Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. 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. 14 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
GOING DOWN INTERSTATE AT 70 MILES AN HOUR AND CAR SHUT OFF PUT CAR IN NUTRAL AND RESTARTED . THEN THE NEXT DAY DRIVING TO WORK AND CAR CUT OFF AGAIN WHILE DRIVING DID SAME AND RESTARTED . WENT ON LINE AND FOUND OUT THIS HAS BEN A PROBLEM IN THESE CARS FOR YEARS AND AM AFRAID FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN S LIVES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE THE CONTACT'S SON WAS DRIVING 5 MPH AND MAKING A SHARP RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED AND TURNED TO THE LEFT ON ITS OWN. AS A RESULT, THE DRIVER CRASHED INTO A CEMENT BLOCK. THE DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER AIR BAG AND THE REAR SEAT BELTS DID NOT FUNCTION. THERE WERE NO INJURIES; HOWEVER, THE DRIVER SOUGHT MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE AND WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE CONTACT CALLED RICART HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 4255 S HAMILTON RD, #180, GROVEPORT, OH 43125, (614) 836-6251) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WHILE DRIVING STALLS, TRUCK IS NO LONGER ON WHILE DRIVING. POWER STEERING AND CONTROL OVER STEERING WHEEL IS LOSS. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING QUITE FREQUENTLY WHILE DRIVING. HAPPEN TWICE WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY WHICH, SCARED ME TO DEATH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHTS COMES ON WHEN THIS HAPPENS. NOW THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON STAY FOR A FEW DAYS THEN TURNS OFF. MY FUEL GAGE K DOESN'T WORK PROPERLY. I CAN FILL MY TANK UP ON FULL, THEN IT WILL DROP TO THE E LINE LIKE THERE IS NO GAS. THE YELLOW LIGHT COMES ON. NOT SAFE BECAUSE NOW I DON'T KNOW IF MY TRUCK IS FULL OR REALLY EMPTY. WHY HAVEN'T THERE BEEN ANY RECALLS ON THESE ISSUES ESPECIALLY SINCE, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS BY OWNERS WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MODEL.
I WAS DRIVING ALONG AND MADE A RIGHT TURN INTO A INTERSECTING ROAD WHEN I ENCOUNTERED LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. AFTER ALMOST HITTING A CAR I GOT IT OFF TO THE SIDE OF ROAD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE ENGINE HAD JUST SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING. IT CRANKED RIGHT BACK UP AND I DROVE IT HOME BUT NOW I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT.
MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE STALLED TWICE TODAY. IT ALSO STALLED ON THE SAME DAY TWICE LAST WEEK. THIS HAPPENED EACH TIME I CAME TO A STOP LIGHT OR WANTED TO MAKE A TURN. THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING, THE POWER STEERING CEASED WORKING, AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AFTER EACH OCCURRENCE, I SWITCHED MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON, PUSHED THE TRANSAXLE TO PARK AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR TO PULL OUT OF TRAFFIC. THE STALLING IS OFTEN ACCOMPANIED BY LOSS OF POWER (POWER STEERING AND BRAKES TOO), COMPLETE FAILURE TO ACCELERATE, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON.
MY CAR HAS STALLED SEVERAL TIMES THIS PAST WEEK WITHOUT WARNING OR INDICATION THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG. THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY STOP AND LOSE POWER COMPLETELY WHILE I ANXIOUSLY TRY TO RESTART IT. IT HAS PUT ME AT RISK WITH OTHER DRIVERS WHERE I'VE HAD TO PUT MY HAZARDS ON AND HOPE VEHICLES ARE ABLE TO STOP IN TIME SO THEY DON'T HIT ME. I'VE TAKEN IT IN FOR SERVICE AND THEY CAN'T SEEM TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE HELPING ME. I FOUND INFORMATION ONLINE ABOUT HYUNDAI GETTING SLAPPED WITH A CLASS ACTION SUIT FOR THE SAME PROBLEMS I'M REPORTING, BUT THE SUIT APPEARS TO ONLY COVER 2010-2012 MODELS, MINE IS 2008. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!
I WAS DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN WHEN THE CAR LOST ALL POWER. NO BRAKES, NO STEERING. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR INTO A DRIVEWAY. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART . ABOUT 1 HOUR LATER THE SAME THING, ONLY THIS TIME I WAS MAKING A LEFT-HAND TURN ACROSS A VERY BUSY CITY STREET.. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY AN ONCOMING VEHICLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND WILL PROBABLY SELL THE CAR & TELL THE NEW OWNERS ABOUT MY ISSUE. I HAVE NOT TAKEN IT TO A GARAGE, AS THE CLOSEST HYUNDAI SHOP TO ME IS AN HOUR AWAY. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THAT FAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HYDROPLANE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING FAILED AND, DUE TO THE CONTACT ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SPIN. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE ROAD DIVIDER. THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED SHOULDER AND BACK INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL BEARINGS ON THE FRONT AXLE WERE WORN OUT. THE TIE RODS WERE REPLACED, BUT THE CALIPERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ALSO. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ESC AND ABS SENSORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RETURNED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRES AND BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
I LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES WHILE STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN GOING UP A VERY STEEP GRADE. I WAS UNABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK SO THAT I COULD TURN MY CAR OFF. I HAD TO LAY ON THE BRAKE WITH ALL MY WEIGHT TO KEEP FROM ROLLING BACKWARDS INTO CARS BEHIND ME. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS. AFTER A MINUTE, WHICH FELT LIKE MUCH LONGER, I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT TO PARK AND TURN MY CAR OFF AND BACK ON. THE SECOND TIME I LOST ALL POWER, WAS A COUPLE MONTHS LATER. I WAS GOING ABOUT 40 MPH ON A CURVY HILLY ROAD. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER, ACCELERATE, DECELERATE, OR APPLY THE BRAKES. THERE WERE CARS BEHIND ME AND I WAS TERRIFIED I WOULD END UP OFF THE ROAD OR HEADING INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE FINALLY CAME TO A STOP WHEN IT DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH MOMENTUM TO MAKE IT UP A HILL. I WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO PARK AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND BACK ON. BOTH TIMES MY INFANT WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME. THANK GOODNESS BOTH OF US WERE UNHARMED, BECAUSE WE COULD HAVE VERY EASILY BEEN HURT OR HURT OTHERS. I WAS IN A SEVERAL THOUSAND POUND VEHICLE WHICH WAS OUT OF CONTROL. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AS I REFUSED TO DRIVE IT. THEY DIDN'T SEEM TO THINK IT WAS A BIG DEAL AND SAID I NEEDED A NEW ALTERNATOR. LUCKILY, I HAD PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY WHICH COVERED THE ALTERNATOR REPLACEMENT.
LOST POWER STEERING, WITHOUT WARNING. LUCKILY I WAS GOING SLOW CROSSING AN INTERSECTION, AND STOPING. AFTER THAT IT WAS A LOSING TUG OF WAR WITH THE STEERING. MECHANIC FOUND RACK LINES RUSTED AND LEAKING. IF I WAS TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED, I MAY HAVE LOST CONTROL. VERY DANGEROUS! PLEASE HELP PREVENT AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH.
WHILE I WAS DRIVING ALONG AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH IN MY HYUNDAI SANTAFE THE STEERING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT AND THERE WAS NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE BOULEVARD STREET AND PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED DURING THE INCIDENT THAT SOMEONE WAS GOING TO RUN INTO THE BACK OF MY CAR AND THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STOP AGAIN BEFORE I GOT HOME. I REFUSED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND FOLLOWED MY HUSBAND IN ANOTHER VEHICLE AS HE DROVE THE FAULTY VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE TECH REP WE SPOKE WITH AT THE DEALER CASUALLY SAID THE THROTTLE POSITIONING SENSOR WAS BAD AND IF WE WANTED IT REPAIRED IT WOULD COST ABOUT $400. I COULDN'T BELIEVE THEY WOULD LET ME LEAVE THE DEALERSHIP WITH THIS MALFUNCTIONING PART. THE SYMPTOMS ARE THE SAME AS THE GENERAL MOTORS IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM. I LOOKED IT UP ONLINE AND THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE HYUNDAI SANTAFE. WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? WHERE ARE THE RECALLS? IS IT GOING TO TAKE MANY DEATHS AND 10 YEARS TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM LIKE GM IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM? DOES SOMEBODY HAVE TO DIE BEFORE THIS IS TAKEN SERIOUSLY? HYUNDAI MANAGEMENT REFUSES TO DISCUSS THIS PROBLEM. I SINCERELY HOPE I CAN APPEAL TO YOUR SENSIBILITY AND FORCE THIS KOREAN COMPANY TO ADDRESS THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. *TR
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 .
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEALING NOISE NEAR THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. A MECHANIC STATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000. UPDATED 09/02/14*LJ UPDATED 11/12/2014 *JS
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-65 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED EXCESSIVELY WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING. IN ADDITION, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY PERFORMED A FOUR WHEEL BALANCING ON THE VEHICLE THREE SEPARATE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO MORE OCCASIONS FOR THE IDENTICAL FAILURE, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT ACCEPTED BY THE SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,000.
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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