2017 Hyundai Santa Fe Suspension Problems

My 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe (VIN: [XXX]) was brought to Herb Chambers Hyundai of [XXX], in December 2023 to address the Underbody Corrosion Recall/Campaign (9A0). The dealer performed the preventative service. However, the remedy completely failed because the frame was already severely structurally compromised by rust. In early 2024, I relocated to [XXX] with the vehicle. Now 2026, The front subframe sub-assembly deteriorated to a hazardous point, forcing me to spend a large sum of my own money on front-end repairs caused directly by this corrosion. Currently, the rear subframe and rear suspension components are heavily corroded and structurally disintegrated. The vehicle is completely unsafe to drive, presenting an imminent risk of structural collapse and suspension failure while in motion. Hyundai's recall remedy was ineffective and merely masked the rust. The rear subframe (crossmember/cradle) and control arm anchor points are severely corroded, rusted out, and crumbling to the touch, creating an imminent risk of suspension collapse while driving. The extreme corrosion has spread to the metal fuel line the vehicle is unsafe to drive due to the advanced corrosion . Denial of Service by Local Distributor: The vehicle is currently located in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. I presented the vehicle and documentation to the local authorized distributor, Sojitz de Puerto Rico (Hyundai of Puerto Rico). As indicated I brought the Vehicle to MVP Hyundai Humacao (XXX) and filed a claim (# XXX) However they never sent a anyone to inspect the vehicle or process a safety claim, claiming they bear no responsibility because the vehicle was imported from the mainland, Because this is a failed federal safety campaign remedy that now poses an immediate threat to my life and public safety, INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11750549

Incident

Jun 6, 2026

The engine throttles while accelerating and leaks oil and a burning smell comes from under the hood. the smell passes through the air vents and fills the car. I am afraid it might catch fire under the hood. The suspension makes noise and can also feel on the steering wheel. I will appreciate the company if they take safety measures in fixing this issue.

NHTSA ID

11511091

Incident

Mar 7, 2023

Mileage

142,609 mi

Sway bar and struts continuously malfunctioning causing brake system to fail quickly.Engine more than 5qts a biweekly causing the maintenance numbers to malfunction.Seat belt light keeps going on and off even when in use.These problems are causing a safety risk due to them failing and can cause harm to driver/drivers on the road.Electrical issue has the brake lights malfunctioning and cause harm to others as well.Vehicle has been inspected by Hyundai dealership .Seat belt light continuously come on and off.

NHTSA ID

11476628

Incident

Mar 1, 2022

THE V6 2017 SANTA FE SUV IS ADVERTISED IN MANY CAR MAGAZINES AND BY HYUNDAI TO TOW 5,000. LBS. I TOLD THE SALES MANAGER THE SPECS OF MY CAMPER. HE SAID IT WOULD NOT HAVE A PROBLEM TOWING MY CAMPER THAT WEIGHS 3,200. I SAID IF YOU GET IT PREPARED FOR TOWING, MEANING, HITCH, BRAKE BOX AND WIRE FOR LIGHTS, I WILL BUY IT. THE DEAL WAS MADE. I TOWED A FEW TIMES THEN HAD A BAD SHAKING IN THE REAR. THE SERVICE MANAGER TRIED TO TELL ME I WAS TOWING TOO MUCH WEIGHT. IMPOSSIBLE. IT'S JUST ME AND A SMALL DOG. I ARGUED WITH ALLEN TURNER HYUNDAI IN PENSACOLA, FL AND THE CORPORATE OFFICE. THEY BELIEVED WHAT THE DEALERSHIP SAID. I TOLD THEM I CAN GO WEIGH IT ALL ON DOT SCALES TO PROVE IT. SO THEY ENDED UP FIXING IT THAT TIME. I DIDN'T TOW FOR AWHILE BECAUSE OF COVID. THE FIRST TIME I DID, ON THE WAY HOME IT STARTED SHAKING. I GO TO THE DEALER. HE TOLD ME THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER TIRE WAS SEPARATING INSIDE. IT WOULD NEED ALIGNMENT AND STRUTS. THEY WERE NOT GOING TO PAY FOR IT EVEN WITH THE CAR WITH LOW MILES STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THEY OFFERED ME SOMETHING OFF THEIR USED LOT. WHICH I CONSIDERED IF IT HAD THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT I ORIGINALLY BOUGHT ON MY SANTA FE. NO, THEY OFFERED A BASIC SMALL TRUCK. I'M OLDER AND I HAVE GOTTEN USED TO THE SAFETY FEATURES. THE SALESMAN TALKED DOWN TO ME, TRIED TO INTIMIDATE ME AND PRACTICALLY CALLED ME STUPID. I WAS SUPPOSED TO SEE THE SERVICE MANAGER BUT HE DISMISSED ME . I'VE BOUGHT THREE CARS FROM THIS DEALER USING THE SAME SALESMAN. THEN WHEN I HAVE A PROBLEM THEY TREAT ME LIKE THIS. I HAVE TESTIMONIES FROM OTHER CAMPER TRAILER HAULERS WITH THE SAME CAR THAT EVEN TOW A HIGHER WEIGHT CAMPER. THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY PROBLEMS. I WILL ATTACH PHOTOS OF THEIRS ALSO. THANK YOU [XXX] WHEN I'M TOWING IT ALL SOUNDS GOOD AND WORKS GOOD. I WOULDN'T KNOW THE CAMPER WAS BACK THERE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11374023

Incident

Nov 9, 2020

Mileage

37,000 mi

KNOCKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11181759

Incident

Feb 20, 2019

Mileage

16,895 mi

2017 HYUNDAI SANTE FE SE, WHEN FIRST PURCHASED I FELT HESITATION, ACCORDING TO DEALER THEY WAS A UPDATE FOR THE COMPUTER, I TOOK IT IN FOR UPDATE WHICH ACTUALLY DID NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE. AT TIMES WHEN GETTING IN VEHICLE TO DRIVE OFF AND PUT IN GEAR IT WOULD NOT MOVE. TOOK TO DEALER FOR SERVICE TECH DROVE CAR HOME AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO ISSUES. AFTER THAT I STOPPED USING VEHICLE. I SENT HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS A COMPLAINT AND THEY BRUSHED IT OFF. SINCE I DIDNT BUY THE VEHICLE AT THE DEALER I TOOK FOR SERVICE THEY COULD NOT GIVE ME A LONER. SUSPENSION HAS A DEFECT CHANGED TIRES AT 15000 MILES DUE TO HUMMING FROM REAR, HAD VEHICLE ALIGNED AND NEW TIRES 6 MONTHS LATER TIRES ARE WORN HYUNDAI HAS SUSPENSION ISSUES. LAST, SO FAR IS ENGINE KNOCKS WHEN STARTING VEHICLE. ITS A SHAME THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON VEHICLE THAT DONT SERVE OUR NEEDS AND HYUNDAI DOES NOT CARE BUT TO HAVE THERE PAYMENTS ON TIME. I CONTACTED MY ATTORNEY, PLANNING TO DROP OFF AT DEALER AND RETURN TO HYUNDAI SO THE FINANCE COMPANY CAN TAKE IT BACK EITHER I GET MY ISSUES FIXED JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE SHOULD OR I STOP PAYING AND TAKE IT BACK. IF YOU ANYBODY THAT IS INTERESTED IN BUYING A HYUNDAI VEHICLE LIKE OURS SEND THEM ELSEWHERE.

NHTSA ID

11099204

Incident

Nov 16, 2017

Mileage

20,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WITHIN A DAY OF THE CONTACT OWNING THE VEHICLE, A PASSERBY ALERTED THE CONTACT TO THE FACT THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE WOBBLING AND SHAKING ABNORMALLY. THE DEALER (DAVIS HYUNDAI, 1655 N OLDEN AVE, TRENTON, NJ 08638, 609-871-2800) STATED THAT THE ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE DRIVING CONDITION WOULD RETURN TO NORMAL WITHIN A WEEK. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN IF THE DEALER PROVIDED A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CONTINUED TO BE INFORMED BY OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD THAT THE VEHICLE'S REAR SUSPENSION WAS UNSTABLE. THE SAME DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BEFORE IT WAS SOLD TO THE CONTACT. THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO AN INSPECTION FACILITY TO DETERMINE IF THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.

NHTSA ID

11084975

Incident

Mar 23, 2018

Mileage

20,000 mi

ON MAY 31ST I PURCHASE A NEW SANTA FE SPORT AWD 2017 - 21 DAYS AFTER DRVING THE CARD THE DASHBOARD LIGHT WHERE COMING ON FOR TRACKING CONTROL AND DOWNWARD SHIFTING - WHEN I ORIGINALLY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD MAYBE I WENT THROUGH A LARGE PUDDLE IF THEY COME ON AGAIN CALL THEM BACK - WITHIN THREE HOURS OF HANGING UP THE PHONE THE SAME PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN - I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP - AND BROUGHT THE CAR IN THEY KEPT THE CAR FOR A MONTH STATING A MASTER TECHNICIAN FROM HYUNDAI WAS LOOKING INTO IT, BUT THEY SEE WHERE THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE SHIFT. BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO TELL ME THE ISSUE BUT IT SEEMED TO BE CURED FOR. WHILE I WAS DRIVING LAST WEEK ON THE HIGHWAY I HEAR A THUMPING SOUND, I THOUGHT I HAD A FLAT TIRE - PULLED OVER NO FLAT - I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE AND THE SOUND CAME BACK - I IMMEDIATELY TURNED AROUND AND BROUGHT IT BACK TO A LOCAL MECHANIC SHOP - THE MECHANIC SHOP INFORMED ME THAT THE RIGHT FRONT AXLE AND SHAFT JOINT WAS BROKEN AND THE CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE - I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHO CONFIRMED THE SAME ISSUE AND REPLACED THE PARTS REQUIRED - THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS VERY POSSIBLE THAT WAS THE REASON WHY THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS ARE COMING ON ORIGINALLY - THE CARD IS BRANCH NEW AND DID NOT EVEN MAKE THREE MONTHS OF OWNERSHIP - I CONTACTED HYUNDAI ORIGINALLY AND MADE A COMPLAINT FOR THE DASHBOARD ,LIGHTS BUT NEVER RECEIVED A REPLY - I SENT AN ADDITIONAL EMAIL IN REGARDS TO THE NEW ISSUE AND INFORMED THEM THAT THEY SHOULD CHECK TO SEE IF PERHAPS THIS MAKE AND MODEL OF THE CARD IS ARE EXPERIENCING A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ----- I ALSO INFORMED THEM THAT I COULD HAVE DIED IF THIS AXLE FAILED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. - I THINK THERE NEED TO AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE MATTER BEFORE SOMEONE DOES END UP DYING

NHTSA ID

11021825

Incident

Aug 28, 2017

Mileage

8,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE ACCELERATING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT A FUEL ADDITIVE BE ADDED TO THE FUEL TANK, BUT THAT DID NOT HELP. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,000.

NHTSA ID

10957910

Incident

Oct 15, 2016

Mileage

12,000 mi