What 181 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

NORMAL DRIVING TURN SIGNAL LEVER STARTED TICKING BEGAN SMOKING FROM THE BASE CONTINUES TO TICK INTERMITTENTLY AND SMOKES IN MOTION WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY

NHTSA ODI 11388680

AS I WAS DRIVING MY FAMILY HOME FROM A SOCCER MATCH IN DENVER TO OUR HOME IN BRECKENRIDGE MY CAR(HYUNDAI, SANTA FE 2011) LOST ALL POWER WITH OUT THE ENGINE DYING. WE WERE HEADING WEST AND IN THE TUNNEL. IT WAS EXTREMELY SCARY AND PUT MY FAMILY IN DANGER. NO WARNING LIGHTS HAVE EVER COME UP ON MY CAR BEFORE OR AFTER. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME OF MANY INCIDENTS THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED AND NOT ONLY WHEN I HAVE BEEN DRIVING BUT ALSO MY DAUGHTER, SHE HAS HER PERMIT! IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN ON THE INTERSTATE BUT ALSO AROUND OUR COMMUNITY WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE HAD IT CHECKED IT OUT WITH MY MECHANIC AND THEY COULDN'T FIND THE ISSUE AS THE DIAGNOSTIC CAME UP WITH NOTHING. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD NOT ONLY FOR MYSELF BUT MY FAMILY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

NHTSA ODI 11385612

CAR SMOKING FROM EXAHUST SINCE AROUND 42000 MILES OIL SMOKE STARTED IN 2017 . I HAVE TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP ABOUT 8 TIMES IN 3 YEARS NOW OIL ALL IN THE SPARKPLUGS USING OVER A QUART OF OIL EVERY 1000 MILES NOW HAS 56000 MILES AND UNABLE TO DRIVE IT. DEALSHIP TELLING ME THEY WILL HAVE CAR FOR ONE MONTH OR MORE WITH NO REPLACEMENT CAR GIVEN HAVE BEEN TOLD MAY NOT FIX REPLACE THE MOTOR I CALLED MAIN COMPANY EARLIER THIS YEAR. NOTHING WAS DONE.SMOKES AT START UP SMOKES OUT MY GARAGE . THEN CAR WAS SHIMMING WHEN DRIVING AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON .

NHTSA ODI 11374931

STEERING WHEEL LEFT SIDE DETERIORATING. HOLE ALREADY. CONCERNED IT MAY COME APART CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I REPORTED TO BROWNS HYUNDAI WHERE I HAVE HAS SERVICE FOR 10 YEARS. MY EXTENDED WARRANTY WAS 10 YEARS AND 100,000 MILES. UNDER 10 YEARS BUT OVER MILEAGE. OTHERS SEEM TO HAVE EXPERIENCED :HTTPS://WWW.HYUNDAI-FORUMS.COM/THREADS/OFFICIAL-STEERING-WHEEL-PEELING-THREAD.146456/; HTTPS://WWW.HYUNDAI-FORUMS.COM/THREADS/STEERING-WHEEL-PEELING-AND-ITS-NOT-LEATHER.228945/. DEALER TRIED TO GET HYUNDAI TO ALLOW A GOODWILL ASSISTANCE BUT THEY REFUSED. CONCERNED THIS STEERING WHEEL WILL COME APART.

NHTSA ODI 11372699

NOTHING HAS HAPPENED SO FAR, MY COMPLAINT IS THAT EVERY 4-6 MONTHS, I NEED TO BUY PARTS FOR MY SANTA FE. IT STARTS WITH A KNOCK ON THE RIGHT FRONT END OF THE CAR. I NEED TO GET TO WORK, SO I TAKE MY TIME GETTING THERE. I ALSO WAS ABOUT TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY, AND THE SPRING BROKE ON THE ON RAMP. I SEE ALL THE HORROR STORIES ABOUT THIS MODEL HYUNDAI WITH ISSUES WITH THE FRONT END . I CAN SEND YOU REPAIR BILLS OF WHAT PARTS HAVE BEEN REPLACED OVER THE LAST 5 YEARS.

NHTSA ODI 11361299

ON JUNE 14,2020, I BACKED OUT OF A PARKING SPOT IN A LOT OUTSIDE A GROCERY STORE AND MY HYUNDAI SANTA FE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED BACK HITTING A BARRIER POLE. WHEN I PUT IT IN DRIVE, IT LEAPT FORWARD AND SPED BETWEEN A POKE AND A PARKED CAR, RACED DOWN A TEN-FOOT EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED INTO THE CORNER OF A BRICK BUILDING. I LATER LEARNED THAT THIS WAS CALLED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION AND THAT THE BRAKES DO NOT WORK WHEN SUA HAPPENS. IT WAS ALL OVER WITHIN SECONDS AND I HAD NO TIME TO ACT. MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED AND I SUFFERED RIB CAGE AND STERNUM CONTUSIONS FROM THE SEAT BELT. THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. MY CAR SCRAPED THE PARKED CAR AND MY INSURANCE COMPANY PAID FOR THAT DAMAGE.

NHTSA ODI 11361175

PURCHASED USED VEHICLE SEP 2018 FROM USED CAR CHEVY DEALER. 3 DAYS INTO DRIVING THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING BROKE AND PUNCTURED THE TIRE FORCING ME TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE QUICKLY, LUCKILY WITHOUT ACCIDENT. CAR TOWED & REPAIRED BY DEALER. HYUNDAI WOULD NOT RESPOND TO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EVEN THOUGH HAVE SEEN OTHERS WITH SAME ISSUE. CAR SOUNDED HORRIBLE AND I HAVE HAD THE SUSPENSION STRUTS AND COILS REPLACED NOW TWICE WITH THIS VEHICLE IN THE LAST TWO YEARS DUE TO BAD WEAR, ABRASIONS AND SQUEAKING IN THE SUSPENSION. REPAIR AND REPLACEMENT WORK DONE AGAIN ON SEP. 2020. POOR QUALITY METAL AND PARTS WITH THIS VEHICLE BRAND AND DESIGN.

NHTSA ODI 11361184

FRONT RIGHT STRUT SPRING RELEASED FROM THE MOUNTING WITH A LOUD BANG AND WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE. THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH. THE TIRE WAS DAMAGED. I HAVE REPLACED BOTH FRONT STRUTS.

NHTSA ODI 11353848

CAR STARTED SMOKING BLUE SMOKE OUT OF THE EXHAUST AT 45,000 MILES WAS NEVER TREATED FOR AN OIL CONSUMPTION TEST. I DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS SUCH A THING WAS NOT ADVISED AT THAT TIME NOW 3 YEARS LATER SUV ONLY HAS 56,000 IT USED 2 QUARTS OF OIL IN 1700 MILES. SINCE I DON'T DRIVE IT MUCH THEY ARE SAYING I HAVE TO START ALL OVER AGAIN SINCE I HAD NOT BEEN IN SINCE MAY 2020. IT IS NOW JULY DRIVEN IT 1300 MILE I WAS TOLD MUST START CONSUMPTION TEST FROM BEGINNING NOT WITH IN THE 1000 MILE RANGE . THEY NEVER FILED OUT ANY CONSUMPTION CHART TO START WITH . THIS CAR ONLY HAS ONE YEAR REMAINING ON WARRANTY AND THEY ARE TRYING TO RUN OUT THE WARRANTY WITHOUT FIXING IT. CAR SMOKES UP MY WHOLE GARAGE UPON STARTING , IT HAS COVERED PEOPLE UP WITH BLUE SMOKE IT THEY ARE BEHIND ME IN A PARKING LOT. I CAN NOT UPLOADED. A DOCUMENT

NHTSA ODI 11341922

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO MOISTURE INSIDE THE LIGHT FIXTURES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER AND REPAIRED. NO FURTHER INFORMATION WAS AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ODI 11326818

ENGINE BLOWN SHORTLY AFTER 'SERVICE ENGINE' LIGHT CAME ON

NHTSA ODI 11322428

THIS IS TO MAKE AWARE OF POTENTIAL/ POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE CAUSE IN SOME HYUNDAI VEHICLES. I OWN A 2011 SANTA FE. AT LESS THAN 70K MILES THE OIL LIGHT BEGAN TO FLICKER AND LEAK OIL. DEALERSHIP INDICATED I RUINED ENGINE AND I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIR COSTS DUE TO BLA BLA BLA. I TOOK VEHICLE TO INDEPENDENT SHOP AND THEY FOUND AND REPLACED DEFECTIVE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH HYUNDAI #9475037000 WHICH LEAKED OIL ONTO TOP ENGINE, CREATED A LARGE POOL OF HOT OIL THAT SAT THERE HIDDEN UNDER OTHER COMPONENTS. ( FIRE HAZARD ). THEN- AT 130K MILES IT HAPPENED AGAIN. REPEAT REPLACEMENT OF GENUINE DEFECTIVE OIL PRESSURE SWITCH AND HOT OIL ON ENGINE (FIRE HAZARD) CONTACTED HYUNDAI TO EXPLAIN THE FIRE HAZARD DEFECTIVE OIL SWITCH ISSUE. ALL THEY COULD SAY WAS TAKE IT TO DEALERSHIP. WELL I DID JUST THAT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED SO WHY GO BACK AND GO THRU THE SAME BS. THE 2 SWITCHES FAILING AND HIDDEN OIL POOLS ON A HOT ENGINE SHOULD BE A RED FLAG AND MAYBE AN ANSWER TO ALL THE PAST CAR FIRES REPORTED HERE. INCLUDED IS PHOTO OF THE DEFECTIVE PARTS THAT WHERE REPLACED. NOTE- THE SWITCH LOCATION IS IN THE V CAVITY UNDER THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE AND IF IT STARTS SPEWING HOT OIL OUT THERE'S NO WAY SEE IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11297907

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE REAR CALIPERS SEIZED. ALSO, WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE PEDAL FELT SPONGY AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE CALIPERS SEIZED AND THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V613000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11296943

PASSENGER OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM IN 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IS MALFUNCTIONING/ BROKEN. ONLY WAY TO REPLACE IS BY PURCHASING AN ENTIRELY NEW SEAT, $4000, IN ORDER FOR THE AIR BAGS TO WORK PROPERLY. VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 50,000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I CONTACTED HYUNDAI ABOUT THE ISSUE THEY WERE UNHELPFUL AND TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. DON'T FEEL I SHOULD EVER HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR A FAULTY AIRBAG SENSOR EVEN IF IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT THE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE SEAT HAS TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY DON'T SELL THE SENSOR ANY OTHER WAY IS ROBBERY. AIRBAGS SHOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE MAINTAINED OR FIXED ON A VEHICLE WHEN THERE IS NO FAULT BY THE OWNER. ESPECIALLY ONLY AFTER 8 YEARS AND LESS THAN 50,000 MILES.

NHTSA ODI 11281131

BROKEN COIL SPRING. COULD HAVE COLLAPSED ONTO TIRE WHILE MOVING. GARAGE FOUND THE PROBLEM AND HAD IT REPAIRED WITH NEW QUICK STRUTS.

NHTSA ODI 11257992

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT WATER WAS COLLECTING IN THE REAR PASSENGER BRAKE LIGHT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WINNER HYUNDAI (591 S DUPONT HWY, DOVER, DE 19901, (302) 877-2489) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SEAL FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

NHTSA ODI 11255907

WATER IN SIDE FRONT HEAD LIGHT AND INSIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT.. CLEAR COAT COMING OFF

NHTSA ODI 11244470

MY CAR STARTED RUNNING HOT PERIODICALLY, THE THERMOSTAT GAUGE KEPT GOING UP AND DOWN. THERE WAS A BUBBLING SOUND IN RADIATOR RESERVE CONTAINER. MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT STAY CRANKED.

NHTSA ODI 11235040

WARNING LIGHTS FOR ABS AND ESC SYSTEMS COME ON WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AND DO NOT GO OFF AS THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO. APPEARS TO BE AN EQUIPMENT FAILURE. LIGHTS STAY ON WHEN VEHICLE IN MOTION. BOTH LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY.

NHTSA ODI 11230032

2011 SANTA FE LEAKS OIL CONSTANTLY. IT'S MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN THE CAR IS STATIONARY, BECAUSE OUR DRIVEWAY IS ALWAYS COVERED WITH OIL STAINS. OTHERS HYUNDAI MODELS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, BUT NOT THE SANTA FE. THE LEAK HAS BEEN PRESENT FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, EVER SINCE I OWNED THE CAR. DEALER STATED THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE CAR AND NOTICED THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11229448

SOMETHING IN THE ENGINE , HARNESS OR MODULE , ALLOWS THE COMPUTER TO OVERHEAT SUDDENLY , THROUGH 3 BATTERS AND 2 ALTERNATORS IN 4 MONTHS LAST ALTERNATOR LASTED 2 DRIVES... CAR DIES NANCY DEPRESSIVE LIGHT SHOW AND DIED THEN THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR IS FRIED. HYUNDIA DEALERSHIP REFUSING TO CHECK HARNESS OR MODULE BECAUSE MY VIN NUMBER ISN'T LISTED IN RECALL ALTHOUGH MY CAR IS IN THE RECALL. THE CAR HAS DIED 4 TIMES REQUIRING TOWING. THE CAR DIED WHEN DRIVING AFTER ABOUT 10 MILES . CAR HAS BRAND NEW BATTERY. STARTER WORKS FINE. IT DIED IN THE MIDDLE IF A STREETCEACH TIME TWICE WAS AT NIGHT. AND I AM A DISABLED WOMAN WHO USES A WHEELCHAIR. MONDAY JUNE 24TH WAS THE MOST RECENT TIME AT 1 PM IN 104 DEGREE HEAT FOR 5 HOURS WITH A HEART CONDITION WHICH WAS DOUBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE BATTERY DIED EVENTUALLY LEAVING ME WITH NO HAZARDS. WHAT TO CHARGE ME TO REPLACE A 3 RD ALTERNATOR WITHOUT CHECKING HARNESS OR MODULE A SCAM!

NHTSA ODI 11228755

THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A LOW END ENGINE RATTLE DURING IDLE. THE NOISE WOULD GO AWAY ON ACCELERATION. TODAY THE ENGINE FAILED. IT WON'T TURN OVER AT ALL. IT'S SEIZED UP. I CHECKED THE OIL AND THE OIL IS FULL. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE WHEN IT WAS 2 YEARS OLD. I'VE USED SYNTHETIC OIL AND CHANGED THE OIL EVERY 3 - 4,000 MILES. THE SYMPTOMS ARE IDENTICAL TO THE ONES ON THE SONATA AND OTHER VARIOUS MODELS. MY VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED HERE IN THE STATES. AN ENGINE IS A HUGE EXPENSE. ESPECIALLY IF IT'S DUE TO MANUFACTURER NEGLIGENCE. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER HYUNDAI OR KIA AGAIN AT THIS POINT.

NHTSA ODI 11228497

THERE IS A REAR CALIPER RECALL ON HYUNDAI SANTAFE 2011 MANUFACTURED SEP.28 - NOV.25 2010 , MY VEHICLE IS MANUFACTURED IN THIS TIME FRAME - NOV.16.2010 AND HAVE THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL BUT THE HYUNDAI REPS REFUSED THE REPAIR BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT ON THE "LIST"? NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 10V-613 HYUNDAI RECALL 098: BRAKE CALIPERS

NHTSA ODI 11218466

MY 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON THE CITY STREETS AT A SPEED OF APPROX. 30MPH WHEN THE ENGINE STARTING MAKING A LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE. FOUND THE ENGINE HAS A BENT ROD. THE CAR HAS 110,000 MILES AND HAS HAD A REGULAR OIL CHANGE EVER SINCE WE BOUGHT THE CAR. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM. ALL OTHER VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED OR OWN NOW LAST WELL OVER 200,000 MILES. HAD TO TOW THE VEHICLE HOME 80 MILES. HOPE THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN TO ANYONE ELSE. NEVER HAD A WARNING THIS WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. THANK GOODNESS HE WAS ON A CITY STREET..

NHTSA ODI 11207901

BOUGHT THE SANTA FE USED WITH 96046 MILES ON IT. SHORTLY AFTER BUYING IT IT BEGAN MAKING A LOUD BANGING NOISE IN THE REAR END WHEN FIRST STARTING OUT ESPECIALLY STARTING OUT ON AN UPGRADE. ALSO MAKES THE NOISE WHEN BACKING UP IN WET GRASS OR MUDDY CONDITIONS. SOMETIMES SOUNDS LIKE THE WHOLE BACK END IS GOING TO FALL OFF THE CAR. UNFORTUNATELY NO WARRANTY. THERE ARE PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THE TRANSMISSION. NEEDS ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT.

NHTSA ODI 11203767