Owner-reported complaints naming the powertrain system, filed with NHTSA
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Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Hyundai Santa Fe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 8 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
MY 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IS SHARPLY JERKING TO THE RIGHT ITS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO STOP IT SOUNDS AS IF THE CAR IF GOING TO FALL INTO PEICES IM A DISABLED MOM WITH ONE ONE THE WAY I CAN'T DRIVE FOR FEAR IM GOING TO LOSE THE WHEEL AND CRASH
THE BELT THAT RUNS THE ALTERNATER HAS BROKEN TWICE AND CONTINUOUSLY IS SQUEALING IT WONT KEEP SPEED WHEN GOING UP HILL AND WONT LET BATTERY CHARGE CORRECTLY TO KEEP RUNNING WILL STOP WHEN IT IS BEING RAN
WHEN EVER THE UNDER ENGINE GETS WET THE CAR TURNS OFF AND THE BRAKE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHTS COME ON. WHEN IT STOPS I CAN'T TURN THE WHEEL AND IT LOCKS UP. I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE IN THE RAIN AND THE CAR STARTED JOLTING THAT THE CAR WAS OFF THEN ON THEN OFF THEN ON AGAIN. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE CAR IN THE TORRENTIAL RAIN GOING 60 MILES AN HOUR. WHENEVER IT RAINS OR IF I GO THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER THIS HAS HAPPENED AGAIN AND AGAIN. WHEN I TOOK IT TO THE AUTO DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, I WAS TOLD THAT NORMALLY THERE IS AN ENGINE UNDERCOVER BUT THERE IS NOT ONE ON MY CAR NOR WAS THERE EVER ONE PUT ON BY THE MANUFACTURER. HAVING NO ENGINE UNDERCOVER CAUSES THE CAR TO STALL OUT WHENEVER WATER IS SPLASHED UP ONTO THE ENGINE. THIS CAUSES THE BELT TO AJAR AND THAT STOPS ELECTRICAL FROM FLOWING TO THE CAR AND THEREFORE IT STALLS OUT AT VERY DANGEROUS TIMES; LIKE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC OR DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. NO ENGINE UNDERCOVER IS AVAILABLE AND THEREFORE THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE FIXED. WHAT DO I DO ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR OF THE CAR?? *TR
I HAD JUST DROPPED OFF MY SON TO SCHOOL WHEN THE ACCELERATOR STARTED TO REV UP AND AFTER DROPPING HIM OFF IT CONTINUED TO DO SO UNTIL I GOT CLOSE TO MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE MORE AND I HAD A HARD TIME STOPPING IT I HAD BOTH FEET ON THE BRAKES AND WAS PULLING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AT THE SAME TIME, AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT THE CAR WOULD NOT STOP AND I WENT OVER A PARKING BUMPER AND TURNED THE CAR OFF! IT SCARED THE DAY LIGHTS OUT OF ME I COULD HAVE IF NOT KILLED SOMEONE, BUT SEVERELY HURT SOMEONE ELSE ON THE ROAD AND NOT TO MENTION POSSIBLY MY SON....I HAD MY BOSS CHECK IT AND THE CABLE THROTTLE CAME OUT HOW I DO NOT KNOW...I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE AND I LOOKED UP TO SEE IF OTHERS WHO OWNED THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL AND YEAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY DID!! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING HE HEARD NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE LEFT JOINT AXLE ACCORDING TO THE WARRANTY. THE BOOT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AXLE WAS ALSO TORN; HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR IT SINCE THAT PART WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THAT THE DEALER SHOULD REPAIR IT ACCORDINGLY. THE CONTACT REFUSED TO PAY FOR THE BOOT REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 81000.
2002 & 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE TRANSMISSION CASE DEFECT: WE LIKED THE FIRST SO MUCH, WE BOUGHT A SECOND.... NO INDICATION OF MAINTENANCE INSTRUCTIONS IN OWNERS MANUAL. REGARDING TRANSFER CASE ATTENTION OR MAINTENANCE WHICH VIOLENTLY CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO DANGEROUSLY, ABRUPTLY STOP - RESULTING IN A DANGEROUS HIGHWAY SAFETY SITUATION AND PERSONAL INJURY. WE HAVE THE OLD TRANSFER CASE - WHICH LOOKS INSIDE, LIKE A TOSSED SALAD. WE PAID FOR THE REPLACEMENT BY WESTERN AUTO - A MATTER THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. REPORTED IN GREAT DETAIL TO HYUNDAI USA, THEY DENY RESPONSIBILITY OR WARRANTY COVERAGE IN EFFECT AT THE TIME PROBLEM WAS NOTICED. FURTHERMORE, THE VEHICLES WERE PURCHASED AS 'DEALER DEMOS,' WITH LOW MILEAGE AND FULL MANUFACTURERS 100,00 MILE, 10 YEAR WARRANTY - UNFORTUNATELY FROM A DEALER MISREPRESENTING THEMSELVES AS AN AUTHORIZED HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. 2002 VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP WHEN PROBLEM REALIZED, - DURING WARRANTY PERIOD, BUT REPORTED NO PROBLEM. WE LATER DISCOVERED A REPAIR / MODIFICATION KIT WAS ISSUED BY HYUNDAI TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM - PURCHASED AT WESTERN AUTO - HYUNDAI SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMED HE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE ITEM UNTIL WE SHOWED IT TO HIM IN A BRAND NEW UNOPENED BOX. HYUNDAI DID INSTALL THE MODIFICATION / REPAIR KIT TO THE SECOND 2004 SANTA FE AFTER WE BROUGHT IT TO THEIR ATTENTION. ALL DOCUMENTED BY HIDDEN CAMERA VIDEO RECORDING. DANGEROUS AND COSTLY SITUATION. PLEASE ADVISE. WE SEEK REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR AND TOWING COSTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION. *TR HAROLD BAYUK
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
THE CONSUMER'S 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING UNEXPECTED AND SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. *NM THE COMPANY HAS ANOTHER 2002 SANTA FE( VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER KMHSC81BP2U260090) THAT HAS THE SAME UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER. NUMEROUS SERVICE HAVE BEEN PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUES.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .