What 604 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid Hev

WHEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, VEHICLE LOST POWER AND SHUT OFF, SMELLED AND SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE VENTS. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND OPENED HOOD TO CHECK ENGINE AND FLAMES SHOT OUT, CLOSED HOOD AND TRUCKERS RAN OVER WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHERS AND CALLED FIRE DEPARTMENT. WITHIN 5 MINUTES VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY ENGULFED AND FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD ARRIVED AND COULD ONLY PREVENT FLAMES FROM SPREADING TO SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLY CONSUMED BY THIS CATASTROPHIC FIRE. CALLED HYUNDAI CORPORATE OFFICES IN CALIFORNIA TO REPORT IT AS THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY AND WAS ASKED 'WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO?'. RECEIVED THE IMPRESSION THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS.

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THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH MY FOOT ON BRAKE. THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RACE FOR SEVERAL SECONDS AND THEN RETURNED TO NORMAL. IT SEEMED AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN NEUTRAL WHEN THIS HAPPENED AS THERE WAS NO LABORING OF THE ENGINE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE.

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2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2.4 IS HAVING MAJOR STEERING ISSUES. AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45MPH THE SUV SWAYS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF. IF YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF WIND THE SUV WILL CHANGE LANES AND IF YOU SLIGHTLY CORRECT IT OVER CORRECTS. I HAVE CHECKED THE TIRE PRESSURE AND THE TIRES SHOW NO SIGNS A WEAR. ALSO THE FUEL TANK WILL ONLY FILL 3/4 FULL THEN YOU HAVE TO WAIT AND EVER SO SLOWLY PUT THE REMAINING 1.5-2 GALLONS IN. THE MPG IS HORRIBLE ONLY GETTING 20MPG AT BEST ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ECO MODE DROPS THE FUEL ECONOMY DOWN TO 18MPG WHEN ACTIVATED. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER SHIP DUE TO WORK AND CANNOT GO WITHOUT A VEHICLE. *TR

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THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE WELL DOCUMENTED BY OTHERS ON THE INTERNET. WHEN PUMPING GAS, THE FUEL TANK ACTS LIKE IT IS FULL CAUSING THE GAS PUMP TO SHUT OFF. HOWEVER, THE TANK IS ONLY ABOUT 3/4 FULL. IF YOU ARE PATIENT ENOUGH, YOU CAN EVENTUALLY FILL UP THE TANK BY TRICKLING IN GAS, WAITING A COUPLE OF SECONDS, TRICKLING IN SOME MORE GAS, ETC. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT HUYNDAI SERVICE CENTERS FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS AN ISSUE. IT APPEARS THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD THEIR TANKS REPLACE. 1 COMPLAINT INDICATES THAT THE SERVICE CENTER INDICATED THAT A PIECE CLOSE TO THE FILLER HOSE HAD "MELTED". SOUNDS LIKE IT MAY BE TIME FOR NHTSA TO STEP UP AND DO SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *TR

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THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER DISPLAYED CORRECT MPG. THE DIGITAL READ OUT THAT "TELLS" YOU YOUR AVERAGE MILEAGE IS ALWAYS 2 OR 3 MILES OFF THE ACTUAL MPG. I RESET ALL THE SETTINGS EVERY FUEL UP. IT 'TELLS" ME I'M AVERAGING 21 MPG, BUT WHEN I CHECK IT MULTIPLE TIMES IT'S ACTUALLY 18MPG. THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO GE 21/29 AND I NOW HAVE 15,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I'VE NEVER GOTTEN MORE THAN 19 IN TOWN OR ABOUT 27 ON THE ROAD AND THOSE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. YET, THE GAGE IS ALWAYS INACCURATE BY 2 TO 3 MPG. I FEEL THAT IS VERY DECEIVING. IF YOU DIDN'T CHECK IT YOURSELF, YOU WOULD THINK IT'S GETTING THE GAS MILEAGE IT'S SUPPOSED TO, BUT THE READOUTS ARE WRONG. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DELIBERATE OR A CALIBRATION ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY CLAIM EVERYTHING IS FINE. IF I'M SUPPOSED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT WITH ANOTHER AGENCY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. *TR

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PURCHASED CAR 7/2013. BROUGHT CAR TO LESTER GLENN HYUNDAI AT TOMS RIVER NJ FOR SERVICE ON 3/5/2013. THEY HAD VEHICLE FOR 3 DAYS WHICH INCLUDED OTHER REPAIRS. IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS, THE DIGITAL READOUT THAT SHOWS REMAINING MILES TO FUEL CAPACITY IS NOT ACCURATE OR CLOSE TO IT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER FUEL GAUGE THAT SHOWS FUEL IN TANK. THE GAUGE READS ONLY 250 TO 270 MILES DISTANCE WHEN I REFUELED MY CAR TO THE BRIM. DEALER SAID IT SHOWS THIS READING BECAUSE OF MY DRIVING HABITS. I'M THE ONLY DRIVER AND TREAT THIS CARD WITH KID GLOVES AND DO NOT DRIVE FAST OR SUDDEN STOPS (64 AGE). IF YOU DIVIDE THE FUEL CAPACITY IN THE TANK 19 GALLONS BY 270 MILES GIVES YOU 14.2 MILES. THE GAUGE ON MY DASHBOARD FOR AVERAGE MILES PER/GALLON IS 23 MILES. IF YOU CALCULATE 23 MILES BY 19 GALLONS RESULTS SHOW 437 MILES. I CALLED CORPORATE HYUNDAI YESTERDAY CASE # 6456349 AND THEY COULDN'T HELP ME OR EXPLAIN THE REASONING BEHIND THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN MY DRIVER HABITS. EITHER THE GAUGES ARE DEFECTIVE OR WORSE THE MILEAGE REPORTED TO EPA/DOT IS FALSE AND NOT 18 CITY AND 24 HIGHWAY MILES AS SHOWN ON WINDOW STICKER DESCRIPTION WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR. PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE HYUNDAI WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY CONCERNS AND FACTUAL COMPLAINTS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE GAVE ME A BLANK LOOK WHEN THEY RETURN THE CAR TO ME WHEN I SHOWED THEM THE GAUGE AFTER SERVICING. COULD NOT EXPLAIN AND RECOMMEND RESOLUTION! WHEN EXITING THE DEALER, I RAN INTO ANOTHER PERSON WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINT ABOUT FUEL GAUGES GIVING CONFLICTING INFORMATION. PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE HYUNDAI DOESN'T LISTEN TO LITTLE GUY CONSUMER. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE. *TR

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FUEL TANK SHUTS GAS PUMP OFF 3/4 FULL. CAN NOT FILL UP GAS TANK. PURCHASED SUV NEW IN DEC 2012, HAD THIS ISSUE FROM FIRST FILL UP. WENT TO DEALER SERVICE ONCE AND THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. IT IS CURRENTLY 20 FEB 2013, SINCE MY DRIVER SIDE BLINKER DOESN'T WORK (NOT THE BULB) I HAD TO TAKE BACK IN FOR SERVICE. I HAD THEM LOOK AT THE FUEL TANK ISSUE AGAIN. THEY ARE NOW SEEING THE PROBLEM AND ARE REPLACING THE FUEL TANK. I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE I SAW THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND WANTED IT RECORDED IN HOPES THAT HYUNDAI WILL DO A RECALL. *TR

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VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC.NO WARNING SIGNS. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR WHENEVER THE CONTACT REFUELED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500.

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2013 SANTA FE 2.0 AWD- FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY THEREFORE YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE IN THE CAR. FIRST TIME I PUMPED GAS IT STOPPED AT 3/4 AND MET CLICKING. 2ND TIME PUMPED IT NEVER STOPPED AND THE TANK OVER FLOWED. MY AVERAGE MPG DOES NOT GO HIGHER THEN 15 MILE PER GALLON! MY RANGE SHOWS ONLY 250 ON A FULL TANK. HYUNDAI KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUES AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. I RECOMMEND EVERYONE CONTACT THEIR LOCAL LEMON LAW ATTORNEY AND START THE PROCESS IF YOU HAVE TRIED 4 OR MORE TIME WITH HYUNDAI TO RESOLVE THIS. I STARTED MY PROCESS AND ITS LOOKING LIKE THEY HAVE TO GIVE ME 100%'OF MY MONEY BACK AND NO LESS. OH ALSO EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE ON DRIVER SIDE WHEN DRIVING. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE PROVIDED INACCURATE READINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. *TR UPDATED 05/23/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON MAY 6, 2013. THE GAS TANK ASSEMBLY UNIT AND FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 05/28/2013 *JS

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GAS GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY AND CAUSES TRIP CALCULATION AND DRIVING RANGE TO BE DISPLAYED INCORRECTLY. THIS COULD CAUSE CAR TO UNEXPECTEDLY RUN OUT OF FUEL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

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WE PURCHASED THE 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT (2WD) ON 2/23/13. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO FILL UP THE GAS TANK FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE GAS PUMP CONTINUOUSLY SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY AS IF THE TANK WAS FULL. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES TO FILL UP 3/4 OF THE TANK. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE GAS PUMP THAT WAS BAD. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO FILL UP AGAIN, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON A DIFFERENT PUMP. I TRIED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS, AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR A CHECK UP. AFTER A PRELIMINARY CHECK, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO ERROR CODE. HOWEVER, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REMOVE THE TANK AND CHECK THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, THE GAS TANK WAS TOO FULL, SO I NEEDED TO DRIVE IT AROUND AND USE UP SOME GAS UNTIL IT WAS LESS THAN 1/2 TANK FULL. SO AFTER A FEW DAYS, I TOOK IT IN AGAIN. AFTER A FEW DAYS, THEY ADVISED THAT THE AFTER REMOVING THE TANK, THEY OBSERVED THE FUEL TANK NECK END HAD BEEN MELTED. THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. SO THEY REPLACED THE FUEL TANK, AND FILLED THE GAS TANK WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. WE JUST GOT THE CAR BACK, SO WE'LL SEE IT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED, OR IF IT'LL BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY ODD THAT A BRAND NEW CAR WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND WE'RE MORE CONCERNED WHAT CAUSED IT TO "MELT". IF THERE IS A MAJOR HEAT ISSUE THAT WOULD CAUSE SOMETHING TO MELT NEAR THE GAS TANK, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN. THE DEALER ADVISED US THAT AN ENGINEER FROM HYUNDAI CAME OUT TO INSPECT IT UPON LEARNING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WE'VE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINT ONLINE, AND NOT ONLY WITH THE SANTA FE BUT WITH MANY OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS. IN FACT, THE 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA RENTAL THEY PROVIDED US WITH HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHERE IT WOULD SHUT OFF EVERY 2 1/2 GALLONS. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR NOW, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO MONITOR IT. *TR

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CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUT FOR AS LONG AS 5 OR 6 SECONDS THIS HAPPENING SEVERAL TIMES EARLY ON. THE CAR NOW HAS 2300 MILES AND THE SYMPTOMS HAVE EVOLVED TO THE CAR STARTING TO MOVE TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES PER HOUR THEN FALLING ON ITS FACE FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS BEFORE RESUMING SPEED ALMOST CAUSING A REAR COLLISION. THE CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE ONE TIME FOR FIVE DAYS WITH THE DEALER UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A REAR COLLISION OR AN ACCIDENT PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. *TR

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VEHICLE DELIVERED AS NEW, IMMEDIATELY UPON ATTEMPTING TO PUMP AND FILL GASOLINE TANK, THE PUMP CLICKED AS FULL. HOWEVER, GASOLINE GAUGE ON DASH ONLY WOULD AND CONTINUES TO SHOW 3/4 FULL. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT TO ADDRESS AND ERADICATE THIS SITUATION AND NOTHING HAS CORRECTED THE SITUATION NOR DOES HYUNDAI HAVE ANY ANSWERS AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THIS SITUATION. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN MY FAVORITE HYUNDAI SERVICE FACILITY FOR MANY DAYS AND WHEN FINALLY RETURNED THE ONLY ANSWER I WAS GIVEN, WAS THAT THE VEHICLE IS AN EARLY PRODUCTION OF THE MODEL AND THEY HAVE HAD SOME OF SAME PROBLEM. IN ADDITION THE ELECTRONIC STEERING IS A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT AS IT IS QUITE DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON A TRUE STRAIGHT PATHWAY NO MATTER WHAT THE COMPOSITION OF THE PAVEMENT. THERE WAS SOME SORT OF ALERT FROM THE FACTORY ON AN ADJUSTMENT HOWEVER AND WAS ADDRESSED BUT IS STILL TERRIBLE. THEN THERE'S AN ISSUE ON THE HITCH WHEREBY THEN TRAILER PREP WIRING WAS INCLUDED ON THE INVOICE, INSTALLED BY THE SELLING DEALER AND THE SERVICING DEALER FEELS IT NOT THERE DUTY/RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR IT. I HAVE BEEN A HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SINCE 2001 AS THIS IS A VERY GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT AND BESIDES SAFETY ISSUES. THESE ISSUES MUST BE CLEARED UP ASAP BY BOTH THE HYUNDAI MANUFACTURER AND STRAIGHTENED OUT WITH THEIR DEALERS. PLEASE ! I WOULD THINK THE MANUFACTURER ADMITTING THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND CANNOT SOLVE IT THEY WOULD REPLACE MY EXACT VEHICLE AS I PURCHASED IT EQUIPPED AND TAKE BACK THIS ONE. THEY KNOW OF THE PROBLEM SO JUST SIMPLY REPLACE MY VEHICLE WITHOUT ANY CHARGES TO ME NOW!

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VEHICLE WILL NOT FILL PAST 3/4 TANK. IF YOU STAY AT PUMP AND KEEP CLICKING IT WILL OVERFLOW AND EVENTUALLY FILL BUT, THEN ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS AND MUST TO RETURN TO DEALER FOR SERVICE. MANY PARTS HAVE BEEN INSTALLED IN AN ATTEMPT TO FIX BUT NOTHING WORKS. ELECTRONIC STEERING EXCEPTIONALLY VAGUE IN ANY OF THREE SETTINGS, TRAILER CONNECTOR NOT FUNCTIONING. VEHICLE ENGINE ALMOST CUTS OFF AT TIMES. *TR

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2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER STATES ISSUES WITH HESITATION AND STALLING WHEN ACCELERATING. *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION, WHICH WAS COMMON AMONG SEVERAL BRANDS OF AUTOMOBILES AND THERE WAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THE HESITATION AT ACCELERATION OCCURRED AT SLOW SPEEDS WHILE TURNING AND THE ENGINE WOULD MOMENTARILY STALL. *JB

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