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

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO THE FAN IN ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING AFTER VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. RAN BATTERY DOWN. WE COULD HEAR THE FAN RUNNING BUT HAD NO IDEA HOW TO STOP IT. NO PROBLEMS UNTIL YESTERDAY WHEN THE SAME THING HAPPENED. ONLY DIFFERENCE WAS WE COULD NOT HEAR THE FAN RUNNING UNTIL WE POPPED THE HOOD TO JUMP START THE CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11001246

ON SATURDAY 6/3/17 I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM A BABY SHOWER WHEN I HEARD A METAL SOUNDING NOISE TOWARDS THE FRONT OF MY CAR AFTER HITTING A BUMP. THE NOISE ONLY HAPPENED ONCE AND WHEN I PULLED IN THE DRIVEWAY AND TURNED MY CAR OFF IT SOUNDED LIKE METAL PARTS FALLING OUT UNDER MY CAR BUT WHEN I CRAWLED UNDER MY CAR NOTHING LOOKED ABNORMAL, SO I GOT BACK IN THE CAR TO START IT AND IT WOULD NOT START. MONDAY 6/5/17 I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO KELLEY RADIATOR TO BE LOOKED AT, AFTER THEM CHECKING EVERYTHING THEY TOLD ME MY ENGINE IS SEIZED. THE OWNER OF KELLEY RADIATOR CANNOT FIGURE OUT WHY MY ENGINE SEIZED, HE HAS CHECKED EVERYTHING SUCH AS FLUIDS TO MECHANICAL PARTS AND EVERYTHING CHECKS OUT GOOD. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND ENGINE FAILURE IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH CERTAIN HYUNDAI CARS. I HAVE CONTACTED HYUNDAI BUT NO RESPONSE . I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 2 YEARS ,FAITHFULLY GETTING OIL CHANGES AND I STILL OWE $12,366.67 ON THIS CAR. I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ENGINE WITHOUT APPLYING FOR A LOAN AND REALLY CANNOT AFFORD A LAWYER SO ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 17V226000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE RECALL REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND WAS UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BE AVAILABLE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10991188

ENGINE STALLED TWICE DURING 35MPH DRIVE HOME THIS EVE, MAKING STEERING AWAY FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC EXTREMELY CHALLENGING AND TERRIFYING. OCCURRED ON #3 AND #4 OF 6 RIGHT TURNS.

NHTSA ODI 10991302

2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE STALLS, LOSES POWER, WILL NOT ACCELERATE, GIVES NO WARNING. THIS COULD CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT AND MULTIPLE DEATHS. THIS HAPPENS SUDDENLY WHILE DRIVING ALONG CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS AND WHILE TURNING. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10938643

MULTIPLE TIMES THE ENGINE JUST SHUTS OFF. THIS HAS HAPPENED AT IDLE AND AT SPEED. FULL LOSS OF POWER, ALL LIGHTS ON DASH ILLUMINATE, LOUD BANG WHEN AT SPEED. IF YOU PUT IN NEUTRAL AND RE-ENGAGE IGNITION CAR WILL START. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES. LAST WAS 9/6

NHTSA ODI 10905162

WHILE DRIVING THE MOTOR LOCKED UP WITH NO WARNING. NO OIL LEFT IN THE PAN BUT NO LIGHTS CAME ON.

NHTSA ODI 10785369

ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS MY VEHICLE WOULD REV UP THE RPM'S AND THEN SLOW WAY DOWN AND VEHICLE PAUSED FOR ABOUT 5-10 SECONDS THEN REENGAGED. ALSO, THE ENGINE SEEMS ACCELERATES AND SLOWS DOWN ON ITS OWN, DOESN'T FEEL LIKE TAKING FUEL AT TIMES. MY COMPLAINT SOUNDS SIMILAR TO NHTSA ID# 10744564, HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE DID NOT MAKE A LOUD SOUND FROM UNDERNEATH. I HAVE HAD MY 60000 MI SERVICE COMPLETED AND ISSUE PRESENTED AFTERWARDS. LUCKILY, THESE 3 INCIDENTS HAPPENED ON LOW VOLUME TRAFFIC STREETS. I HAVE HAD SERVICE AFTER AT DIFFERENT HYUNDAI DEALERS WITHOUT EXPLANATION.

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS, THERE WAS A SUDDEN INCREASE AND SUDDEN DECREASE IN ENGINE RPMS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ELECTRICAL FUNCTIONS OF THE VEHICLE FAILED AND A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE STALLED BRIEFLY, BUT WAS ABLE TO RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. WHILE DRIVING AT LOW SPEEDS, THE FAILURE RECURRED; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE STALLED COMPLETELY. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE EMERGENCY LANE AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED FOR HESITATION OF THE MOTOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. UPDATED 09/18/15*LJ

NHTSA ODI 10744564

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY REVVED VERY QUICKLY AND LURCHED FORWARD TOWARDS THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THE CAR STOPPED. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS ENOUGH ROOM BETWEEN MY CAR AND THE ONE IN FRONT OF ME THAT I DIDN'T HIT IT. WHEN I RESTARTED IT, IT WORKED FINE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10679049

WE OWN A 2011 HYNUDAI SANTA FE AND HAD AN INCIDENT LAST NIGHT PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT, WHICH APPEARS TO BE SOMETHING OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED: SUA SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. I WAS PULLING INTO THE PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND THE MOTOR JUST STARTED RACING FULL THROTTLE FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I MASHED ON THE BRAKE AND FELT IT FADE OUT UNDER THE FORCE OF THE INCREASED MOTOR RPM. I QUICKLY SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE BUT I HAD MY FOOT COMPLETELY REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE OR ACCELERATOR PEDALS. I THEN SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. MY WIFE AND I WERE SHAKEN BUT UNINJURED. AFTER COMPLETING OUR REASON FOR THE STOP, THE VEHICLE STARTED NORMALLY AND WE RETURNED HOME WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. BUT OUR CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLE HAS GONE TO ZERO. THIS WAS THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED SO FAR ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10662527

VEHICLE STALLED WHEN LEAVING STOP LIGHT LOST SPEED WOULD NOT ACCELERATE HAVE READ OTHER COMPLAINTS ON LINE SOME ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE VEHICLES I AGREE SAFTEY IS AN ISSUE DEALER OR MANUFACTURE CANNOT FIND SOLUTION TO PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10661015

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 1 HOUR EAST OF ASHEVILLE, NC IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. AT APPROXIMATELY 230 PM ON 8/20/2014 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE CAR SHUDDERED AND LOST ALL ACCELERATION. COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER MANAGED TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED CAR OFF. RESTARTED AND DROVE TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN ASHEVILLE, NC ABOUT 30 MILES AWAY. THEY PERFORMED A SOFTWARE UPDATE AND STATED PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED. CONTINUED DRIVING ON HIGHWAY (TRAVELING BACK TO DAYTON OH), AND WITHIN 1 HOUR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AT ABOUT 700 PM, A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND NO ACCELERATION, AND HAD TO COAST TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, RESTART THE ENGINE, ETC. AGAIN, INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS SITUATION ON A BUSY INTERSTATE. THE SAME EXACT SITUATION HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES ON OUR WAY HOME ON THE INTERSTATE, UNTIL WE COULD FINALLY TAKE IT TO OUR DEALER WHERE THEY REPLACED THE THROTTLE CONTROL ASSEMBLY AND DID ANOTHER SOFTWARE UPDATE. THIS WAS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS, COULD EASILY HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY BAD ACCIDENT AND MERITS INVESTIGATION. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF I CAN PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10628301

ENGINE SHUTS OFF AFTER TAKING FOOT OFF GAS, SLOWING DOWN AND THEN APPLYING GAS TO ACCELERATE. AFTER A SHORT PAUSE APROXIMATELY 15 TO 20 SECONDS, THE ENGINE WILL RESTART AND RESUME NORMAL OPERATION. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS. THE ENGINE HAS THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 14 MONTHS. CAR WAS BROUGH TO DEALER AFTER FIRST TIME AND NO CODES OR ISSUES COULD BE FOUND. I WILL BRING CAR BACK TO DEALER NOW AFTER THE THIRD TIME. THIS IS LAST STALL RESULTED IN A CLOSE CALL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10604672

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50.

NHTSA ODI 10597721

WHILE DRIVING THE ENGINE DIED SUDDENLY, I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AND IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR A REAR END COLLISION, I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS BUT THEY ARE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND SAY THAT THEY CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I HAVE NOTIFIED HYUNDAI OF THE PROBLEM AND THEY JUST TELL ME TO TAKE IT TO A DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE ON THE INTERNET AND THERE SEEMS TO BE MANY HYUNDAI OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH THE SAME YEAR AND MAKE OF VEHICLE. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE A FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM THAT HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF. PLEASE HELP! THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI 10596478

2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE ENGINE SHUT OFF AND CAR DIED. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE SLOWED DOWN TO GO AROUND A CURVE, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. HE COULD BARELY GET THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROADWAY, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES. TECH SUPPORT, RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE THROTTLE BODY, SINCE THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. HOWEVER, ON MARCH 1, 2014, WHILE DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT AT 10 MPH, THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AGAIN. THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKES WERE NOT OPERABLE. HE LET THE VEHICLE SIT FOR SEVERAL MINUTES BEFORE RE-STARTING IT. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER, AND AFTER A THOROUGH EXAMINATION, THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10583791

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,800 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 38,920.

NHTSA ODI 10577396

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO THE COMPLAINT I MADE ON 5/13/2013. AT THAT TIME MY VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP TO TRY TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM I HAD BEEN HAVING WHICH WAS THAT MY CAR WOULD RANDOMLY STALL WHILE MAKING A TURN, WHETHER LEFT OR RIGHT. WHEN THIS HAPPENED THE PANEL WOULD LIGHT UP LIKE CHRISTMAS AND EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE BRAKES WOULD CEASE TO WORK. I HAVE TO COAST TO A SAFE LOCATION (IF POSSIBLE) TO TURN OFF CAR AND THEN RESTART IT. I HAVE BEEN VERY FORTUNATE THAT ME OR MY FAMILY HAVE NOT BEEN HIT WHEN THIS HAPPENS. UPDATE TO LAST REPORT: MY CAR STAYED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS HOWEVER THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DUPLICATED. THEIR SOLUTION (HYUNDAI USA AND MY DEALERSHIP) WAS TO REPLACE THE THROTTLE BODY. EVERYTHING WAS FINE UNTIL THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON 1/19/2014. I DON'T THINK HYNDAI USA WILL BE SATISFIED UNTIL THERE'S FATALITIES UNFORTUNATELY. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10573113

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT, VEHICLE DROPPED SPEED WHILE I ACCELERATED. IT COASTED ALONG AT 1-2 MILES AN HOUR. THE CHECK ENGINE, ANTILOCK BRAKE AND 4 WHEEL DRIVE 'SKID' INDICATORS ALL LIT UP ON THE DASH BOARD. I HAD TO GUIDE THE VEHICLE TO A SAFE STOP BY THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER CLEARING A DANGEROUS INTERSECTION. THIS HAS OCCURRED FOUR ADDITIONAL TIMES AFTER THE DEALERSHIP ASSURED ME THIS PROBLEM HAD BEEN RECTIFIED. IT IS PRESENTLY AT THE DEALERSHIP AFTER HAVING BEEN TOWED IN FOR THE FIFTH (5TH) TIME. THIS CAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10556954

WHILE DRIVING AT SLOW SPEED 10-15 MPH AND BRAKING THE CAR COMPLETELY STALLED, ONCE WHILE TURNING LEFT AND ONCE WHILE GOING STRAIGHT. LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES AND NARROWLY AVOIDING HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND NO CODES STORED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550475

MY ENGINE HAS STALLED AT SEVERAL OCCASIONS BEGINNING AROUND APRIL 2013. THE FIRST 2 EVENTS HAPPENED AS I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. I PUT MY FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR AND NOTHING HAPPENED I HAD TO RESTART THE CAR TO GET IT MOVING AGAIN. THE CAR HAS ALSO STALLED TWICE WHILE I WAS REVERSING INTO A PARKING SPOT AND ONCE AS I WAS TURNING A CORNER I LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING FUNCTION IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET. AS RECENTLY AS OCTOBER 2013 THE CAR STALLED AGAIN WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT. ALL OF THESE EVENTS HAPPENED AS I WAS STOPPED OR MOVING AT A LOW (LESS THAN 10 MPH) RATE OF SPEED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10550397

9/26/13 - WHILE GOING UP TO THE NEXT LEVEL OF A PARKING STRUCTURE AT A SLOW SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. PUT IT INTO PARK AND RESTARTED IT AND DROVE IT TO A PARKING SPOT. LATER THAT DAY WAS ABLE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALERSHIP; THEY HAVE HAD IT FOR 4 DAYS (2 OF WHICH WERE OVER THE WEEKEND). NO CODES REGISTERED IN THE COMPUTER SYSTEM; THEY ARE WAITING TO HEAR FROM A HYUNDAI TECH. ACCORDING TO RESEARCH ONLINE, THIS IS A COMMON (AND DANGEROUS) PROBLEM WITH THE SANTA FE. PRIOR TO THIS EPISODE, ON 2 OTHER OCCASIONS (9/13/13 AND 8/3/2012), WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT 70MPG AND 50MPH RESPECTIVELY AND LOST POWER AND THE ABILITY TO KEEP OR INCREASE MY SPEED AND HAD TO PULL OVER AND GET TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, BOTH TIMES. THIS TOO APPEARS TO BE COMMON AMONG ONLINE FORUMS FOR SANTA FE'S. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10546144

FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS SUMMER THE ENGINE HAS JUST SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY DOWN HILL. THIS TIME I BARELY MISSED CAUSING AN ACCIDENT AND HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10535699

ON JUNE 11, 2013 I WAS DRIVING MY 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND HAD PULLED INTO A PARKING PLACE. I WAS STOPPED AND PUTTING MY CAR INTO PARK. AS I REACH NEUTRAL MY CAR ACCELERATED FAST...THIS WAS MORE THEN A LUNGE FORWARD, IT WAS MORE LIKE A POWER SURGE. MY CAR CONTINUED FORWARD AT A VERY FAST SPEED, DESPITE MY BRAKING ( THERE WERE SKID MARKS) AND HIT A WALL. I ENDED UP WITH LOTS OF MASSIVE BRUISING AND SPRAINED MUSCLES. PLUS I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED. THERE WAS LOTS OF DAMAGE TO MY CAR. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE I PURCHASED IT. IT IS SILL IN THEIR BODY SHOP. A FEW DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE WERE LOTS & LOTS OF EXAMPLES OF THIS, SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM, WITH THE 2011 SANTA FE. I DON'T SEE ANY RESPONSES FROM HYUNDAI. THIS PROBLEM HAS TO BE DEALT WITH. *TR

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