2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Transmission Problems

WE WERE BEHIND A CAR GOING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN A PARKING LOT WAITING FOR THE CAR AHEAD OF US TO TURN INTO A LANE AND INTO A PARKING SPOT WHEN OUR CAR - A HYUNDAI 2004 SANTA FE - SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ONCE AND THEN AGAIN HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF US, TWICE. AFTER WE HIT THE CAR THE FIRST TIME WE TRIED TO BRAKE BUT EVEN THOUGH HE HAD HIS FOOT ON THE BRAKE THE CAR ACCELERATED AGAIN. WE REPORTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE INSURANCE COMPANIES - TOOK THE SUV TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP - REPORTING THE INCIDENT TO THEM - THEY DID SOME KIND OF A TEST AND TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. WHEN THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL THE RPMS RACE HIGH - AND SINCE THAT ACCIDENT I HAD THE CAR IN REVERSE AND IT STARTED TO ACCELERATE FORWARD AGAIN. WE LOOKED ON THE IN INTERNET AND THERE ARE MANY OF THESE SAME COMPLAINTS SO WHY IS HYUNDAI DENYING THIS HAPPENS TO THE CAR? *TR

NHTSA ID

10335789

Incident

Jan 15, 2010

Mileage

21,000 mi

6/11/06: UPON BREAKING OFF HIGHWAY, VEHICLE MADE A CRUNCHING NOISE, THEN A HARD SCREECHING STOP, PROCEEDED TO IDLE, MAKE A HARD STOP. THE VEHICLE WASN'T RECOGNIZING GEARS, CONTINUING TO THRUST THE CAR INTO HARD STOPS, JERKING REPEATEDLY AS I TRIED TO ACCELERATE. HEADING HOME, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE NEXT DAY TOOK IT TO OUR DEALERSHIP. AS SOON AS I PUT IT IN REVERSE, THE PROBLEM OCCURRED. THEY REPLACED THE ABS MODULE, TEST DROVE IT AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. 6/25: SAME PROBLEM (SAME DISTANCE: 75 MILES). THE DEALERSHIP TEST DROVE, SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND PROBLEM. I TOLD THEM TO DRIVE IT SOME DISTANCE. SERVICE ADVISOR DROVE IT AND NOTHING. THEY DROVE IT AGAIN, DUPLICATED THE PROBLEM, RECORDED DATA. CALLED THEIR TECH LINE, UNHOOKED REAR COUPLER TO SEE IF THAT WAS IT. THEY REPLACED THE REAR COUPLER, TEST DROVE IT AND SAID IT WAS FIXED. I QUESTIONED IF IT COULD BE THE TRANSMISSION. WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T REPLACE THINGS ON A WHIM. 10/26: PROBLEM OCCURRED (SAME DISTANCE). WIFE PHONED SERVICE ADVISOR,HE TOLD HER THE VEHICLE WAS FIXED PREVIOUSLY. TOWED IT TO A NEARBY DEALER. THEY CHECKED THE FLUIDS, RESET THE COMPUTER, COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. SINCE THIS TIME, THE FOLLOWING HAS OCCURRED: 10/31: WROTE A DETAILED LETTER AND SENT IT TO HYUNDAI. 11/04: LETTER WAS RECEIVED. 11/20: DIDN'T HEAR BACK, I PHONED HYUNDAI. 11/22: REPRESENTATIVE PHONED (I WAS UNAVAILABLE). 11/27: SPOKE WITH REP; TOLD TO CONTACT SERVICE MANAGER TO SET UP APPT WITH A FACTORY REP NEXT TIME THEY ARE AT DEALERSHIP. 11/28: SENT EMAIL WITH LETTER TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AND HYUNDAI, ASKING FOR A CALL BACK. 11/29: RECEIVED SURVEY FROM HYUNDAI, I RESPONDED UNFAVORABLY. 12/06: RECEIVED EMAIL FROM HYUNDAI, AGAIN REFERRING ME TO THE SERVICE MANAGER. THIS IS A GENUINE A LACK OF SERVICE FROM OUR DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI ITSELF. MOST IMPORTANTLY IT'S A SAFETY CONCERN. I ASK YOU TO CONSIDER THIS INFORMATION. PLEASE ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY THAT YOU CAN. RESPECTFULLY, BRANDAN PIERARD. *NM

NHTSA ID

10175451

Incident

Jun 11, 2006

Mileage

75 mi

CUSTOMER RESOLUTION TO WARRANTY COVERAGE ON THE 2004 SANTA FE DUE TO OBVIOUS DEFECT AND/OR INHERENT PROBLEM REGARDING THE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY.*MR WHILE DRIVING THE CLUTCH SNAPPED RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE. THE WAS NO WRINGING OF INDICATION OF A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO REFUSE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO IMPROPER USE BY THE CONSUMER. *NM

NHTSA ID

10137731

Incident

Aug 29, 2005

Mileage

22,496 mi

WE BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE 4/04 AND EVER SINCE WE DROVE IT OFF THE LOT, BRAND NEW, IT HAS HAD THE PROBLEM OF HESITATION UPON ACCELERATION. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO OUR "SERVICE DEPARTMENT" NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAY THAT THERE ISN'T ANYTHING THEY CAN DO TO FIX IT AS NO CODE REGISTERS ON THEIR DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE. AFTER READING ABOUT ALL OF THE OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM I AM AMAZED THAT NO ONE HAS DONE ANYTHING TO FORCE HYUNDAI INTO RESOLVING THIS ISSUE. IF NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF A SERIOUS LACK OF POWER UPON ACCELERATION THEN IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. HOPEFULLY IT WON'T BE ANYTHING WORSE THAN AN INJURY. THIS VEHICLE NOW HAS 26,000 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM EVERY DAY. IT WOULD ALSO APPEAR THAT IT IS COMMON PRACTICE FOR EMPLOYEES IN THE "SERVICE DEPT." TO DENY ANY PROBLEM THAT CAN'T BE SEEN EASILY. THIS IS MY SECOND SANTA FE AND WILL DEFINITELY BE THE LAST. *NM

NHTSA ID

10130732

Incident

Apr 1, 2004

FEW WEEKS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MY SANTA FE, THE CAR BEGAN TO SHUDDER DURING ACCELERATION. I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THIS PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE SECOND TIME THEY DUPLICATED BUT THEY COULD NOT FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG BEFORE THE THREE DAY RENTAL CAR RULE. SO THEY GAVE IT BACK TO ME SAYINGS IT STILL IS BAD. WE ARE CURRENTLY WAITING FOR THE SERVICE SHEET FROM THAT TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

10113869

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

Mileage

100 mi

ON PURCHASE OF MY VEHICLE, HYUNDAI SANTE FE, THE CAR HAS HAD TROUBLES. I HAVE HAD IT BACK TO THE DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR WITH THE SAME COMPLAINT. WHEN STARTING THE CAR AND PULLING OUT FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE CAR HESITATES 3 TO 4 TIMES BEFORE DRIVING SMOOTHL. IT FEELS LIKE THE CAR IS BUCKING OR HESITATING....I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALER ATLEAST 5 TIMES SINCE IT'S PURCHASE. THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I HAVE TOLD THEM SPECIFICALLY HOW TO GET THE CAR TO DO THE PROBLEM HOWEVER THEY DO NOT FOLLOW MY INSTRUCTIONS. THE CAR NEEDS TO BE PULLED OUT OF THE PARKED POSITION WITH FORCE. (AS IF PULLING INTO A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA OUT OF A PARKING SPOT) IT OCCURS MORE OFFEN WHEN THE CAR IS COLD, BUT ALSO MAKES THE SAME HESITATION IF THE CAR IS WARM. HOWEVER, NEVER AFTER THE INTIAL ENGAGEMENT WHILE DRIVING. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN WHILE PARKED AT STOP LIGHT WHILE THE CAR IS RUNNING. IT OCCURS WHEN INITIALLY TURNING THE CAR ON. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOT LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT TO DATE, HOWEVER IT COULD IF NOT RESOLVED. IF PULLING OUT INTO A HIGH TRAFFIC AREA AND THE CAR DOES NOT ENGAGED AND GET UP TO SPEED, I CAN SEE BEING HIT BY ANOTHER CAR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10102170

Incident

Mar 16, 2004

Mileage

10 mi

CAR SHUDDERS 3 TIMES WHEN GO TO DRIVE AFTER CAR HAS BEEN OFF. DEFINITE TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, ALSO, TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE CORRECTLY WHEN TRYING TO PASS AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS. ONLY HAS 7500 MILES, DEALER CAN NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. ON DOING RESEARCH, FOUND MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SANTA FE TRANSMISSONS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10086945

Incident

Feb 5, 2004

THE NIGHT I TOOK DELIVERY OF THE VEHICAL I HAD ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS THIS WAS TO BE FIX BY DEALERSHIP, WELL NOW 8/15/2004 THERE ARE MORE ELEC. PROBLEMS THE FUSES ARE BLOWING AND THE BRAKES ARE NOT STOPPING AS SHOULD BE.ALSO THE TRASMISSION WHEN APPLING THE GAS PULLS TO THE RIGHT, AND BETWEEN 40/60 MPH JECKSING SENSATION TO THE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10086919

Incident

Jun 28, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

I WOULD LIKE TO FIRST THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO REVIEW THIS LETTER. MARCH OF THIS YEAR I PURCHASED A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. I WAS MOTIVATED TO DO THIS BASED ON MY PRIOR EXPERIENCE, AS A FORMER OWNER, ALONG WITH THE COUPLED KNOWLEDGE OF HYUNDAIS IMPROVED WARRANTEES. IN THE PAST I HAD NO REASON TO BRING A HYUNDAI INTO THE SHOP FOR REPAIRS, OTHER THAN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE PROBLEM IM HAVING WITH MY CURRENT VEHICLE IS FOCUSED IN THE DRIVE TRAIN, SPECIFICALLY THE TRANSMISSION. IT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR APPROXIMATELY 5000 MILES. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF BREAKING THE CAR IN, AFTER WHICH POINT THINGS WOULD START TO WORK SMOOTHLY. THE NATURE OF THE PROBLEM IS AS FOLLOWS: WHEN THE VEHICLE GETS WARMED UP THE SHIFTING, ON OCCASION BECOMES JERKY. ALSO WHEN THE VEHICLE IS TRANSITIONED FROM PARK TO DRIVE, THE INITIAL TAKEOFF STUTTERS, AS IF THE CAR IS INTERMITTENTLY LOSING POWER. AFTER THE VEHICLE IS UP AND RUNNING IN DRIVE, THE PROBLEM GOES AWAY. IT ONLY OCCURS FOR THE FIRST 20 YARDS OF INITIAL TAKEOFFS. THE PROBLEMS DESCRIBED ABOVE ARE INTERMITTENT. KNOWING THAT THE VEHICLE IS COVERED UNDER HYUNDAIS WARRANTEE, I TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. PRIOR TO THIS, I SPOKE WITH ONE OF THE SHOPS MANAGERS AND DESCRIBED MY PROBLEM. HE INDICATED TO ME THAT IT WAS PROBABLY THE TRANSMISSION CONTROLLER. I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM BEFORE AND HIS REPLY WAS YES. AFTER THE MECHANIC ROAD-TESTED MY VEHICLE THEY CAME TO ME AND SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I SAID, AFTER I LEAVE HERE ITS GOING TO CONTINUE TO EXHIBIT THE SAME PROBLEMS, REQUIRING A RETURN VISIT. HE REPLIED, YES. I ASKED IF THEY COULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION CONTROLLER BOARD. THEY REPLIED THAT THEY COULD NOT JUST THROW PARTS AT MY CAR IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE IT RIGHT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10074848

Incident

Jun 4, 2004

Mileage

100 mi