE TRACK GAS USAGE WITH THE TRIP ODOMETER (20 MILES PER GALLON X 17 GAL TANK=340 MILES DRIVEN) BUT FILL UP AROUND 275 MILES DRIVEN. BUT THIS IS NOT A RELIABLE WAY TO TRACK FUEL AND IT WAS BOUND TO HAPPEN-WE RAN OUT OF GAS-UNFORTUNATELY ON THE TOLLWAY. NOW WE WANT TO FIX IT. WE HAVE HAD ESTIMATES RANGING FROM $400-$800 TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT THINK THAT THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT HYUNDAI HAS INSTALLED IN THEIR VEHICLES. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR SAFETY REASONS. THE CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. WE TAKE CARE OF OUR CARS-REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND PARKED IN A GARAGE. (ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE SENSOR AFTER 2 YEARS AND BOTH HVAC MODE DOOR ACTUATORS AFTER 4 YEARS. THE WINDOW WASHER FLUID RECENTLY STOPPED WORKING).

AFTER ENGINE START AND WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED THE BATTERY LIGHT AND SEATBELT LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHES INTERMITTENTLY. I SEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND IT LOOKS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL CHARGING ISSUE, NAMELY THE ALTERNATOR IS BAD. I SEARCHED MORE AND FOUND THE REASON FOR THIS IS THE FRONT VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL AND DRIPPING ONTO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION. A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE ( #121) ON THE 07-12 VERACRUZ FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *JS