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day after we took delivery, we experienced what I believe to be extremely bad gas mileage.
The trip was a 250+ mile trip from Las Vegas NV to Needles CA and back. We started in
Las Vegas with a full tank, and after driving 100 miles to Kingman AZ, it took 6.12 gallons of
gas, which comes out to 16.3mpg! This leg of the trip, mind you, is pretty level, with no large
amount of hill-climbing. The return leg from Needles to Las Vegas, which was 111 miles, took
6.62 gallons, which is 16.8 mpg.. Prior to buying the Santa Fe we had a Dodge Stratus with
a 2.6L V6, just slightly smaller than the Santa Fe, and we regularly got 24-25mpg on this
same trip. I get better mileage than this in my old '91 Toyota 4cyl 4X4 on this same trip (19-20mpg).. Is this horrible gas mileage what I can expect to see with the Santa Fe, or is
there likely something wrong with the vehicle? We also had several cases where the Cruise Control kicked off while engaged.. I expect I'll be taking the vehicle in for checking out the
cruise control issue, but was wondering what do other owners see as an average MPG on the Santa Fe GLX??
Thanks in advance,
Dave and Pat Frandin
dfrandin@lvcm.com
I had the same cruise control cutout as Roadkill55 and noticed that my left thumb was brushing the cancel or on off button for the cruise control. I am convinced these cutouts are operator error, the button position on the lower left side of the steering wheel is where all right hand drivers keep their left hand to control the steering wheel.
It has 7,000 miles now, but I too average about 16-17MPG in short 30 mile highway trips. I was advised by others on this group to take it to the dealer which I haven't had a chance to do yet. But I intend to. In the meanwhile, if anyone finds anything else out about fuel economy, please tell us. Am I correct that the gas tank is 17 gallons?
Saul
The EPA estimates for your vehicle are 19mpg city/26 mpg highway. However, keep in mind that the EPA tests the vehicles by running them on a dyno (i.e. in a lab with the vehicle stationary but the wheels spinning), so they may not be representative of real world situations.
Good luck,
Drew
Host
Vans, SUVs, and Aftermarket & Accessories message boards
liz
around here (KY) in January. They don't exist any more, my mom-in-law had to learn to pump her own gas about 2 years ago.
liz
The rattle sounds like something is shifting around; I don't know if the spare tire is shifting a little bit or what? It doesn't effect the way the car drives. Anyone else having this problem?
The MPG seems to be very poor in this vehicle. I think the gas gauge lies a little bit. I was almost on empty and when I filled it up it only took 13 gallons.
I don't feel the need to take it to the dealer because it drives great.
Can someone help me rest at ease?
liz
Fe today....My car is the basic
LX car with no additional options.
For some reason, the car does
not have a cassette player but
it has a AM/FM/CD player..
According to the Santa Fe brochure given by Hyundai, it
states that a AM/FM/CD/Cassette player is
standard on the GLS and LX models.
It also mention that it is standard
in the back of the brochure.
Has anyone noticed a missing cassette player
on our santa fe? I am calling Hyundai tomorrow
to discuss this.
---Maneesh
Also, I have noticed the faint smell of rotten eggs every now and then when the car is stopped. The smell passes and I may not smell it again for another week. This was before 500 miles. I now have 514 miles. Has anyone else experienced any one of these things.
There are a multitude of prior posts regarding both of these issues. I've noticed that if the gas is put in NOT at full speed, it fills up very well and full. Also, my car now has 1900 miles on it (I've had since May 1) and I haven't smelled the sulfer smell since 1100 miles or so.
liz
I have a fwd LX and I get about 21mpg surburban driving, and better than 26mpg onthe highway.
I have almost 9000 miles on the LX.
Also, has anyone else found it difficult to find a Hyundai dealer? I live in central OK and have found only one dealer in a 200 mi. radius. Any suggestions on locating dealerships? I used carpoint.com and only came up with one dealership in Plano, TX. Would love to know of any dealerships closer to central OK.
The lowest price I have seen on a GLS fwd has been +$21,5000 and +$23,000 for LX model. Have others found there is little room for negotiating a lower price? I'm waiting for the 2002 models to come out before a possible purchase. I'm wanting to make sure these don't get the same bad rep as the KIA Sportages. Don't seem to be so far.
There a few Sante Fe owners (that post frequently here at Edmunds) that are very knowlegable about their vehicle and have a lot of advice and recommendations about the vehicle. They could probably answer many of the questions that are raised on this topic but have chosen not to respond on this particular board, "Hyundai Sante Fe Problems", in order to keep the total number of posts to a minimum. That way they give the impression that the Sante Fe is virtually flawless and that problems do not occur with the vehicle. Several references have been made to the number of posts on the "Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute Problems" topic and that because of the sheer volume of posts that the vehicle must be substandard and is subject to frequent failures and problems. By keeping the number of posts on this topic to a minimum, the illusion that the Sante Fe is the perfect small SUV can remain undisturbed in the minds of those particular owners that choose to view the vehicle from that perspective.
Just my observations . . . skewed as they may be. ; )
2. If there are problems, the warranty will cover them
3. There are no SF problems
Krisna, hare krisna...
2. GT has rust in his brand new SF's paint job
3. GT has never reported that fact on this board
4. So...There are no problems in SFs
Hare Krishna, GT.
"I was putting gasoline in my Santa Fe today when I noticed Two Rust Stain Spots on the Nordic White paint which are located at the 10:00 and 2:00 Position right above the Screw Off Gas Cap on the rear quarter panel. At the 10:00 and 2:00 position on the left rear quarter panel, above the screw off gas cap, there are two holes that look like they are either drain holes or vent holes. I noticed that right on these two holes and the area around these two holes, there are brown rust stains. I have a Nordic White Santa Fe. The rust stains are on the paint surface and they look like they are inside the paint. I also found another similar rust stain like the ones that are above the screw off gas cap, but this one is located on the front right passenger door, on the edge of the door on the thickness part of the door's sheet metal, between the door and the front right fender. The rust stain on the door is about 1/4" long.
My vehicle is Nordic White. I would like to know if it is common for a white vehicle like mine to show rust stains like this on White Paint. Does anybody else here who owns a Nordic White Santa Fe have similar problems with rust stains on the Nordic White Paint? How did these rust stains get on the paint of a new vehicle this soon? Is this common and normal?
I also would like to know if the rust stains will go away if I apply car wax on the rust stains. I got some White touch up paint from the dealer and want to touch up the area above the gas cap and the area on the edge of the front right passenger door between the door and the right fender.
After inspecting the rust stains in both these areas, they DO NOT come off. The rust stains are embedded IN the paint. Will touching up the rust stains save the vehicle from rusting in these 2 areas where the rust stains are now present?
The vehicle is brand new and only 1 week old. I do not want to have any body work done to it. What should I put on these rust stains before touching them up with White touch-up paint? PLEASE HELP ME."
Gosh, GT, if you REALLY want help, how about posting that message on THIS board, the one entitled "Hyundai Santa Fe Problems"?
OK, OK, sorry; that's kinda petty of me. Here's the help I promised:
1. Write a letter, not a fax, to the owner of the dealership where you purchased that spankin' new SF for which you waited six months. Explain the problem and that you want him to take the vehicle back and give you an identical one but WITHOUT FACTORY DEFECTS. Send this letter registered so someone at the dealership has to sign for it and you have proof-of-delivery. No fax, no email, no telephone call.
2. In your letter, give the owner ten (10) calendar days to respond to you in writing.
3. If the response is positive, you're done. If it's negative or if there is no response, you need to take the Next Step...
4. Write to Hyundai HQ in California and repeat your demand to the highest-ranking executive you can find. Again, do it in writing and attach the letter you already had sent to the dealer. Also attach a copy sent to the Better Business Bureau in your state and to your state's Attorney General. If your state has a Bureau of Consumer Affairs (most do), send them a copy and attach same to the Hyundai HQ VIP.
5. Wait two weeks. If no satisfaction from Hyundai HQ, get a lawyer and get him/her to write a similar letter to Hyundai and the other institutions.
6. Wait another 30 days after the lawyer's letters go out.
7. If there's still no positive news -- just sell the Santa Fe and BUY A LEXUS RX300!!!!
There, that should help.
So JeffreyBoy, I guess that you are now disappionted and put down by the fact that my new Santa Fe is in much better shape than your RX300. You must have thought that my vehicle was rusting so soon and that it was a piece of junk. Well, you were WRONG AGAIN. I suggest that you stay in the Lexus RX300 forum with the other RX300 airheads instead of coming in here and harassing us and trashing the Santa Fe. Your wise remarks and harassing comments about the Santa Fe being a piece of junk are not tolerated here.
My Santa Fe is a very good vehicle with NO PROBLEMS and as a Santa Fe owner I saved over $10,000 to $15,000 by purchasing one rather than by purchasing the overpriced and overrated RX300. I have NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER with my vehicle. And if I ever do have any problems, I've got the 10 year/100,000 mile Bumper to Bumper Warranty so I am not worried about anything. Hyundai backs their vehicles 100% with their EXCELLENT WARRANTY.
2. If it does have a problem, just "wash" it away
3. GTGT can't tell rust from dirt
4. GTGT has lots of problems (and no warranty)
Steve
Host
Vans, SUVs and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards
We could retitle it to "Doctor Strangelove... Or How I Learned to Love the Sante Fe"
Which character had HIS finger lurking over the button? It wasn't Peter Sellers or George C. Scott...on second thought, wasn't Sellers playing the Prez...so it would have been his finger....
Anyway, if they ever make that movie again, I nominate Steve to play the President.
http://us.imdb.com/Title?0057012
Tom Hyundhai in Nor wood, MA US for my 3,000 mile
oil change. They gave me a free oil change. The
fuel pressure switch was sent with the right
part number on the box, but the wrong part in the
box itself. The original part had a bent prong,
that the etch fixed, I guess he bent it back into
position so the warning light display works again,
along with fixing the lighter that didn't work
after my last visit. So I didn't pay a thing, it
took all day to fix, I have the 10 year warranty,
and all in all, I am happy with ante Fe...still
rides nice, doesn't have the zippiest horsepower,
but it rides, smooth, quiet, and my position on
the highway seems to be respected alot more than
driving a small Toyota Corolla.
-Arthur
I just checked J. D Powers and the ratings on the 2001 Santa Fe and Rav 4 are about equal. The Rav got downgraded in mechanical quality and body and interior quality "based on information taken from IQS study, the score is based on problems reported with":
.engine and transmission
.steering
.suspension
.braking
.exterior paint problems
.wind noise
.water leaks
.poor interior fit and finish
.squeaks and rattles
The Santa Fe also had some problems.
They gave their highest rating in this category to the Honda CRV.
I quess Toyota even has problems in their first model year
I asked my dealer on Saturday about this (when I purchased my GLS). His response was that many cars get surface rust on the hubs. We walked around the lot and looked at Hondas, Mitsubishis, and Toyotas. Yes, other new cars had similar rust. It is more apparent in the SF because of the open wheeled design. The dealer also indicated that the amount of rust can depend on the precise makeup of metals in the alloy wheels. I reached in the wheels and it brushed off.
That puts a lot of confidence in the quality of Hyundai dealerships.
Has anyone put on the bug shield to prevent the rocks from bouncing up? Has it helped? The manager said it would deflect the rocks off the hood.
Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.
Peg,
owner since Feb. 2001