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

The contact owned a 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at about 35 MPH, The steering wheel was seized on a winding road; the steering warning light had also appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle began to veer to the right direction as the contact forcefully steered the vehicle back to the left direction to avoid hitting a fence. The vehicle then spun into the opposite side of the road before hitting a curb. Once the vehicle hit the curb, the vehicle flipped three times before the vehicle came to a halt. All air bags deployed during the accident. A police report was filed. The vehicle was initially towed to an independent mechanic but was later towed by her insurance for an investigation. All three passengers were taken to the hospital by a family member where they were treated for various injuries. One passenger sustained temporary ringing in both ears after the accident and the other passenger suffered temporary back pain. The contact sustained a head injury and a muscle strain to both their neck and back. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ODI 11559893

2013 HYUNDAI SANTE FE SPORT 'STEERING BEGAN A "HESITATION", "LAG", "PLAY" WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL EVEN SLIGHTLY IN EITHER DIRECTION.' THE PROBLEM WILL INCREASED AS 3 DIFERENTE CERTIFIED MECHANICS ALREADY INFORMED ME. IT APPEARS ALL THESE PROBLEMS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO HYUNDAI'S ELECTION TO USE A CHEAP RUBBER COUPLER BETWEEN THE STEERING COLUMN AND STEERING LINKAGE.' 'THE REPLACEMENT PART IS $6.88. HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS CHARGE $400-$500 TO REPLACE IT. NHTSA SHOULD HAVE LONG AGO ORDERED HYUNDAI TO EFFECTUATE A REPLACEMENT OF THIS PART WITH ONE MADE OF A MATERIAL THAT WILL NOT DEGRADE AS THIS PART DOES.' HYUNDAI HAS ISSUED SEVERAL EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR SOME MODELS, EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW ITS THE SAME PROBLEMS FOR ALL THE MODELS WITH THIS CHEAP RUBBER COUPLER. MOST OF THIS INFORMATION WAS FROM OTHER OWNER'S COMPLAINS, BUT THE NEW INFORMATION I HAVE WAS FROM THE HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT. AFTER REPLACING MY ENGINE IN A RECALL (WHERE MY CAR STOPPED AND FIRE STARTED IN MY ENGINE), I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS RUBBER COUPLER. EVERYONE FROM HYUNDAI SERVICE DEP KNOWS THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE IN A RECALL, BUT THEY JUST WILL DO NOTHING TO GET IT TO NHTSA. THEY JUST STATED 'NHTSA IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN REQUEST FOR A RECALL.' TODAY I SPOKE AGAIN WITH THE HYUNDAI SERVICE MANAGER (AT RED HOAGLAND HYUNDAI WINTER HAVEN, FL ), BECAUSE AFTER CALLING HYUNDAI RECALL DEP AND BEING TOLD THAT 'IF THE SERVICE DEP DECIDES THAT THIS REPLACEMENT SHOULD BE IN A RECALL THEY COULD REQUEST FOR A EXTENDED WARRANTY FROM THE HYUNDAI RECALL DEP, OR NHTSA NEEDS TO PUT A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM'. ITS CLEAR THAT EVERYONE KNOWS THIS PROBLEM SHOULD BE IN A RECALL AND THAT IT IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION, BUT NO ONE DOES ANYTHING ABOUT IT. ARE YOU GUYS WAITING FOR SOME ONE TO DIE BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM BEFORE PUTTING A RECALL? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *PM

NHTSA ODI 11290001

I WAS DRIVING WEST ON U.S. HWY 80 AT ABOUT 30 MPH, AFTER PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ABOUT 1 BLOCK BEFORE I LOST CONTROL OF MY 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, AT AN INTERSECTION. IT MADE A SHARP RIGHT TURN WITHOUT MY HELP AT ALL. AFTER HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THEN JUMPING A LARGE CURB, I CAME TO STOP ABOUT 18" FROM A SMALL TREE. I WAS COMPLETELY TRAUMATIZED. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL HAD A BLOW OUT FROM THE OUTSIDE SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. THE MECHANIC SAID IT LOOKED SLASHED. THE BIG QUESTION IS, DID THE BLOW OUT OCCUR AT THE TIME MY VEHICLE MADE THE SHARP RIGHT TURN AT THE INTERSECTION, OR DID IT OCCUR WHEN IT HIT THE CURB? I DON'T KNOW, BUT I FEEL SOMETHING HAPPENED TO CAUSE THAT SHARP RIGHT TURN IN THE FIRST PLACE. I HAD THE MECHANIC CHECK OUT THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL AREA (AXLE, ETC). THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLES PARTS, THAT WASN'T CAUSED BY THE ACCIDENT. THIS MAKES ME MORE CONVINCED IT HAS TO BE THE TIRE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIRE THAT HAS BLOWN OUT ON THE OUTSIDE WALL OF THE TIRE SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2013. THE OTHER BLOW OUT WAS FROM A NAIL GOING THROUGH THE OUTSIDE WALL. I ONLY HAVE 11,045 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE. TIRES ARE A KUMHO, CRUGEN, P235/55R19, 101H SL BSW OE (INFORMATION COPIED FROM A DISCOUNT TIRE RECEIPT WHEN THE FIRST BLOW OUT WAS REPLACED 5-22-15). I AM AFRAID TO GET BACK IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAUSED COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. I WILL TRADE IT IN ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLE. I'M AFRAID OF HYUNDAI'S AND KUMHO TIRES!

NHTSA ODI 10788476

WHILE TURN LEFT INTO A SUBDIVISION THE STEERING WOULD NOT RE-CENTER THUS THE CAR RAN OVER A COUPLE OF LARGE STONES LINING THE ROADWAY AT THE ENTRANCE. THE ABS DID NOT ENGAGE. FINALLY THE CAR STOPPED ABOUT 30 FEET LATER. I WAS ABLE TO FINALLY STEER THE CAR BACK ON TO THE STREET. THERE IS DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE, THE INNER WHEEL WELL ON THE RIGHT SIDE WAS TORN OFF, THE LEFT FRONT AIR DAM, THE EXHAUST SYSTEM, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS DAMAGE, AND A FLAT TIRE.

NHTSA ODI 10761903