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2003 Hyundai Santa Fe

Safety ratings, recalls, and consumer complaints from NHTSA

NHTSA Safety Ratings

2003 Hyundai Santa Fe 4-DR.

Overall
Not Rated
Front Crash
Not Rated
Side Crash
Not Rated
Rollover
★★★☆☆

Recalls(4)

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 “salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.

Campaign: 14V435000

SUSPENSION:REAR

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 83,355 MY 2001-2003 SANTA FE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARMS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM STEEL. OWNERS MAY SEE OR FEEL SLIGHT TO MODERATE CHANGES IN VEHICLE OPERATION WHICH WILL INCREASE IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRED. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE A LOWERING OF VEHICLE HEIGHT THAT CAN LEAD TO TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. OWNERS MAY ALSO NOTICE A CREAKING SOUND.

Campaign: 09V123000

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS

CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."

Campaign: 03V520000

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS (ABS), IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 3 AND 12 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PAD FRICTION SURFACES ARE WET, A VIBRATION MAY OCCUR BETWEEN THE BRAKE DISCS AND PADS CAUSING ABS SENSOR ELECTRONIC SIGNAL NOISE TO DEVELOP. AT SPEEDS BELOW 5 MPH, THE ABS SENSOR SIGNAL NOISE MAY CAUSE THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO ACTIVATE THE ABS, EXTENDING THE STOPPING DISTANCE.

Campaign: 04V131000

Consumer Complaints(308 total, showing 10)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the ABS system activated, and there was an abnormal shuddering in the brake pedal. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the ABS needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

STEERING,SUSPENSION

The driver's side rear trailing arm lower broke again. Was driving all of a sudden felt it start fishtailing and pulled over and thank God I didn't crash

ENGINE

Bought a set of duralast gold wrists a801116 asks since the day i put them in i had to replace parts whole charging a problem that turned out to be from the wires. Cause it was causing arcing in every one of the cylinders.

WHEELS

The contact owns a 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side front wheel detached without warning. The wheel bearing and hub were replaced by the owner. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted nor informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 190,000.

SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE

BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN FOR A ALIGNMENT AND THEY DISCOVERED THE RUSTED AND CORRADIATED REAR LEFT TRAILING CONTROL ARM ON MY 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE, I BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AFTER THAT TO GET A RECALL AND THE TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS BOUGHT IN ND AND THAT STATE IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL THEY WILL DECLINE THE WORK, EVEN THOU MINN. IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR LIKE I LIVE ABOUT 1 MILE TO MN THEY STILL WOULDN'T EXCEPT THE RECALL, IT IS OBVIOUS THE PART THAT IS ON RECALL FITS MY CAR, WHEN LOOKING ON THE RIGHT SIDE ARM THERE IS NO RUST OR CORROSION. THE DEALER STATES IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THE ARM IS STARTING TO BEND ALSO. SO WHAT DO I DO NOW, IT WILL BE VERY COSTLY TO FIX,

STRUCTURE

THE SUBFRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH. IT WAS GARAGE KEPT AND DOESN'T EVEN HAVE 150,000 MILES ON IT.

WHEELS

MY VEHICLE CALLS FOR A SWAY BAR N LINK IT DOES NOT HAVE ONE OR A PLACE TO PUT ONE FOR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. WHEN I GO OVER A BUMP IT MAKES A REAL LOUD NOISE. I REPLACED BOTH SHOCKS. NOISE IS STILL THERE. THERE ARE 4 RECALLS ON THIS CAR. RECALL #03V030000, #14V435000,#09V123000,03V520000. IN MOTION *TR

Crash reported

SUSPENSION

REAR TRAILING ARM CORRODED AND BUSTED WHILE IN MOTION. CAUSED REAR END TO COLLAPSE AND FISHTAIL. PASSENGER SIDE SNAPPED, DRIVERS SIDE IS VERY CORRODED. JUST PURCHASED THIS CAR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO, HAD NO IDEA THESE PARTS WERE UNSTABLE.

SUSPENSION

THE REAR END OF MY SANTA FE HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND THE BACK WHEELS WILL NOT TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE. HYUNDAI HAD A RECALL NR 09V123000 IN 4/16/2009 TO FIX THIS EXACT PROBLEM BUT ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE, THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO ME BECAUSE MY SANTA FE WASN'T PURCHASED OR REGISTERED IN A SPECIFIC STATE. MY GRANDSON WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND NEARLY WRECKED. HYUNDAI WOULDN'T EVEN OFFER A TOW INTO A DEALERSHIP TO INSPECT THE PROBLEM.

TIRES

MICHELIN X RADIAL LT2 P225/70R16 101T TIRES WITH DOT NUMBERS AP4V 003X 2614, AP4V 003X 2714, AP4V 003X 2614,AND AP4V 003X 2114. ALL 4 TIRES INSTALLED 09/04/2014 @ 80,421 MILES. 08/31/2019 ODOMETER AT 97,528 MILES. 17,107 MILES ON 75,000 MILE WARRANTY TIRES. TIRE DRY ROT AND CRACKING FIRST NOTICED IN 2015 AND HAS PROGRESSED TO THE POINT WHERE A TIRE PROFESSIONAL HAS STATED THAT THE TIRES ARE NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE WITH ON 08/31/2019. THERE IS A NEED FOR A DETERMINATION ON WHAT SIZE OF SIDEWALL AND TREAD CRACKING THAT WILL CAUSE A SAFETY RISK AND WHEN A MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL AND REPLACE FOR THESE DEFECTS. I HAVE TIRES FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER THAT ARE YEARS OLDER THAT HAVE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE SUN A LOT MORE THAT DO NOT HAVE DRY ROT CRACKING ON THE SIDEWALL OR IN THE TREAD.

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