2001 Hyundai Santa Fe Electrical System Problems

The suv stalls while driving. This has happened multiple time. While driving, driving slow, taking a u turn. The battery, alternator, starter, power steering pump, water pump, rack and pinion, timing belt, serpentine belt, idler pulley, harmonic balancer, front axles, shocks, struts, some sensors, spark plugs/wires, gaskets, and many other parts are replaced in the last year. Don't know what is wrong but it is scary when it stalls suddenly.

FOR THE PAST MONTH, CAR HAS PROBLEMS STARTING. USUALLY, IT DOES NOT START FOR THE FIRST TIME OR IT HAS A SLOW START. IN ADDITION, THERE'S AN OCCURRENCE THAT IT DID NOT START AT ALL, WHICH HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IN THEY REPROGRAMMED THE MODULE. WILL WAIT AND CHECK IF THIS FIXES THE PROBLEM BECAUSE THE CAR STARTS SLOWLY THAT MORNING. *LA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. ON A SECOND OCCASION, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000. UPDATED 03/24/15*LJ

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 20 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000. DJR

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS MANEUVERED OFF THE ROAD AND TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THERE WAS A NHTSA RECALL, # 03V030000, REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; STARTER ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN.

MY 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAD A VERY BAD ODOR LIKE WIRES WERE BURNING IN THE VEHICLE. WHEN THAT OCCURRED MY POWER DOOR LOCKS WOULD NOT WORK AND MY REAR WIPER WOULD NOT WORK. THE SMELL WAS SO BAD I HAD TO LOWER ALL THE WINDOWS SO I WOULD NOT PASS OUT. I STOP TO CHECK IF THERE WAS A FIRE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHO SAID THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY PROBLEM, BECAUSE IT DID NOT OCCUR WHEN THEY CHECKED IT. I WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR BACK IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WERE ANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH 2001 SANTA FE'S. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKING PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE THEN DRIVE AND THE TACHOMETER WENT TO THE RED ZONE. ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE MOVED APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET FORWARD IN 30 SECONDS. THEN, HE THEN THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, AND THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. THIS REPEATED A WEEK LATER. HE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY WAS RUN DOWN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY RULED OUT A CRUISE CONTROL BECAUSE IT HAS NEVER BEEN USED. *AK UPDATE 1/4/2006 - *NM

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE CPS CAPACITOR THAT IS WITH THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE STALLED ON THE FREEWAY. THE DEALERSHIP RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND THIS PROBLEM CAME UP AS A CRITICAL CODE. THE CONSUMER FOUND NHTSA RECALL 03V030000 FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT THE DEALERSHIP TOLD HER THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO VIN. *AK UPDATED 2/7/2006 - *NM

IN DEC 04, JAN 05 AND FEB 05, MY 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE V-6, EXPERIENCED ARCING OF SPARK PLUG WIRES, REQUIRING THE WIRES TO BE REPLACED BY DEALER 3 SEPARATE TIMES. *JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT PROPERLY. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH AND SHIFTING GEARS,THE GEAR STUCK FROM FOURTH TO THIRD GEAR. THE CONTACT TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY ONCE IT WAS RESTARTED. THE FAILURE USUALLY OCCURRED DURING RAINY OR DAMP CONDITIONS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A CRACKED CRANKSHAFT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED, AND THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED ON MARCH 30, 2004. AFTER THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED THERE WERE NO OCCURRENCES UNTIL MAY 2005 AND AUGUST 2005, WHEN THE COIL WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY UNTIL NOVEMBER 2006. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.*AK THE CONSUMER HAS PROVIDED A RECALL FOR THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PERTAINING TO THE CRANKSHAFT POSITIONER AND INVOICES FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SPEED SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED. UPDATE 5/3/07*TR

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT WARNING VEHICLE WOULD STALL AND SHUT DOWN, AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE SUV WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS. DRIVER PICKED UP THE TRUCK FROM THE DEALER THAT DAY, BUT WITHOUT WARNING THE SUV SHUT DOWN ON THE WAY HOME. *AK

I AM A MEDICAL PERSONNEL AND WORK NIGHT HOURS. I OWN A HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2001 AND HAVE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE CAR RUNNING BUT AT STOP CANNOT HANDLE HEADLIGHTS, HEATER, RADIO AND INTERNAL LIGHTS, WHICH IS A PROBLEM IF I WERE EVER STUCK. IT HAS HAPPENED IN SUMMER AND WINTER AND CAN BE DANGEROUS IF I'M STRANDED. I HAVE BROUGHT THIS VEHICLE TO 2 DIFFERENT HYUNDAI DEALERS AND THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS FOUND, YET I BROUGHT MY VEHICLE TO PEP BOYS AND SEARS AND THEY SAID MY BATTERY WAS FAILING. I REPLACED BATTERY AT SEAR'S 3 MONTHS AGO AND LIGHTS ARE STARTING TO DIM AGAIN. THE RESPONSE FROM HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS TO TURN OFF HEADLIGHTS? ISN'T THAT DANGEROUS? *LA

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START WHEN LEAVING FROM DEALERSHIP AFTER PURCHASING, CAUSE ACCORDING TO DEALER WAS DEFECTIVE BATTERY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED. ELEVEN MONTHS LATER I EXPERIENCED ENGINE HAD SLOW CRANKING TO START AND LIGHTS DIMMED WHEN AIR COMPRESSOR ENGAGED AND THE CAR WAS AT LOW RPMS. RADIO THEN TURNED OFF LIGHTS WENT OUT, AND VEHICLE ALMOST STALLED. TURNED OFF AIR, RADIO AND LIGHTS (LUCKILY IT WAS SUNDOWN NOT DARK YET) AND PROCEEDED HOME. CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND ONCE AGAIN PROBLEM WAS ATTRIBUTED TO DEFECTIVE BATTERY. BATTERY WAS REPLACED. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT HYUNDAI HAD INCREASED THE OUTPUT OF THE ALTERNATOR IN THE NEWER SANTA FE MODELS TO 110AMP OUTPUT. IT WOULD SEEM THAT THEY HAVE NOTED THE INADEQUATE OUTPUT OF THE EARLIER ALTERNATOR. I WOULD THINK THIS WOULD WARRANT AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE RETROFITTING OF EARLIER VEHICLES TO THE HIGHER OUTPUT ALTERNATOR. ALSO DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS THAT HAVE THIS MAKE AND MODEL HAVE IN SOME INSTANCES OBTAINED A REPLACEMENT FOR THE UPGRADED ALTERNATOR THROUGH WARRANTY.*AK

BATTERY CHARGE INDICATOR SHOWED A LONG TERM "LOW" CHARGE LEVEL, AND DURING VERY HOT WEATHER, BATTERY FAILED TO START VEHICLE DUE TO ALTERNATOR NOT KEEPING BATTERY CHARGED UP PROPERLY.*AK

WILL LIKE THIS RESOLVED BY HYUNDAY AMERICA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. NO SAFETY DEFEC TLISTED. *AK

OCCASIONALY AS I DRIVE AT NIGHT THE HEADLIGHTS WILL DIM, CLOCK WILL FLASH, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WILL SLOW DOWN BECAUSE THE ALERNATOR WILL NOT CHARGE THE BATTERY. OCCASIONALY WHEN I STOP AND TURN THE CAR OFF I WILL COME BACK OUT TO RESTART THE CAR AND IT WILL NOT START BECAUSE OF THE BATTERY BEING DEAD AND NOT BEING CHARGED BY THE ALTERNATOR. I HAVE ALREADY HAD THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR REPLACED ONCE ON 7/26/02 AND IT IS STARTING TO DO THE SAME THING AGAIN. I AM IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS AT WWW.SANTAFEFORUM.NET AND ALOT OF THEM ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD.. VEHICLE STALLS OUT EVEN WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER IS TURNED ON. ALSO, LATELY THE VEHICLE IS USING ALOT OF GAS AND IS PULLING. VEHICLE HAS STARTED TO HESTITATE WHEN ACCELERATING OR BRAKING. DEALER WAS INFORMED. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM LIGHTS DIMMING WIPERS GOING SLOW RADIO GOING OFF ALSO WHEN I WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE IN THE RAIN SOMETHING GOT WET IN THE ENGINE AND STARTED TO SMELL .I WENT TO HYUNDAI IN MANHATTAN AND THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. SO FAR SO GOOD KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED.*AK

THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED, WE WERE STOPPED AT LIGHT AND THE RADIO STARTED TO GO OUT AND THE CLOCK LIGHT DIMMED. WE TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY (IT SAT ON THE SHIP TOO LONG AND DRAINED THE BATTERY). ABOUT A MONTH LATER, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND THEY SAID THAT THE CONNECTIONS TO THE BATTERY WERE CORRODED AND THAT I MUST CLEAN THE CONNECTIONS EVERY 3K MILES...YEAH RIGHT! ANOTHER MONTH WENT BY AND THE DOME LIGHTS BEGAN FADING, THE CAR WAS VERY SLOW TO TURN OVER, AND THE A.C. WOULD BARELY WORK. THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. FINALLY, THIS WEEKEND, THE STUPID THING WOULDN'T TURN OVER, LEAVING MY WIFE AND 4 MONTH OLD CHILD STRANDED IN 95+ DEGREE TEXAS HEAT. THE DEALERSHIP HAS LEFT ME A MESSAGE RIGHT AT BUSINESS END TODAY STATING THAT THE "NEW" ALTERNATOR IS EXPECTED IN ON WEDNESDAY BUT THAT THEY HAVE "INTERESTING" NEWS TO REPORT ON THIS PROBLEM. I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT TO SEE WHAT THIS MIGHT BE. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO HAVE OUR ENTIRE LIFE REARRANGED 4 TIMES, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS IS A NEW VEHICLE. THE WORST PART IS THAT I LOVE THE WAY THE SANTA FE DRIVES, FEELS, LOOKS. JUST WISH I DIDN'T HAVE TO USE THE STUPID WARRANTY THIS MUCH. JUST HOPE THIS IS NOT HAPPENING TO EVERY SANTA FE OWNER AS I KNOW THESE CARS ARE BIG SELLERS! THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO VENT!*AK