Owner-reported complaints naming the body or structure system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 20 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
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that after a visual inspection of underneath the vehicle, he observed excessive corrosion on the subframe. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed the excessive corrosion of the subframe. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not assist. The failure mileage was 205,000.
Rusted out subframe, less than 95k miles. No “salt belt” treatment offered to this vehicle. Vehicle in Ohio since bought. Took to dealer for engine recall, found $1200 subframe replacement bill. Car was garage stored all of the time.
Car is unsafe to drive due to rusted out frame. The car has less than 100,000 miles on it.
2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE- The car goes to the dealer every 6 months for the grease and oil and then the New York State Inspection every November. That car has been up on the lifts numerous times since 2008 and I am now just being informed the undercarriage - driver side frame was rotted. I don't think the frame could have rotted out since my last inspection in November of 2022. I found the recall was from 2017 campaign #947.I was never notified of this recall, I feel Hyundai has put me as risk to be involved in an accident if the undercarriage falls out. If it was a warranty job back in 2017 I would have been covered as I had a 10 year warranty which would have expired November 2018. Hyundai should repair the vehicle at no cost to me as I was never notified of of the recall for service campaign 947 and I would have been covered under the 1O year warranty . This was negligence on Hyundai's behalf I might not have this problem if the service campaign #947 was performed in 2017 / 2018. If they knew the campaign was out there it should have been completed with one my New York State Inspections in November of of 2017 or 2018. This question goes to Hyundai- on the invoice it states LIFETIME OIL CHANGES - why was I charged $19.98? I asked the service advisor and his was reply was we got bought out and no more free oil changes. Not a good answer - I should be grandfathered in and refunded the $21.55.
I noticed a Crack in the lower part of the windshield on the driver's side. I was told by Safelite there was rust around the windshield and they would not replace the windshield unless the rust was repaired.
The contact owns a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while reversing out of his driveway at 1 MPH, the front end on the passenger’s side of the vehicle collapsed almost causing the wheel to detach. The contact stated there was no warning light illuminated. There was no injury sustained. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the control arm and ball joint had shattered. The contact stated that the vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting the arrival of the replacement part. The manufacturer was contacted and provided the contact a case number. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000. Repaired at cost of $1666.67 at Napelton Hyundai 3703 Northlake BLVD Lake Park Florida 33403. The car had a faulty fuel gauge which could NOT be repaired after 3 attempts. Car also experienced loss of power brakes and power steering while driving on the highway.
PRIOR TO CONTACTING NHTSA WE CONTACTED HYUNDAI AND INFORMED THEM THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND WE CAN SEE THE BOTTOM OF THE INTERIOR IN THIS VEHICLE WHEN THE CAR IS ON A LIFT (THIS WAS POINTED OUT TO US BY A THIRD PARTY REPAIR SHOP AND NOT THE DEALER). IT APPEARS THAT HYUNDAI MAY BE CONCEALING DATA FROM NHTSA REGARDING CORROSION PROBLEMS ON ITS VEHICLES. WHAT IS CLEAR IS THAT HYUNDAI IS SHIRKING ITS SAFETY OBLIGATIONS AND WILL NOT COVER CORROSION, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER IT IS FUNCTIONAL OR SAFETY, IF THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. BASED ON PRIOR DEALINGS WITH NHTSA I KNOW THAT RECALLS ARE NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTY PERIOD IF VEHICLE SAFETY IS IN QUESTION. WHEN WE CONTACTED HYUNDAI, THEIR EXCUSE FOR WHY THE VEHICLE HAD A MASSIVE HOLE IN THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS THAT THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN PRIMARILY IN ILLINOIS AND ILLINOIS USES SALT ON THE ROADS IN WINTER. IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN, MORE THAN HALF OF THE VEHICLES IN THE US ARE DRIVEN ON ROADS THAT ARE SALTED IN THE WINTER. THIS EXCUSE IS SIMPLY NOT ACCEPTABLE AND PERHAPS NHTSA NEEDS TO PROHIBIT HYUNDAI FROM SELLING VEHICLES IN THE NORTHERN HALF OF THE US IF THIS IS GOING TO BE HYUNDAI'S ATTITUDE. I'VE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM WITH ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER.
I WAS BACKING UP TO TURN AROUND AND AS I WAS TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL I HEARD AND FELT VERY LOUD PULSING THUMPS COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I GOT OUT AND SAW MY DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WHEEL WAS LEANING OUT FROM THE VEHICLE. THE ARM BROKE OF FROM MY WHEEL ALSO I FOUND OUT WHEN I HAD IT REPAIRED THE AXEL ALSO BROKE!! GOOD THING I WASN'T ON A HIGHWAY OR DRIVING I OR OTHERS MIGHT HAVE BEEN HURT OR WORSE!!!
FRONT SUB FRAME IS RUSTING SEVERELY. LAST INSPECTION WAS MARGINAL. INSPECTOR SAID IT PROBABLY WON'T PASS INSPECTION AT THE NEXT INTERVAL TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO WRIGHT HYUNDAI (10677 PERRY HWY, WEXFORD, PA 15090) BECAUSE HE HEARD SQUEAKING NOISES COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT QUESTIONED THE DEALER ABOUT THE NOISES, BUT NO DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS RENDERED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 326790. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED A BUYBACK ABOVE THE KBB VEHICLE VALUE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
THE INTERIOR DRIVER'S SIDE INTERIOR DOOR HANDLE BROKE WHEN I TRIED TO OPEN IT.
DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AT NIGHT AND THE SUNROOF SUDDENLY FLEW OFF THE TOP OF CAR. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING A RENTAL SINCE IT HAPPENS AND HAVE CONTACTED HYUNDAI CORP AND FINALLY RECEIVED A CALL FROM THEM ON FEB TUES 27TH BUT HAVE NOT RESOLVED WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS WITH ME OR CARSTAR COLLISION CENTER WHERE MY CAR IS SITTING NOW. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUNROOF WAS REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL, THE UNDER CARRIAGE HAD NOT. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE RENTAL CAR. *JS
TAKATA RECALL MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS PAINT THAT CHIPPED AWAY ABOVE THE DRIVER SIDE, RIGHT ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD. THE PAINT STILL CONTINUES TO REMOVE ITSELF FROM THE BODY IN CHUNKS. THE ISSUE BEGAN ABOUT A YEAR AGO. AND I DO NOT EXPECT PAINT TO REMOVE ITSELF WITH ANY RUST/ ROCK CHIPS IN THE AREA OF PAINT MISSING. THE SUV HAS 136,800 MILES ON IT, BUT PAINT SHOULD NOT BE COMING OFF IN CHUNKS. I LOOKED ONLINE AND OTHER INDIVIDUALS HAD A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH THEIR HYUNDAI. IT'S NOT JUST A PROBLEM WITH THE SANTA FE. IT'S ALSO SONATA'S, ELANTRA'S AND OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS. THE MISSING PEARL WHITE PAINT NOW SHOWS BARE METAL AND IS NOW SHOWING SIGNS OF SURFACE RUST.
PEELING PAINT ON ROOF GAS TANK DOESN'T REGISTER IF TANK IS EMPTY OR FULL.
2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO BROKEN DRIVER INSIDE DOOR HANDLE THAT SPLIT IN HALF. ALSO, WATER SOLVENT CONTAINER SPLIT DUE TO COLD WEATHER TEMPERATURES. CONSUMER UNABLE TO ADD WASHER FLUID. *SMD
WAS SECOND VEHICLE AT STOP LIGHT WITH FOOT ON BRAKE. VEHICLE SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD OVERRIDING BRAKE, AND HIT BACK OF VEHICLE IN FRONT CAUSING DAMAGE AND POSSIBLE INJURY TO OTHER DRIVER. HAD PEDESTRIANS BEEN IN FRONT, COULD EASILY HAVE RUN OVER THEM. MONTHS PRIOR, TWICE ON SAME DAY ENGINE POWER DIED WHILE DRIVING. HYUNDAI REPLACED THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR. *TR
MY 2008 SANTA FE LTD THAT SUFFERED A LOSS OF THE LEFT REAR QUARTER GLASS, INCLUDING THE FRAME MOLDING, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY A FEW DAYS AGO. THE GLASS COMPANY STATED THAT IT APPEARED TO HAVE ACTUALLY BREAK OFF OF THE BOLTS AND SIMPLY FLY OFF THE VEHICLE. THE ONLY THING LEFT ON THE VEHICLE WAS THE URETHANE ADHESIVE, WHICH WAS STRETCHED OUT AROUND THE BACK OF THE QUARTER PANEL. ANOTHER INTERESTING NOTE IS THAT WHILE INSPECTING THE RIGHT REAR QUARTER GLASS, IT APPEARS TO BE SUFFERING FROM THE SAME PHENOMENON, AND MAY COME OFF AT ANY TIME. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP, WHICH INFORMED ME THAT MY AUTO IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE AT THIS TIME. CONSIDERING THAT MY AUTO INSURANCE DEDUCTIBLE IS $500, I WAS FORCED TO PAY FOR THE REPLACEMENT OUT OF POCKET FOR $338.55. *TR
2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE OFF CENTER HEAD ON COLLISION RESULTING IN SEVERE LEG TRAUMA. INTEGRITY OF THE FIRE WALL FAILED RESULTING IN METAL PUSHING PAST THE FIREWALL IN TO THE DRIVERS SIDE AREA ENTRAPPING THE LEG ON THE FEMUR. THIS INJURY RESULTED IN A DANGEROUS AMOUNT OF BLOOD LOSS IN TO THE CAVITY OF THE THIGH. *TR
ON FEBRUARY 14, 2009 I INCURRED A SCALP LACERATION THAT REQUIRED 6 STAPLE SUTURES WHEN I HIT MY HEAD WITH THE REAR HATCHBACK DOOR OF MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SUV. I LATER LEARNED FROM OTHER MOTORISTS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THEM IN THEIR SUV'S. I WOULD SUGGEST A VISIBLE WARNING STICKER BE PLACED SOMEWHERE NEAR THE PULL STRAP WARNING MOTORISTS WHEN THEY LOWER THEIR HATCHBACK DOORS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FOR ITS FUEL ECONOMY AND WEIGHT CAPACITY TO TOW A TRAILER. AT THE DEALER, THE WEIGHT CAPACITY WAS LISTED AS 3,197 IN THE REAR AND 2,976 IN THE FRONT. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER, WHICH DECREASED THE WEIGHT CAPACITY OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS MISLEADING SINCE HE BELIEVED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD TOW A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF WEIGHT AS DISCUSSED AT THE DEALER. THE CONTACT DOES NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND FEELS THAT HIS FAMILY'S LIVES COULD BE IN DANGER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. UPDATED 09/10/08 *BF UPDATED 09/17/08. *JB
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
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