2002 Hyundai Santa Fe

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE AUTOMATIC RETRACTION SYSTEM ON THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE CHILD SEAT IS NOT PROPERLY RESTRAINED. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT HER VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE A RECALL ON THE SEAT BELT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR FOR THE SEAT BELT RETRACTION SYSTEM WOULD COST $300 PLUS $89 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 90,700 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 89,000. UPDATED 02-25-08 *BF THE AUTO-LOCKING SEAT BELT DID NOT REMAIN LOCKED TO USE WITH A CHILD BOOSTER SEAT. HOWEVER, THE SEAT BELT DOES LOCK WHEN THE BELT IS PULLED QUICKLY. THE CONSUMER PURCHASED A REPLACEMENT PART AND STATED IT IS WORKING CORRECTLY. UPDATED

I HAVE A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. I AM THE SECOND OWNER. IT HAS ABOUT 90700 MILES ON IT. MY REAR DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT RETAINER SYSTEM DOES NOT LOCK WHEN USING WITH A CHILD SEAT.. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT A KIA WAS RECALLED FOR: "KIA SEAT BELT RECALL: IN JULY 2006, KIA RECALLED ABOUT 32,000 VEHICLES THAT FAILED TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208. THE AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETAINER FUNCTION IN THE REAR OUTBOARD SEATBELT ASSEMBLIES MAY DISENGAGE WHEN USED WITH CERTAIN CHILD SEATS. IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THIS DEFECT POSES AN INCREASED RISK OF INJURY TO THE SEAT OCCUPANT. " I HAVE CALLED THE HYUNDAI DEALER, AND HYNDAI USA. THEY BOTH TELL ME I AM OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I MUST PAY FOR DIAGNOSIS AND ALL REPAIRS. EVEN IF IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI (MODEL UNKNOWN). THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. ALTHOUGH SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT, THE CONTACT STRUCK THE LEFT SIDE OF HER FOREHEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE URGENT CARE CENTER FOR EXAMINATION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE ROAD WAS SLIGHTLY DAMP AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 84,000. UPDATED 01/02/08. *4200 UPDATED 12/12/07 *TR

PURCHASED A NEW 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 11/2001 WITH 11 MILES ON IT. IN 3/2007, THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN REPLACING IT, 2 MAJOR SAFETY DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED - NO SAFETY/PROTECTIVE FOAM IN THE FRONT BUMPER AND THE SAFETY/CRASH BAR WAS BENT - I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR MUST HAD BEEN IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE ORIGINAL DEALER AND THEY ACCEPTED NO RESPONSIBILITY - THEY SAID I MUST HAVE DONE IT. I HAVE HAD NO ACCIDENTS OR TICKETS AND MY DRIVING RECORD PROVES THAT. I PURCHASED A VEHICLE HISTORY REPORT, WHICH SHOWED NO ACCIDENT HISTORY. THE ONLY CONCLUSION IS THAT THE DEFECTS WERE PRESENT AT THE TIME OF SALE. THE CAR SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS OF THE SAFETY INSPECTIONS. *JB

GRINDING AND OTHER ODD NOISES WHEN BRAKING IN MY 2002 SANTE FE. PURCHASED THE CAR NEW AND I HAVE REPLACED THE HYDRAULIC BRAKES ONCE A YEAR SINCE I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO TWO DIFFERENT HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS AND TO HYDUNDAI MOTOR CORPORATION. ITSELF AND WAS TOLD THAT I MUST BE A BRAKE RIDER AND CITY DRIVER. EITHER OF THESE IS TRUE. I HAVE NEVER HAD TO REPLACE BRAKES EVERY 8-10,000 MILES ON ANY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. I WAS TOLD A COMPLETE, FULL BRAKE JOB MUST BE DONE EACH TIME BECAUSE THE ROTORS ARE SO THIN THAT THERE IS LITTLE MARGIN FOR ERROR OF OVER RESURFACING. THIS COULD CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY ONE SERVICE MANAGER FROM ONE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP THAT HE WOULD NEVER ALLOW HIS WIFE AND CHILDREN IN THIS PARTICULAR CAR WITH TURNED DOWN ROTORS AND THAT HE WOULD RATHER LAY OUT THE HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS ON CONSTANTLY REPLACING THE FRONT BRAKES FOR PIECE OF MIND. I WAS SPOKEN TO LIKE I WAS AN IDIOT BY HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE LINE WHEN I COMPLAINED AND MY CONCERNS OF AN INFERIOR BRAKING SYSTEM WERE IGNORED. I HAVE JUST HAD MY FIFTH SET OF FRONT BRAKES PUT ON THE CAR AND WAS ACTUALLY TOLD BY A NEW SERVICE MANAGER THAT BETWEEN HIM AND I, THAT THE BRAKE PADS WERE MADE FOR A SMALL VEHICLE NOT AN SUV OF THIS SIZE, AND THAT THIS CAR WAS KNOWN FOR BRAKE PROBLEMS. THIS ONLY CONFIRMED WHAT I TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HYUNDAI AS WAS ALSO TOLD TO ME BY TWO OTHER PRIVATE PARTY REPAIR CENTERS. I NOW REFUSE TO ALLOW HYUNDAI TO CHARGE ME ALMOST DOUBLE THE PRICE TO REPLACE THEIR INFERIOR, CHEAP BRAKING SYSTEM. THEY APPARENTLY PUT CHEAP, HORRIBLE WEAR AND TEAR PARTS IN THEIR CAR, SO YOU WILL NEED TO REPLACE THEM VERY REGULARLY. RESULTING IN THEM MAKING A BUNDLE AND THEN SOME BACK ON THEIR OH SO GREAT BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY. I ACTUALLY SAW THEIR BRAKE PAD AND IT IS SMALL. *AK

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE VEHICLE'S CRANKSHAFT SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT 60,000, 62,000, AND 80,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL, THE ENGINE STALLED AND SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AFTER 100 YARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS BAD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL # 03V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,211 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH OF THE REAR SEAT BELT RETRACTORS FAILED. THE CONTACT PLACED THE CHILD SEAT ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND SECURED IT WITH THE SEAT BELT. WHILE TURNING A CORNER AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH THE CHILD SEAT OVERTURNED. THE CONTACT THEN POSITIONED THE CHILD SEAT ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE, BUT COULD NOT SECURE IT BECAUSE THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO RETRACT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY, AND THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 91,000.*AK UPDATE 05/04/07*TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. DURING ITS LAST OIL CHANGE IT WAS NOTED THAT THE OIL WAS LEAKING AT THE JOINT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE VEHICLE AS NEEDING A NEW TRANS AXLE SEAL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,598. THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE OIL BEGAN LEAKING TWO DAY LATER. THE PART WAS ORDERED FROM HYUNDAI.*AK THE CONSUMER PROVIDED VARIOUS PICTURES OF ABOVE PROBLEM. UPDATE *4/23/07 *TR

THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN HEAT IS RUNNING LIGHTS DIM. WHEN I ROLL UP WINDOWS, THE LIGHTS DIM. WHEN USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE HEAT GETS COLDER. LITTLE THINGS THAT WEREN'T SO BAD AT FIRST. HEAT WOULD FAIL TO TURN ON OCCASIONALLY AND NOW WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. THIS IS CAUSING MY WINDOWS TO FROST WHILE DRIVING MAKING VISIBILITY VERY HARD. IF IT WEREN'T FOR ALL THE OTHER LITTLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I WOULD JUST THINK THE HEATING SYSTEM WENT BAD. BUT IT HAS BEEN A PATTERN IN EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL ON THIS CAR. A FEW TIMES I WOULD GO TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. IF I TURNED EVERYTHING OFF THEN IT WOULD START. THOUGHT MAYBE WAS BAD BATTERY UNTIL I GOT A NEW ONE AND IT STILL WOULDN'T START. I HAD THE NEW BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS OK. I BELIEVE IT IS ANOTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *JB

TL* - WHILE DRIVING AT 25 MPH THE ENGINE ON A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE COMPLETELY LOST POWER. CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LOST THE POWER STEERING AN THE POWER BRAKES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WEATHER CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WAS COLD AND THERE WAS LIGHT SNOW ON THE ROAD. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND CAN PROVIDE A COPY OF THE INVOICE ONCE THE REPAIRS ARE DONE ON HIS VEHICLE.