2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Engine Problems

In transit, it began smoking and the engine light came on. After pulling to the side, flames erupted and it became fully engulfed, followed by a small explosion. The vehicle and it’s contents were a total loss.

I HAVE A 2004 HYUNDIA SANTA FE AND THE ENGINE STARTED WITH LOUD KNOCKING SOUNDS IN MY DRIVEWAY. I HAD IT TOLL TO AVONDALE EARNHARDT HYUNDIA'S DEALERSHIP. THE DIAGOSTIC WAS "FOUND ENGINE KNOCK CAN BE HEARD AT BOTTOM END OF ENGINE. FAILURE IN ROD BEARINGS IS CAUSING EXCESSIVE NOISE IN BOTTOM END. ENGINE REQUIRED" REPLACEMENT. THE CAR HAS 125,000 MILES WHICH EXCEEDS THE 100,000 POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. HOWEVER, MY ENGINE FAILURE IS THE SAME AS THE CURRENT "ENGINE FAILURE RECALLS (THETA II ENGINES) CAUSED BY MANUFACTURING PROCESSES. EXCEPT THE 2004 HYUNDIA SANTA FE WAS NOT INCLUDED ON THE RECALL LIST. I SPOKE AND SUBMITTED TWICE A COMPLIANT TO HYUNDIA CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT TO REPLACE MY ENGINE AND WAS DENIED AN ENGINE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT A CAR SINCE NOVEMBER 20, 2020. TODAY, CUSTOMER CARE DEPARTMENT NOTIFIED ME BY PHONE OF THE SECOND REJECTION. I AM AN ELDERLY WOMAN AND RETIRED, SO FINANCES ARE LIMITED. I FEEL THAT THE ENGINE SHOULD BE REPLACED BECAUSE THAT THE "FAIR THING TO DO". THE ENGINE SHOULD NOT HAVE FAILED SO EARLY IN ITS LIFE-CYCLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE YOUR REVIEW AND A SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM. PERHAPS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE.

2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ENGINE SURGING ISSUE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE WOULD OCCUR 2 TO 4 TIMES PER MONTH. THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I LEFT MY CAR PARKED IN THE PARKING GARAGE AT SCHOOL. WHEN I CAME BACK TO MY CAR AT THE END OF THE DAY, THE CAR WAS ON AND RUNNING. I HAD MY KEYS WITH ME. IT HAD SOMEHOW SPONTANEOUSLY TURNED ON WHILE I WAS AWAY FROM IT. *TR

VEHICLE SHUTS OFF WHILE DRIVING. WHILE DRIVING IT WILL STALL AND THEN TAKE OFF. *TR

SO MANY THINGS GOING WRONG BACK SEAT BELTS DON'T WORK, WASHER PUMP DON'T WORK TRIED TO ORDER PART FROM DEALER DO NOT HAVE ANY IN US THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR PIGTAIL DISINTEGRATED FROM BEING TO CLOSE TO THE ENGINE AND NO ONE SELLS THE PART HAVE TO BUY THE COMPLETE ENGINE WIRING KIT FOR ONE LITTLE PLASTIC PIECE THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS I READ ONLINE THAT EVERYONE WITH THIS CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS. *TR

DIES IN THE MIDDLE IF ROAD! ALMOST DIE. ALL THE TIME!!!!!! DIES IN THE MIDDLE IF ROAD! ALL THE TIME!!!ALMOST DIED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONTACT WOULD WAIT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE BEING ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD BE CAUSE BY THE EMISSION SYSTEM. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH IN HEAVY TRAFFIC, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPMS AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD FLUCTUATE UP AND DOWN AS THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS LEFT WITH THE DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING FURTHER DIAGNOSTIC OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 21,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 22,000.

I'VE OWNED 2 SANTA FE'S IN A ROW (2001 & 2004). BOTH HAD ENGINE FAILURES AROUND 60,000 MILES (BOTH ON FREEWAY). THE 2004 FAILED AT NIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ARIZONA DESERT- THESE BOTH PRESENTED ME WITH A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. I WAS DRIVING AT 70 MPH WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND MADE A TERRIBLE NOISE. I END UP GETTING TOWED OVER 150 MILES TO HYUNDAI DEALER. SMALL BLOCK FAILED AND WAS REPLACED IN BOTH- HYUNDAI COVERED THE 2001 BUT ONLY COVERED 35% OF THE 2004 (86 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY). NEVER BUY HYUNDAI'S AGAIN!!! *TR

WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY DOING FREEWAY SPEEDS AT 5:30 AM GOING TO WORK WHEN MY TRUCK JUST SHUT DOWN. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I LOST ALL POWER COASTED ABOUT 300 FEET, PULLED OFF ON LEFT AND ENGINE DIED AND WOULD NOT RESTART. COME TO FIND OUT, TIMING BELT WENT BAD, ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE CRANK POSITION SENSOR. I'VE GOT LESS THAN 75000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK AND AM VERY UPSET THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED ON THE WARRANTY AND THAT THE PARTS THEY USE TO PUT THESE TRUCKS TOGETHER ARE SO CHEAP! *TR

ENGINE- DEFECTIVE SHORT BLOCK ENGINE CAR IS BACK IN SHOP NOW FOR THE 5TH TIME FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, LOUD RATTLING NOISES COMING FROM ENGINE. DEALER INFORMED ME IT'S A DEFECTIVE FACTORY ENGINE. BRAND NEW SHORT BLOCK ENGINE REPLACED TWICE AND CAR NOW BACK IN SHOP FOR SAME PROBLEM. NO LONGER FEEL SAFE IN THIS VEHICLE, AS TWICE I HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER B/C OF ENGINE FAILURE AND I HAD MY 2 YR OLD SON WITH ME. IN REVIEWING THIS WEBSITE, I SEE COUNTLESS NUMEROUS AND SIMILAR COMPLAINTS! THE ENGINE IS THE HEART OF A CAR SO HOW MANY NEW HEARTS IS HYUNDAI WILLING TO PUT IN THIS ONE CAR? IT COST MORE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM THAN TO JUST ACCEPT THE LOSS AND PROPERLY COMPENSATE ME! REPAIRS ARE AS FOLLOWS: NEW SHORT BLOCK ENGINE INSTALLED; RETURN CAR SAME DAY B/C ENGINE FELT "LOOSE"; TOLD IT WAS THE SWAY BAR LINKS- INSTALLED SAME DAY; CAR STILL FELT LOOSE, NEXT DAY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON- CAR RETURNED. THIS TIME TOLD IT WAS STRUT TOP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED- DONE. PICKED UP CAR, 2 DAYS LATER BACK IN SHOP FOR SAME INITIAL LOUD ENGINE NOISE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN. TOLD SAME PROBLEM WITH SHORT BLOCK ENGINE TO BE DEFECTIVE. ORDERED BRAND NEW SHORT BLOCK ENGINE AND REPLACED AGAIN! PICKED UP CAR AFTER REPAIR AND AGAIN, SAME DAY, BROUGHT THE CAR BACK B/C CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN! CAR PRESENTLY STILL IN SHOP AND I'M FORCED TO CONTACT AN ATTORNEY B/C THE HYUNDAI'S CONSUMER AFFAIRS STATES AS LONG AS THE DEALER KEEPS FIXING THE PROBLEM, THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN OFFERING ME ANY COMPENSATION. HOW MUCH MORE MONEY ARE THEY WILLING TO GIVE THIS DEALER BEFORE THEY REALIZE THIS CAR IS NOT WORTH ANOTHER $6,500 REPAIR BILL? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS THE FORTH TIME THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED AND THE VEHICLE OVERHEATED. DURING THE LAST FAILURE, THE MAIN CIRCUIT BOARD ON THE VEHICLE BURNED AND WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES IN THE PAST TWO YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT KNOWN, BUT THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 135000.

SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THIS SANTA FE IN 04 THERE HAVE BEEN SIX TIMES WHERE THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN DRIVEN DOWN THE ROAD AND DIED. I HAVE BEEN SCARED FOR MY AND MY SON'S LIFE AS THIS JUST HAPPENED ON AN INTERSTATE AND IF IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE I WOULDN'T HAVE KNOWN HOW TO REACT BUT I BARELY PULLED THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. HYUNDAI SAID THE PROBLEM WAS UNBALANCED TIRE PRESSURE...OBVIOUSLY THEY DON'T RESPECT WOMEN. *TR

UPON RETURN FROM VACATION, POWER STEERING WAS MOANING, LOSS OF FLUID FROM UNDER FRONT OF VEHICLE. EXAMINATION REVEALED LOSS DUE TO FLUID COOLER LINE BENEATH RADIATOR. FLUID WAS LEAKING ONTO THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER INCHES TO THE REAR OF THE LINE. EXAMINATION REVEALED BLACK STAINING ON SURFACE OF CONVERTER DUE TO SKIN TEMPERATURE OF APPROXIMATELY 1200 DEG. FIX WAS TO REPLACE COOLER LINE. THIS IS POTENTIAL CAUSE OF LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND/OR VEHICULAR FIRE. *TR

MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS BEFORE IT WAS TO LATE. WIFE SAW SMOKE COMING UP FROM THE ENGINE OF OUR 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE (ODO 24,000 MILES). SHE PULLED OVER TO THE CURB. THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE. MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS PULLED OUT OF THE BURNING VEHICLE BY A PASSERBY. WIFE SUFFERED A CONTUSION TO HER RIGHT CHEEK DURING THIS INCIDENT. SHE DID NOT KNOW THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. SHE NOTIFIED 911 WHO SENT A FIRE TRUCK AND POLICE OFFICER. THE VEHICLE EXPLODED AT LEAST 3 TIMES AS SHE WAITED OUTSIDE IN THE COLD, FRENZIED BY THE DISASTER. THE FIRE WAS SO INTENSE THAT THE FRONT WHEELS WERE MELTED. A POLICEMAN AND 2 FIRE TRUCKS RESPONDED TO THE BLAZE. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS BY ALLSTATE. RELIABLE IMPORTS (SPRINGFIELD, MO.) WOULD NOT EVEN HELP US OBTAIN A RENTAL CAR. THE SAFETY FEATURES OF THIS HYUNDAI VEHICLE WERE PROUDLY ACCLAIMED BY THE CAR SALESMAN AND MANAGER AT THE DEALERSHIP. BOTH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALERSHIP HAVE BEEN UNHELPFUL IN HELPING US IN ANY WAY. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER A FULL BUMPER-TO-BUMPER, NEW VEHICLE WARRANTY. THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FIRE, AND DO NOT OFFER TO CONDUCT THEIR OWN INVESTIGATION ON THE VEHICLE. HYUNDAI AND RELIABLE IMPORTS SHOW COMPLETE DISINTEREST IN THE VEHICLE'S SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION, AND SHOW THE WORLD NO CONCERN OVER THE FACT THAT THIS MAY PROVE TO BE A NON-ISOLATED EVENT. SINCE THEN, RELIABLE IMPORTS IN SPRINGFIELD, MISSOURI HAS FIENDISHLY SENT ME AN EMAIL REMINDER TO HAVE MY VEHICLE SERVICE RENEWED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND HYUNDAI BOTH FAILED TO INSTRUCT ME TO FILE MY COMPLAINT @ NHTSA. AN ATTORNEY INSTRUCTED ME TO FILE THE COMPLAINT HERE. *JB

ALLSTATE FOUND THAT THERE WAS 1) WATER PUMP FAILURE 2) SOME FORM OF DRIVE BELT FAILURE, AND 3) THE INTERFERENCE ENGINE HAD PARTS COLLIDE WITHIN THE ENGINE LEADING TO A FIRE. THIS OCCURRED AS MY PREGNANT WIFE WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. HYUNDAI IS CURRENTLY NEGOTIATING WITH ME TO REIMBURSE ME FOR THE TOTAL LOSS. OF COURSE, THEY ARE NOT OFFERING ME WHAT I LOST ON THE INVESTMENT AT THIS POINT. THE DEALERSHIP WAS FOUND TO NOT BE LIABLE BY THE BBB; THEREFORE I AM COMMUNICATING DIRECTLY WITH REPRESENTATIVES AT HYUNDAI MOTOR CO. I AM VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE, AND I AM CURIOUS ABOUT WHETHER WE ARE THE ONLY FAMILY THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED TO. I CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH THE 12 PAGE INSURANCE COMPANY REPORT; I LACK ANY KNOWLEDGE OF ENGINES AND HOW THEY WORK, BUT IT APPEARS TO ME THAT THIS IS AN EXTREME DANGER TO CONSUMERS. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED FURTHER. SINCE HYUNDAI IS WILLING TO SETTLE WITH ME, IT CAN ONLY BE RECOGNIZED THAT THEY KNOW THIS PRODUCT WAS UNSAFE. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTSA AND NUMEROUS OTHER SITES. IN FACT, I HAVE CREATED MY OWN BLOG: WWW.FLAMINGHYUNDAI.BLOGSPOT.COM, WHICH HAS LINKS TO 5 OTHER BLOG PAGES DESCRIBING MY STORY. WHAT IS SO CRAZY ABOUT ALL OF THIS IS YOU CAN FIND 50 STUPID & PETTY THINGS RECALLED AT WALMART EVERYDAY, BUT A VEHICLE CATCHES FIRE AND YOUR TOLD "IT'S AN ACT OF GOD." PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT ANYTIME; I WELCOME YOUR RESPONSE. THANK YOU. *NM

ENGINE CUTS OUT WHILE DRIVING, UNABLE TO HAVE POWER STEERING, CAR LURCHES WITHOUT WARNING, USUALLY WHEN MOVING FROM A STOP. *JB