2008 Hyundai Santa Fe Complaint Log

2/05/15, TURNED RIGHT ON MANHATTAN BLVD AND NORMAL ACCELERATING, EASED UP ON PEDAL BUT ENGINE STILL FULL THROTTLE. APPLIED BRAKES BUT STILL KEPT ACCELERATING. APPROACHING A TRAFFIC LIGHT, SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL, TURNED INTO A BUSINESS PARKING LOT, AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. STARTED THE ENGINE AFTER 3 OR 4 SECONDS STILL FULL THROTTLE,TURNED ENGINE OFF. STARTED THE ENGINE AFTER 4 OR 5 MINUTES AND EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. ON 2/05/15 CONTACT HYUNDAI ON 1-800-633-5151 THEY FILLED OUT A REPORT, CASE NO. 7640349, AND ALSO RECOMMENDED I HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. 2/05/15 VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. HYUNDAI DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. HYUNDAI DEALER WAS REQUESTED TO RUN MORE EXTENSIVE TESTS BY CORPORATE OFFICE. 2/10/15 EXTENSIVE TESTS COMPLETED AND FOUND NO PROBLEM. I DID NOT CONTACT HYUNDAI, 1-800-633-5151, ON 1ST OCCURRENCE ON 6/25/14, JUST TOOK IT TO SAME HYUNDAI DEALER AND FILED A COMPLIANT VIA E-MAIL WITH NHTSA. HYUNDAI DID STATE ON 2/05/15 THEY HAD NO RECORD OR RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM! 2/11/15 CAR READY FOR PICKUP. DEALER STATED PROBLEM DUPLICATED SEVERAL TIMES WITH INSTALLED AFTERMARKET FLOOR MAT JAMMING THROTTLE AND CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. SEE BELOW:. I REMOVED THE AFTER MARKET FLOOR MAT. I AM DRIVING WITH A 80% BELIEVE 20% DO NOT BELIEVE CONFIDENCE LEVEL THAT THE FLOOR MAT CAUSED MY TWO PROBLEMS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK MISREAD THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION. IN ADDITION, THE FUEL TANK WAS INCAPABLE OF BEING FILLED COMPLETELY AND COULD ONLY BE FILLED UP TO FIVE GALLONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

OUR GAS GAUGE SHOWS EMPTY, AND THE FUEL LIGHT STAYS ON, ALL THE TIME. THIS OCCURS EVEN AFTER WE FILL THE CAR UP. THIS OCCURS WHETHER THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR RUNNING. WE HAVE TO TRACK OUR FUEL LEVEL BY KEEPING TRACK OF THE MILEAGE. ALSO, IF WE TURN THE CAR OFF WHEN FUELING, IT WILL NOT TURN BACK ON. WE HAVE TO TRY OVER AND OVER AGAIN UNTIL IT TURNS ON. WE HAVE FOUND THAT IF WE LEAVE THE CAR RUNNING WHILE FUELING, IT USUALLY STAYS RUNNING; HOWEVER, A LOT OF TIMES, THE CAR STOPS RUNNING AND THEN, WE STRUGGLE TO GET IT STARTED AGAIN. THIS IS OUR 2ND SANTA FE (OUR FIRST WAS A 2004, WITH WHICH WE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM). IF HYUNDAI DOESN'T DO SOMETHING TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, THIS WILL BE OUR LAST HYUNDAI. THIS IS DANGEROUS ON MANY LEVELS, AND AS WE ALL CAN SEE, THERE ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT 350 OTHER 2008 SANTA FE OWNERS WHO HAVE POSTED ON THIS SITE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, THIS IS AN OBVIOUS SAFETY DEFECT, AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. ALSO, I NOTICED SOMEONE ELSE MENTIONED THEY CHANGE LOW BEAMS ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. WE TOO, ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. WE HAVE CHANGED MORE HEADLAMPS IN THIS CAR THAN WE HAVE IN ALL OF OUR CARS COMBINED OVER 40 YEARS.

THIS VEHICLE HAS DEVELOPED A SPEED SENSITIVE "WHIRRING" SOUND WHILE THE TRANSMISSION IS ENGAGED. WE INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS A TIRE NOISE, BUT DID NOT GO AWAY WHEN NEW TIRES WERE INSTALLED. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD US IT WAS THE DRIVE BELT RUBBING AGAINST THE COVER, BUT FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY ANOTHER REPAIR FACILITY FOUND NO EXCESSIVE WEAR ON THE BELT, AND NO INDICATION OF CONTACT WITH THE COVER. THE NOISE IS ACTUALLY COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION, AND IS EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN RECALL 102 WHICH APPLIES TO 2010 MODELS. I PLAN TO START A FIGHT WITH HYUNDAI OVER THIS REPAIR AS THE TRANSMISSIONS ARE THE SAME ON THE 2008 MODELS AS THE 2010.

CAR STALLED ON HIGHWAY OUT OF GAS. GAS GAUGE SHOWED HALF TANK. DANGEROUS SITUATION, STUCK IN MIDDLE LANE OF BUSY HIGHWAY, TRAFFIC PASSING ON BOTH SIDES ABOUT 65 MILES PER HOUR. *TR

I WAS DRIVING TO A STOP LIGHT ON A DOWN HILL SLOPE WITH MY WHOLE FAMILY IN THE CAR WHEN ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR TURNED OFF. ALL AT ONCE MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, MY BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, AND I COULDN'T GET THE CAR TO RE-START. I TURNED ON THE EMERGENCY FLASHERS AND AT THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY INTERSECTION I TRIED TO RESTART MY CAR BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER I TRIED AGAIN AND IT STARTED BUT IT WOULDN'T LET ME ACCELERATE ALMOST AT ALL (THROUGH AN INTERSECTION!). THERE WAS ALSO A CLICKING SOUND COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR. I PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, AFRAID IF I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE ANYWHERE, TURNED THE CAR OFF, WAITED ABOUT FIVE MINUTES, RESTARTED IT, SUCCESSFULLY. I LET IT IDLE FOR A WHILE UNSURE WHAT ELSE TO DO. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME WITH NO OTHER INCIDENT. THE CLICKING WAS OFF AND ON THE ENTIRE DRIVE HOME BUT HAS SINCE GOTTEN QUIETER. *TR

FUEL GAUGE IS FREAKING OUT. THE GAUGE IS FLUCTUATING ERRATICALLY AND THE FUEL RANGE IS IMPACTED AS WELL. A BIG CONCERN WHEN YOU HAVE A WIFE A CHILDREN THAT ARE TRAVELING IN THE CAR AND YOU DON'T KNOW YOUR FUEL SITUATION. PLEASE RECALL THIS ITEM IMMEDIATELY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT GASKET LEAKED OIL INTO THE ALTERNATOR AND THE ALTERNATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHEN YOU FILL UP THE GAS TANK, IT REGISTER EMPTY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. SOMETIMES THE GAUGE WILL READ CORRECTLY AND THEN IT GOES BACK TO EMPTY. I HAVE TO ALWAYS FILL THE CAR UP BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH GAS IS IN THE CAR. THIS IS ANNOYING. IT VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX. THIS IS THE THIRD HYUNDAI I'VE BOUGHT (TWO SANTA FE'S AND ONE SONATA) AND THIS CAR IS THE WORST MODEL I BOUGHT.

MY 2008 SANTA FE IS EXPERIENCING AN ISSUE WHERE THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS AS EMPTY WITH THE LIGHT INDICATOR ON AND CORRESPONDING MILES TO EMPTY INDICATOR READING TO ZERO. THIS CONVENIENTLY HAPPENED AFTER MY WARRANTY EXPIRED. I SEE MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ONLINE. HYUNDAI IS NOT OFFERING TO REPLACE/REPAIR. THIS IS A $695 FIX AS THE SEATS NEED TO BE REMOVED TO REACH THE SENSORS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. AFTER REFUELING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED TO REGISTER THE CORRECT LEVEL OF FUEL. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

FUEL GAUGE SHOW EMPTY AND THERE WAS 3/4 OF A TANK. THE GAUGE READING GO FROM FULL TO EMPTY CONSTANTLY, WE WORRY WE WILL BE TRAVELING AND THE CAR WILL STOP BECAUSE THE GAUGE READS THERE IS GAS AND IT WILL BE EMPTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER (PLAZA HYUNDAI LOCATED AT 2740 NOSTRAND AVE STE A BROOKLYN, NY 11210) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DRIVER'S SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OPENED CASE NUMBER: 10473827. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000. ...UPDATED 10/19/17 *BF

WE STOPPED TO GET GAS ON A ROAD TRIP AND AFTER FILLING UP THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWED 1/2 FULL THEN EMPTY AND THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD SPIN DOWN AND UP INSTEAD OF SLOWING DECREASING WITH DRIVING. HOW DOES A FUEL GAUGE STOP WORKING ON A 6 YEAR OLD VEHICLE? THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS THAT THIS SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL. DEALER SAYS IT IS $500 TO REPLACE SENSOR AND IT IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND NOT KNOW WHEN YOU COULD RUN OUT OF GAS. VERY DISAPPOINTING.

FUEL LEVEL READINGS STARTED FLUCTUATING GIVING ME INACCURATE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK, UNTIL ONE DAY I WAS COMPLETELY EMPTY AND DID NOT KNOW. SINCE THIS INCIDENT.THE GAUGE ONLY MOVES UP WHEN I FILL THE TANK, BUT THEN IT STARTS FLUCTUATING UNTIL SETTLING ON EMPTY. *TR

LATE LAST YEAR (2014) MY GAS GAUGE SUDDENLY SHOWED EMPTY (WITH EMPTY LIGHT COMING ON) ON MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE GLS 2..3 L ENGINE. IN ADDITION, THE 'CHECK ENGINE' CAME ON AND STAYED ON. I TOOK VEHICLE TO MY MECHANIC, WHO TOLD ME THE FAIL CODES RELATED TO THE A AND B SENSORS IN THE FUEL TANK NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE COST OF THE REPAIR WAS ESTIMATED AT AROUND $700.00. MY VEHICLE IS NO LONGER UNDER ANY WARRANTY. I ASKED IF THIS DEFECT IS CAUSING ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OR OTHER PROBLEMS THAT COULD CAUSE ENGINE DAMAGE, ETC. AND HE SAID NO. I SAID WELL, I COULD LIVE WITH THIS BY ZEROING OUT MY TRIP INDICATOR AND KEEPING TRACK THAT WAY, KNOWING MY APPROXIMATE MPG. (I LIVE IN WISCONSIN ON THE LAKESHORE AND WE ARE UNDER MANDATORY EMISSIONS TESTING DUE TO THE POLLUTED AIR COMING UP FROM ILLINOIS AND BEING TRAPPED BY LAKE MICHIGAN.) HE TOLD THAT NEXT YEAR (CURRENT 2015), MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS EMISSIONS BECAUSE THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT IS ON! NOW AS REGISTRATION IS DUE IN NOVEMBER, I HAVE TO GET IT FIXED. FIRST OFF, I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE IF I FORGOT TO ZERO OUT MY TRIP ODOMETER AND RAN OUT OF GAS IN TIN-BUK-TWO, I OR MY WIFE (WHO DOESN'T HAVE A CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT) COULD BE STRANDED IN A DANGEROUS AREA. SECONDLY, I GET SCREWED ON NOT BEING ABLE TO REGISTER MY VEHICLE DUE TO A NON-EMISSIONS RELATED ISSUE.

THE FUEL GAUGE IN MY 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AS STARTED BOBBING UP AND DOWN. WHEN I START THE CAR IT SHOWS THAT I HAVE NO FUEL THEN RAISES UP TO ABOUT HALF A TANK AND THEN GOES BACK DOWN TO ABOUT A QUARTER BEFORE SLOWLY RAISING UP AGAIN. THIS CAR HAS CAUSED ME MORE TROUBLE THAN ANY OTHER CAR I HAVE OWNED. *TR

FUEL GAUGE (FUEL LEVEL SENSOR) IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES. WHETHER EMPTY OR FULL, FUEL GAUGE IS CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATED UP AND DOWN. *TR

FUEL SENSOR PROBLEM. GAS TANK DOES NOT REGISTER FULL AND SOMETIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON BECAUSE OF A FUEL SENSOR PROBLEM. HAD A HALF A TANK OF GAS TODAY; FILLED IT UP AND FOR 15 MILES (AT LEAST) AFTER THAT IT READ EMPTY AND THE FUEL LIGHT WAS ON. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS SUPPOSE TO INDICATE REAL PROBLEMS -- NOW I DON'T KNOW WHEN TO TRUST IT. PLEASE MAKE HYUNDAI RECALL THIS PART AND MAKE THIS REPAIR. *TR

FUEL GAUGE (FUEL LEVEL SENSOR) IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRES. WHETHER EMPTY OR FULL, FUEL GAUGE IS CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATED UP AND DOWN.AND RANGE MILEAGE KEEPS CHANGING. *TR

LEAKING OIL FROM FRONT VALVE COVER AND CAUSING ALTERNATOR TO FAIL, JUST LIKE ALL THE OTHER SANTA FE AND VARACRUZ. *TR

AFTER ENGINE START AND WHILE DRIVING ANY SPEED THE BATTERY LIGHT AND SEATBELT LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD FLASHES INTERMITTENTLY. I SEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND IT LOOKS TO BE AN ELECTRICAL CHARGING ISSUE, NAMELY THE ALTERNATOR IS BAD. I SEARCHED MORE AND FOUND THE REASON FOR THIS IS THE FRONT VALVE COVER IS LEAKING OIL AND DRIPPING ONTO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING IT TO MALFUNCTION. A RECALL HAS BEEN MADE ( #121) ON THE 07-12 VERACRUZ FOR THE SAME ISSUE. *JS

THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IT SEEMS TO BE DUE TO THE FUEL SENSOR. IT CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATES UP AND DOWN. IT CAUSES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO BE ON CONSISTENTLY. THIS SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF HYUNDAI CUSTOMERS ARE DEALING WITH PER WEBSITES THAT I HAVE READ. *TR

THE CAR ACCELERATED WHILE BRAKE PEDAL WAS BEING DEPRESSED AND WOULD NOT STOP ACCELERATING. CAR HAD TO BE THROWN INTO NEUTRAL AND KEY TURNED OFF. ALL FOUR BRAKES WERE BURNT UP. THANKFULLY NO ONE WAS INJURED NOR WAS THERE A CRASH. THE REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT FIND ANY ISSUE ON THEIR DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE OTHER THAN THE RPM'S RISING EVEN THOUGH BRAKE WAS BEING APPLIED. SO THEY KNOW IT HAPPENED BUT JUST DON'T KNOW WHY. CALLED HYUNDAI TO DOCUMENT THIS AND THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THERE WAS NO RECALL AND I SHOULD TAKE IT TO A HYUNDAI DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC STUDY. SURE - SPEND MORE MONEY WITH HYUNDAI FOR THEM TO TELL ME NOTHING. THIS PROBLEM NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF 30+ LIVES. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE STARTED APP. 2 WEEKS AGO NOT REGISTERING THE PROPER AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK, EVEN AFTER NUMEROUS TIMES OF FILLING THE TANK UP COMPLETLY. 3 DAYS AGO NOW THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD COME ON & WOULD NOT GO OUT! I MADE A APPT . WITH THE DEALER I BOUGHT IT FROM FOR TODAY & WAS I EVER SURPRISED AND SHOCKED WHEN THE SERVICE ADVISER INFORMED ME THE COST TO REPLACE THE FUEL SENSORS IN THE FUEL TANK THAT IS CAUSING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY ON CONSTANTLY WAS NORMALY ABOUT $1,200.00, BUT THEY COULD DO IT FOR THE PRICE OF $811.00!! I HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE THE WORK DONE DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON ALL THE TIME I WOUKLD NEVER GET MY VEHICLE THROUGH THE STATE INSPECTION. HYUNDAI MOTOR CO. SHOULD BE FORCED TO DO RE-CALLS ON THESE DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF!!! & BE FORCED TO RE-IMBURSE THOSE OF US WHO HAVE HAD TO SPEND THIS OUTRACOUS SUM OF MONEY TO HAVE OUR VEHICLES REPAIRE DUE TO THERE DEFECTIVE PARTS!! *TR

GAS GAUGE STARTED READING EMPTY WITH INDICATOR LIGHT GOING ON. I FUELED UP THE DAY BEFORE, SO I KNEW THIS WASN'T POSSIBLE. THE GAS GAUGE READ PROPERLY AFTER TURNING OFF THE CAR AND STARTING BACK UP. I HAVE WATCHED THE GAS GAUGE FLUCTUATE WHILE DRIVING. AS OF SATURDAY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TURNS OFF WHEN GAS GAUGE STATES EMPTY WITH INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. I HAD A SOFTWARE UPDATE PERFORMED IN EARLY OCTOBER. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE NO LONGER READS PROPERLY. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND THE CODE IS PO464 WHICH INDICATES A PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL SENSOR. ESTIMATED COST TO REPAIR IS OVER $800 FROM THE HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT. CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF FAILURES OF THE FUEL INDICATING SYSTEM ON HYUNDAI SANTA FE VEHICLES, WHY HAS THERE BEEN NO RECALL? *TR

FILL UP THE GAS TANK AND ALL IS WELL UNTIL THE TANK IS ABOUT HALF FULL THEN THE GAUGE BOUNCES AROUND AND THE LOW FUEL LIGHT COMES ON. *JS

THE GAS GAUGE IS VERY SPORADIC. SOMETIMES IT READS CORRECTLY OTHER TIMES IT DOES NOT. IT CAN SAY EMPTY WHEN FULL OR 1/4 OF A TANK WHEN FULL. I RESEARCHED THIS ON THE HYUNDAI INTERNET FORUMS AND IT SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON FAULT WITH THIS VEHICLE. WITH SO MANY OCCURRENCES YOU WOULD THINK THIS WOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL.

FUEL SENSORS FAILED CAUSING FUEL LEVEL TO READ EMPTY EVEN WITH A FULL TANK. ALSO TRIGGERED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. HYUNDAI IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO ASSIST. *TR

MY VEHICLE EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH THE ETC (ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL) SYSTEM RELATED DTC P2135 ( FORCED LIMITED POWER) OR DTC P0638 (POWER MANAGEMENT). *TR

I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH A FLUCTUATING FUEL GAUGE SENSOR. I HAVE BEEN HAVING THIS PROBLEM FOR THE PAST SIX MONTHS. THE SENSOR IS ALWAYS GOING UP AND DOWN CAUSING THE FUEL LIGHT TO COME ON AS WELL AS WELL AS THE CK ENGINE LIGHT. THE CODE ALWAYS INDICATES IT IS THE FUEL GAUGE SENSOR THAT IS FAILING. ACCORDING TO WHAT I HAVE READ, THIS CAR HAS TWO SENSORS LOCATED UNDER THE BACK SEATS. THE DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST ME AROUND $700.00 TO GET ONE REPAIRED, BUT WHAT'S THE USE IF THEY REPLACE IT WITH ANOTHER HYUNDAI PART THAT IS DEFECTIVE AS DONE TO ANOTHER COMPLAINTANT ON THIS SITE. THIS DEFECT IS OBIVIOUSLY A RESULT OF MANUFACTURING SO WHY DOES HYUNDAI DELAY IN GETTING THIS ISSUE RESOLVED BY DOING A RECALL. THIS IS ALSO THE RESULT OF HYUNDAI NOT TAKING DUE DILIGENCE IN MAKING SURE THEY WERE INSTALLING A QUALITY PART. SO WHY DO WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO DRIVE ABNORMALLY ROUGH. THE CONTACT MERGED THE VEHICLE TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. AFTER MULTIPLE ATTEMPTS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THE TECHNICIAN OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK FROM THE FRONT CYLINDER BANK VALVE COVER GASKET AND THERE WAS SUFFICIENT AMOUNT OF OIL IN THE ALTERNATOR. THE LEAK HAD CAUSED THE ALTERNATOR TO DAMAGE THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND TO BECOME INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN ANY RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,271.

GAS GAUGE WOULD NOT REGISTER THE AMOUNT OF GAS IN THE TANK. READING ON THIS THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF FAILURES ON THE SANTA FE AROUND THE 72,000 MARK. *TR

FUEL GAUGE WARNING LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF REGARDLESS OF AMOUNT OF FUEL IN TANK. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE BEGAN FAULTY SHOWING EMPTY ONLY TO SLOWLY CREEP UP TO THE CORRECT LEVEL OF GAS. IT NOW SHOWS EMPTY AT ALL TIMES. FULL TANK, EMPTY TANK, MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. *TR

THE GAS GAUGE IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY AND IT SEEMS TO BE DUE TO THE FUEL SENSOR. IT CONSTANTLY FLUCTUATES UP AND DOWN. IT CAUSES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO BE ON CONSISTENTLY. THIS SEEMS TO BE SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF HYUNDAI CUSTOMERS ARE DEALING WITH PER WEBSITES THAT I HAVE READ. *TR

FILLED TANK, HOWEVER, IT DID NOT REGISTER AND TANK SHOWED EMPTY. EVENTUALLY IT WENT BACK UP AND SEEMED FINE; ABOUT TWO WEEKS AGO IT DID THE SAME THING, SHOWED EMPTY AFTER FULLY FILLING THE TANK. JUST THIS WEEK HIT 50K MILES, WAY TOO EARLY FOR THINGS TO GO WRONG. SURPRISED AT THE # OF OTHER CONSUMERS AFFECTED BY THIS DISTURBING MALFUNCTION. IT APPEARS IT JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS HAPPENS AGAIN. CONCERNED WITH SAFETY AS WELL AS EMISSION ISSUES. HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED HYUNDAI HAS DONE NOTHING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM!!! IN ADDITION TO THE ABOVE WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A MOTOR IN THE LOCKING MECHANISM AND THE BACK SEAT (BOTH)POCKETS HAVE BROKEN/COME UNGLUED, AGAIN, AT JUST NOW 50K MILES. NOT IMPRESSED. *TR

FUEL LEVEL GAUGE BECOMES ERRATIC AND DOES NOT INDICATE CORRECT FUEL LEVEL IN GAS TANK. RECENTLY "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" CAME ON AND DIAGNOSIS BY MECHANIC WAS "FUEL LEVEL SENSOR A, CIRCUIT INTERMITTENT". THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR AND SHOULD NOT OCCUR ON A VEHICLE AT THIS STAGE. I HAVE NOW BECOME AWARE THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON DEFECT IN THE HYUNDAI SANTA FE LINE OF VEHICLES. THIS DEFECT CAN CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IF A DRIVER WERE TO UNKNOWINGLY RUN OUT OF FUEL WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THAT A RECALL TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PART(S) WOULD BE JUSTIFIED. I AM HOPING THAT YOUR AGENCY WILL LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AND TAKE THE APPROPRIATE STEPS. THANK YOU. *TR

FUEL SENSOR DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. READS EMPTY WHEN TANK HAS JUST BEEN FILLED, AND WILL THEN FLUCTUATE FROM EMPTY TO FULL FROM THERE. DRIVER HAS TO RELY ON MILEAGE FOR FUEL LEVEL ACCURACY. NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN FILED FOR THE SAME MAKE AND MODEL CAR, WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. ALL HAVE TAKEN THEIR VEHICLES TO DEALERSHIPS WHERE THEY ARE CHARGED $800 TO REPLACE FUEL SENSORS, OFTEN WITH FUEL SENSORS MADE BY HYUNDAI, WHICH MALFUNCTION AGAIN. HYUNDAI DOES NOT COVER REPAIRS UNDER WARRANTY, IS WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, AND REFUSES TO ISSUE A RECALL, SITTING "NON-SAFETY ISSUE". THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AS A DRIVER CAN RUN OUT OF GAS WHILE ON THE ROAD, AND FACE POTENTIAL INJURY OR DEATH FROM BEING HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE...ESPECIALLY IF ON THE FREEWAY OR AT NIGHT. DRIVERS ARE BEING LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROADS BECAUSE THEY HAVE RUN OUT OF GAS FROM THE SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE, AND REMAINS LIT UNTIL THE SENSORS ARE REPLACED. THIS CAN BE HARMFUL BECAUSE DRIVERS WOULD NOT KNOW OF ANY ADDITIONAL ENGINE PROBLEMS SINCE THE LIGHT REMAINS LIT DUE TO THE FUEL SENSOR MALFUNCTION. SEE HTTP://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/HYUNDAI/SANTA_FE/2008/FUEL_SYSTEM/FUEL_PROPULSION_SYSTEM.SHTML FOR A HANDFUL OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS ISSUE. I ASK THAT HYUNDAI BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR KNOWINGLY PUTTING DRIVERS AT RISK WITH THIS ISSUE AND FOR CHARGING CUSTOMERS A LUDICROUS AMOUNT TO "REPAIR" THE SENSORS WITH THE SAME, FAULTY ONES THEY MANUFACTURE. I WILL NEVER PURCHASE A HYUNDAI AGAIN! *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON I-95, THE CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER AND THEN ENGINE STOPPED COMPLETELY. WAS ABLE TO SAFELY MAKE IT TO THE ROAD SIDE. DEALER DIAGNOSED A DEFECTIVE VALVE COVER GASKET ALLOWED OIL TO LEAK WHICH DRIPPED ON AND INTO THE ALTERNATOR CAUSING IT TO FAIL. SECOND IDENTICAL FAILURE ON VEHICLE IN TWO YEARS. V-6, AUTOMATIC, 2WD. FOUND MANUFACTURER JUST ISSUED A RECALL ON VERACRUZ MODEL WHICH SHARES THE SAME PLATFORM FOR IDENTICAL SYMPTOMS AND FAILURES. *TR

THE FUEL GAUGE STARTED BOUNCING FROM FULL TO EMPTY AND WE KEEP OUR TANK ABOVE HALF MOST OF THE TIME. WE WENT IN TO OUR LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID IT IS "NORMAL" FOR FUEL SENSORS TO GO OUT THIS EARLY. UPON FURTHER PRESSING THEY SAID THAT IT IS HAPPENING ON A LOT OF THE SANTA FE'S, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL AT THIS TIME. 500-600 DOLLARS TO REPLACE THE SENSORS. FOR NOW WE ARE JUST RUNNING IT WHILE FILLING UP EVERY TIME AND KEEPING TRACK OF OUR MILEAGE. THESE NEED TO BE RECALLED AND FIXED. *TR

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD FLUCTUATE AT TIMES BUT WHEN THE LIGHT WOULD GO OFF THE GAUGE WOULD WORK PROPERLY. THEN THE LIGHT STAYED ON ALL THE TIME AND THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD WORK OFF AND ON. NOW NEITHER ONE WORKS AT ALL AND WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO ESTIMATE HOW MUCH GAS WE HAVE,BUT THAT DOES NOT ALWAYS WORK OUT. MY HUSBAND IS DISABLED AND I HAVE TO TRAVEL A CURVY COUNTRY ROAD AT 430 AM BY MYSELF AND JUST RECENTLY I RAN OUT OF GAS WHILE GOING TO WORK. MY HUSBAND WAS UNABLE TO COME AND GET ME DUE TO HIS DISABILITY SO I SAT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD FROM 430AM TO 630AM WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO HELP ME . THIS IS THE FIRST HYUNDAI I'VE EVER OWNED AND I WAS VERY SATISFIED UNTIL THIS PROBLEM ONLY TO FIND OUT THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME PROBLEM AND HYUNDAI HAS REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW THERE WASN'T AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY OR EVEN A FATALITY,BY GRACE OF GOD,BUT THERE VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN ALL THOSE THINGS IT SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME TO THAT.I HOPE YOU STEP UP TO THE PLATE HYUNDAI AND PROTECT YOUR GOOD NAME WHILE THERE IS TIME TO DO SO. *TR

SAFETY ISSUE: FAILURE OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT PERMANENTLY TURNS ON THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" WHICH DENIES THE USE OF THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" FOR OTHER SERIOUS CONDITIONS. MANY CONSUMERS HAVE PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL SENDING UNIT. THESE UNITS COST BETWEEN $800 TO $1200 TO FIX SO MOST DRIVERS DO NOT FIX IT AND INSTEAD USE THE ODOMETER READING TO DETERMINE WHEN FUEL IS NEEDED. UNFORTUNATELY, DRIVING WITH THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ON AT ALL TIMES PREVENTS THE DRIVER FROM SEEING THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" ILLUMINATE WHEN A SERIOUS CONDITION EXISTS. THEREFORE, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. CONSIDERING THE NUMBER OF CONSUMER REPORTS ALREADY SENT TO NHTSA REGARDING FAILED FUEL SENDING UNITS, HYUNDAI SHOULD IMMEDIATELY ISSUE A SAFETY RECALL TO FIX THESE UNITS.

GAS GAUGE BEGAN TILING UP AND DOWN. DIAGNOSED AS BAD FUEL SENSORS, HAD SENSORS REPLACED. FILLED TANK WITH GAS ,GAS GAUGE SHOWED HALF TANK THEN FEW DAYS LATER SHOWED EMPTY. VEHICLE'S BEEN PARKED EVER SINCE FEARING ACCIDENT. SCARY BEING ON THE ROAD NOT KNOWING HOW MUCH FUEL REMAIN, HAD TO LIMP HOME CONSTANTLY CAPPING OFF TANK. WENT ON LINE TO FIND POSSIBLE PROBLEM AND FOUND SEVERAL HUNDRED DRIVERS WITH SAME PROBLEM. CALLED MANUFACTURER TO ISSUE A POSSIBLE RECALL AND NOT WAIT TILL SOMEONE GET KILLED OR STRANDED ON A DARK HIGHWAY. PLEASE CONVINCE HYUNDAI TO ISSUE A RECALL OR AT LEAST ABSORB THE PAYMENT TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. *TR

THE FUEL SENSOR ON MY 2008 SANTA FE IS MALFUNCTIONING AND NOT REPORTING THE ACTUAL LEVEL OF FUEL IN THE TANK. IT IS ALSO CAUSING THE EMPTY FUEL INDICATOR AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO STAY LIT ALL THE TIME, SO NOT ONLY DO I HAVE TO MANUALLY MEASURE MY FUEL USAGE BY MILES DRIVEN, I ALSO HAVE NO IDEA OF ANY POTENTIAL ENGINE PROBLEMS SINCE THAT LIGHT/WARNING SYSTEM HAS EFFECTIVELY BEEN RENDERED USELESS. HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS ARE CURRENTLY OFFERING TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR ABOUT $800.00 AND HAVE THE PARTS READILY ON HAND SINCE THE PROBLEM IS OCCURRING SO FREQUENTLY NOW. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE EARLIER SANTA FE MODELS AND CONSIDERING THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES OF ACCIDENTALLY RUNNING OUT OF FUEL OR HAVING AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND NOT KNOWING IT UNTIL IT'S TOO LATE, A RECALL SHOULD BE ISSUED. *TR

MY SANTA FE LIMITED AWD 2008 WAS BOUGHT AT THE END OF FEB 2009 AND NOW HAS ~44K MILEAGE. I HAD TWO SIMILAR INCIDENTS WITH MY SANTA FE TODAY (7/6/2014), WHICH LED TO SIGNIFICANT POWER LOSS AND SPEED LOSS OF THE CAR ON THE ROAD. THE FIRST TIME, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD AT ~45 MPH. SUDDENLY I FELT THE CAR LOST THE POWER AND BEGAN TO SLOW DOWN. I STEPPED DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR, BUT THE CAR COULD NOT ACCELERATE (THE SPEED DROPPED TO ~20 MPH). I SAW 3 SYSTEM INDICATOR/WARNING LIGHTS ON: THE ESC OFF(ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) AND CHECK ENGINE INDICATORS HAD A STEADY LIGHT AND THE AWD SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WAS FLASHING. I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF THE CAR, WAITED ~1 MINUTE, AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON, BUT THE OTHER LIGHTS WENT OUT. THEN I DROVE THE CAR TO CONTINUE MY GROCERY SHOPPING (SEVERAL STOPS, ~30 MILES IN TOTAL). THE 2ND INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MY WAY HOME. THE SAME SCENARIO EXCEPT THAT I WAS DRIVING AT ~40 MPH AND GOING UPHILL AT THE TIME. THE SUDDEN POWER LOSS CAUSED THE CAR SPEED QUICKLY DROPPED TO ~10 MPH AND PROBABLY LED THE CAR BEHIND MINE TO MAKE A SUDDEN STOP TO AVOID A CRASH. AGAIN, I PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, AND THEN RESTARTED THE CAR WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYING ON. AFTER GOT HOME SAFELY, I DID SOME SEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND SEVERAL SIMILAR INCIDENTS REPORTED ON HYUNDAI SANTA FE SUVS BEFORE (SEE THE ATTACHED LINKS BELOW). SO I DECIDED TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. THE LINK OF WEBSITES WITH SIMILAR INCIDENTS REPORTED: 1. HTTP://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/HYUNDAI/47Z2R-HYUNDAI-SANTA-FE-LIMITED-HI-HYUNDAI-SANTA-FE-AWD-2008.HTML 2. HTTP://FORUMS.EDMUNDS.COM/DISCUSSION/9216/HYUNDAI/SANTA-FE/HYUNDAI-SANTA-FE-ENGINE-PROBLEMS/P2 (ALTOSTEPH POST) 3. HTTP://WWW.HYUNDAIFORUM.COM/FORUM/HYUNDAI-SANTA-FE-20/4WD-SYSTEM-WARNING-LIGHT-BLINKING-LOSS-POWER-12357/ *JS

AS IS THE CASE WITH MANY OTHERS FILING COMPLAINTS, WE TOO HAVE THE DEFECTIVE FUEL LEVEL SENSOR IN OUR 2008 SANTA FE. IT HAS ALSO RESULTED IN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON AT ALL TIMES. THE FUEL GAUGE SHOWS AN EMPTY TANK AT ALL TIMES. WE ARE FORCED TO RELY ON THE TRIP ODOMETER TO KNOW WHEN WE NEED FUEL. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP AND THE MECHANIC READ THE CODES AND SAID THAT IT WAS THE FUEL SENSOR (FUEL LEVEL SENDER). SINCE THEN, THE FUEL GAUGE CONTINUOUSLY MOVES GIVING AN INACCURATE FUEL LEVEL. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT MANY OTHERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE HYUNDAI COMPANY IS NOT WILLING TO DO A RECALL ON THE PARTS AFFECTED. WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET A COMPANY TO RECALL A DEFECTIVE PART? *TR

THE DASH LIGHTS STARTED FLASHING, THE WIPERS STOPPED WORKING IN THE MIDDLE OF A DOWN POUR, THE LIGHTS WENT DIM. THE TRACTION SYSTEM STARTED DETUNING THE ENGINE. ALL DASH LIGHTS ON. WE FIND THAT IT IS A LEAKY VALUE COVER GASKET. DRIPS ON THE ALTERNATOR AND CAUSES IT TO GO BAD. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID "THEY ARE ALL STARTING TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND IT'S $700.00. IF I WAS THE ORGINAL OWNER HYUNDAI WOULD REPLACE THE GASKET, BUT I WOULD NEED TO PAY FOR THE ALTENATOR. $600.00 UHGG!!! NOW FOR THE FUEL GUAGE. TWO SENSORS UNDER THE BACK SEAT AND GOOD AS NEW. $200.00. *TR