What 181 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport

ON MAY 26TH 2011 AROUND 6:20 PM WHEN I DROVE ON A LOCAL DOWN HILL ROAD WHICH IS ABOUT 400 YARD LONG, AT A SPEED ABOUT 20 MPH, MY CAR LOST BRAKE AND POWER STEERING. I SUPPOSED TO STOP AT A STOP SIGN AND MAKE A LEFT TURN. WHEN I PRESSED MY BRAKE PEDAL, MY CAR CAN'T STOP AND THE PEDAL WAS VERY HEAVY, AND I CAN'T TURN THE STEERING WHEEL EITHER. MY CAR KEPT GOING STRAIGHT. I KEPT STEPPING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL VERY HARD AND MY CAR FINALLY STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF STREET GRADUALLY. WHEN I LOOKED, I NOTICED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT WERE ON. I THEN TURN OFF MY CAR AND REST A WHILE. I THEN TURNED MY CAR BACK ON AND FOUND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND OIL LIGHT WENT OFF AND EVERYTHING SEEMED BACK TO NORMAL. WORTH TO NOTE THAT IT WAS HOT THAT DAY ABOUT 90 DEGREE AND I RIDE ON BRAKE SLIGHTLY FOR ABOUT 300 YARD ON THAT DOWN HILL ROAD BEFORE THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE SLOWLY BACK HOME THAT DAY AND BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE CLOSEST HYUNDAI DEALER AT 7:30 AM THE NEXT MORNING. HOWEVER THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO REPRODUCE THE FAILURE AND FOUND NOTHING. I THEN CONTACTED HYUNDAI AND HYUNDAI CREATED A CASE NUMBER AND SUGGESTED ME GO TO THE SELLING DEALER. ON JUNE 7TH, I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE SELLING DEALER AND THEY COULD NOT REPRODUCE THE FAILURE EITHER AND ASKED ME TO COME BACK TO THEM WHEN IT HAPPENS AGAIN. HOWEVER, IT COULD BE DANGEROUS WHEN MY CAR LOSES BRAKE AGAIN WHEN I AM DRIVING. I AM WONDERING IF THERE IS ANY OTHER WAY TO INVESTIGATE ROOT CAUSES OR STRESS MY CAR TO REPRODUCE THIS ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10412636

NEW SANTA FE, 45 DAYS OLD, SCREECHING / METAL ON METAL GRINDING SOUND. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. AT 3 MONTHS OLD, CAR ENGINE TURNED OFF WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIND A PROBLEM. NOTHING DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. DO NOT TRUST CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10410037

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN PARKED ON A SNOW BANK, THE DRIVER SIDE BUMPER COVER POPPED UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX THE COVER. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE COVER BACK IN TEMPORARILY BUT IT WAS NOT FULLY REPAIRED. UPDATED 03/29/11 *BF UPDATED 04/06/11 UPDATED 04/06/11

NHTSA ODI 10386657

VEHICLE PULLED HARD TO THE LEFT (THE SIDE I WANTED TO PASS ON) WHEN PASSING GEAR WAS USED. I CAME VERY CLOSE TO HITTING THE CAR TO MY LEFT. THE DEALERS SERVICE MANAGER CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL DUE TO TORQUE KNUCKLE STEERING. (IT HAPPENED WHEN HE DROVE MY SUV AND HE TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET USED TO IT!!! WE ALSO TRIED ANOTHER SUV AND EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM, PLEASE NOTE; THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT BIGGER TIRES WOULD PROBABLY SOLVE THE PROBLEM. WHEN I TOLD HIM THAT THE SUV IS UNDER WARRANTY AND THAT I WOULD NOT PAY FOR THEM HE DROPPED THE SUBJECT). I HAVE TRIED THE MANEUVER INDICATED WHEN THERE IS NO TRAFFIC AND IT HAPPENS MORE OFTEN THAN NOT. I AM CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND THE SAFETY OF ANYONE WITHOUT MY QUICK REFLEXES. I HAD NOTICED THIS PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES PRIOR TO THE PASSING INCIDENT ON A STRAIGHT ACCELERATION, BUT BELIEVED IT MIGHT BE AN UNEVEN PAVEMENT CAUSING IT. )I AM NOT A MECHANIC, BUT THINK THERE IS A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE STEERING AND THE DRIVE TRAIN THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 02/14/11 *BF THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER IT WAS A NORMAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE RIGHT REAR PASSENGER DOOR WOULD NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. UPDATED PORTABLE 02/25/11

NHTSA ODI 10382013

2011 HYUNDAI VERACRUZ NEW VEHICLE HAS DISCHARGED HEAVY FUEL FUMES AND ODORS OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE CREATING A POSSIBLE POTENTIAL FOR FIRE/EXPLOSION AND CAUSING OBNOXIOUS IF NOT HAZARDOUS BREATHING. 12/31/2010 SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED 01/01/2011 AT START-UP, THERE WAS A "POP" AND ENGINE STARTED. REPLICATED AT DEALERSHIP AND RAW GAS WAS SMELLED. DEALER KEPT VEHICLE FOR SERVICE SHOP TO OPEN ON 01/03/2011. 01/03/2011 DEALER REPLACED PURGE CONTROL VALVE (P/N 28910-3C100). TOOK VEHICLE, SMELLED GAS FUMES IN GARAGE @ RESIDENCE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. 01/04/2011 RETURNED VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP. PART ORDERED AIR FREIGHT. 01/05/2011 DEALER INSTALLED FUEL TANK AIR FILTER (P/N 31543-3J501-R). TOOK VEHICLE HOME, SMELLED GAS FUMES IN GARAGE @ RESIDENCE. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. 01/06/2011 FUMES IN GARAGE NOT PRESENT. THOUGHT ISSUE CORRECTED. FUELED VEHICLE, RAN ERRANDS, SMELLED FUEL OUTSIDE VEHICLE. HAD LUNCH, SMELLED FUEL INSIDE OF CAR. NOT PREVIOUSLY SMELLED INSIDE VEHICLE.RETURNED TO DEALERSHIP. 01/07/2011 DEALER ADVISES THAT THEY ARE DISMANTLING VEHICLE ABOUT THE FUEL FILL AREA TO EXPLORE FOR DEFECTS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10375329

I PURCHASED A HYUNDAI, NOT EVEN ONE MONTH AGO. DECEMBER 12TH 2010. VIN [XXX] HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2011 IT IS SUPPOSED TO GET 20-26 MILES PER GALLON. WHILE DRIVING THE HIGHWAY FROM FLORIDA TO NC IT GOT 15 MILES TO THE GALLON. ON THE WAY BACK THE SAME THING. IN ADDITION THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT RIGHT, THE CAR WOULD NOT SHIFT AND MADE A HORRIBLE NOISE SEVERAL TIMES. WE DID NOT THINK WE WOULD GET HOME. IT WOULD NOT SHIFT AT ALL. I TOOK IT TO THE LOCAL HYUNDAI SERVICE CENTER AND REPORTED IT TO HYUNDAI. THEY CLAIM THERE IS NOTHING WRONG AND THAT THE CAR JUST NEEDS TO BE BROKEN IN. I WENT ON LINE AND SAW MANY CONSUMERS HAD THE SAME COMPLAINTS AND HYUNDAI IGNORED THEIRS AS WELL. I DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN. I NEVER HEARD OF A CAR NEEDING TO BE BROKEN IN. THE MILEAGE IS A LIE. THE CAR IS NOT GETTING WHAT THEY CLAIM IT SHOULD AND OTHERS HAVE REPORTED THE SAME THING TO HYUNDAI. THERE APPEARS TO BE A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WITH MY CAR AND WITH THOSE OF OTHER CONSUMERS AND THEY REFUSE TO HELP. CAN YOU HELP ME PLEASE? INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ODI 10373998