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Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

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Comments

  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    You can tell it's a AWD Santa Fe by the presence of the black differential box
    in the center of rear axle.
  • lpd2usnr2lpd2usnr2 Member Posts: 8
    if anyone lives in the jersey area and is shopping for the santa fe go to lester glenn and ask for phil vitakis great job and nice price very good to deal with ......location toms river nj .... lots of luck
  • jericho_avejericho_ave Member Posts: 37
    Hi all.
    I'm a little bit confused, I picked up my plates last tuesday at my dealer and I saw one SF in the showroom. It was a GL AWD and the ABS was listed in the sticker as an option. MSRP for that was under 20K.
    Is that right?, or somebody just made a mistake?
    I thought ABS is only for the GLS and the LX trim.

    also, does any here know if I could get a rear spoiler for my SF? I feel that the RX300 is SF distant cousin, it could be the one of the missing link.... just a thought...
  • blkstarblkstar Member Posts: 15
    They have one in the accesories brochure that was posted about 20-30 messages ago, but it doesn't look as good as the rear spoiler on the RX300 or the RAV 4. I'm guessing that we should be able to find a similar one somewhere for the Santa Fe, even if this means getting a RX 300 rear spoiler and getting a body shop to paint it and put it on. I'll let you know.
  • allhyundaiallhyundai Member Posts: 11
    To LPD2USNR2
    I bought my 2000 Elantra leftover in Novenber and got a fabulous deal from Lester Glenn. At the same time my wife was looking to buy a Santa Fe from them but they tacked on all of their cars $385.00 for pinstripe and bodyside moulding as soon as the vehicles came off the transporter, calling it an "Appearance Package". This was their way of marking up the vehicle. They absoulutely wouldn't budge on removing this charge. We wound up going to another dealer 30 miles away and paid sticker price for a vehicle with more options. They also tried their hardest to sell me undercoating and paint protection on my Elantra for $1000.00 additional!!! To me they were just a typical car dealer, nothing special.
  • jericho_avejericho_ave Member Posts: 37
    I've encountered this problem with the power locks twice. I had to use the keys because the driver side front door won't open. Once inside, I had to 'warm-up' the lock back and forth for it to respond to the lock button. I thought that it's probably caused by the the cold weather. But I've read about the same problem in the hyundai-owners.com message board.

    Then somebody brought it up on the other forum here in edmunds. How many of you have the same experience? I am far from panic or even worrying about it, I just thought I'd brought it up.
  • adamjraeadamjrae Member Posts: 65
    I have had my manta be since the beginning of October here in Texas. It's been below freezing a few times and there has been no problem with my locks. I also took it up to Michigan the beginning of December. The weather was 20 outside and washed it with no problem.
  • labelgeeklabelgeek Member Posts: 10
    I do believe that the Santa Fe is the best value for the money in its class out there but I've had both front door locks freeze shut, a gas tack that won't fill completely unless you trickle-in the last several gallons over several minutes (aggravating when the wind chill is -30!) and rear drums that were out of round at delivery so they vibrated horribly at high speed.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    I find it hard to believe that the pre-delivery car had
    out-of-round drumS.
    What did the dealer do to fix it?
  • labelgeeklabelgeek Member Posts: 10
    The dealer machined them and the problem has not re-occurred. Just went on a 5-600 mile round trip to Cleveland and that's where the locks froze-up, but only on the front 2 doors. Could not open from the inside or outside with remote or manually. Just saw another posting that Hyundai knows there may be a problem with the lock cables.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    so you couldn't turn the lock cylinder with the key?
    I just want to make sure what you meant by frozen
    lock.
  • labelgeeklabelgeek Member Posts: 10
    Nope, could not turn the lock with the key. Probably would have bent it if I tried harder. Could not move the lock from the inside either until I heated the vehicle up. The temp was about 2 deg outside at the time and I had washed the vehicle the previous day. But it seemed strange that the 2 front doors were the only ones frozen. The back would unlock with the remote just fine.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    sounds like the latch assembly was frozen,
    not the lock cylinder... can't imagine frozen
    latch mechanism...
  • docirishdocirish Member Posts: 3
    I have a Santa Fe GLS, which I've run thru the car wash a few times here in Pittsburgh. The temp here has not been above 20 degrees in about a month and I have not had a lock-freeze problem. It concerns me that I'm seeing multiple posts with regard to this problem. This may foretell a real problem as the vehicle ages...
  • docirishdocirish Member Posts: 3
    Well, I spoke too soon. I had the Santa Fe washed last night on the way home and remote locked it when I came home. After my previous post I went out and tried the remote (its 15 degrees out) As others stated the front doors did not unlock but the rear did. I tried the key in the front drivers door and just from the feel you can tell its not moving. BUT I put the key in the lock, applied some pressure and hit the remote unlock at the same time...VIOLA it opened. Not the best solution but I'd be curious if it works for anyone else.
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    Saw an article in the newpaper today about the shortage of SF's. Said thay are getting very popular but that Hyundai only sent 5-10 to each dealer in Oct. So with with 500 dealers thats about 2500 to 5000 vehicles in US. Guess we were lucky to get onw in the color we wanted, pewter. The article was a knight-rider wire service article. I have yet to see another on the road.
  • labelgeeklabelgeek Member Posts: 10
    Next time mine freeze, I'll try the key and remote at the same time but with the weather like it is now, I'm not sure when I'll next get a chance to wash it. Not like I want it to freeze just to see what happens or anything.

    Has anyone actually had success with a dealer being able to remedy the gas tank filling problem - having to trickle in the last 2-4 gallons to get it full??
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    I have found to not it run the pump at full speed and then try to trickle but just hold it a medium pumping speed and it fills up fine. It you go maximum speed I think some pumps put in an air pocket and it will not fill. Not sure why it happens only on the SF.
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    I keep reading reviews that call the SF a compact SUV and compares to the the Rav4. Its 12" longer and 4+ inches wider than the Rav4! Thats a mile in a vehicle! Carpoints puts it in the mid-size catagory at least. By the way the Lexus is 3 inches alnger than the SF but 1.2" less in width. I rather have the extra width for comfort and stability.
  • rsharp83rsharp83 Member Posts: 82
    I spent some time in a dealership that handles both Mazda & Hyundai (as well as others). While the dealer drove my trade in car to give me an estimate I hung out in the showroom. I heard 2 different salesmen steer people away from the Tribute towards the Sante Fe. Both salesmen were telling customers that the Hyundai had far fewer problems than the Tribute so far.

    I thought that was interesting.
  • fordjffordjf Member Posts: 4
    Dennin,

    In post #274 you posted the following
    >i just purchased a gls and so far am very happy
    >with it. i rate it very high in value for
    >content. i got pretty much everything except
    >leather and purchased it for 20,000 total price.
    >my dealer was victor hyundai in madison,
    >alabama. my salesman was bill swann

    I live in Decatur, AL and am looking at getting a GLS also. I would appreciate if you could post the exact options of your GLS. Maybe I could save myself some time during the negotiating if I knew exactly what you got for your $20,000. I too will most likely purchase from Victor Hyundai in Madison. Were you pleased with your salesman, Bill Swann? If you would rather you can reach me via email @ bamafan92@hotmail.com

    Thanks
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    Do you set the pump trigger notch at mid-section
    when you fill'er up?
  • labelgeeklabelgeek Member Posts: 10
    Have not set it at the lower or middle notches but will give it a try - at least at the stations that actually use them and don't make you stand there holding the trigger the entire time.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    If you have problem filling it up with medium-flow
    setting, try different gas stations.
    Late model cars are equipped with ORVR(On-board
    Refuelling Vapor Recovery) system and this may be
    incompatible with some gas pumps' own recovery device.
    If the pump still clicks off prematurely, then take the car
    in for service. The technician should check the fuel vent
    valve and all the connections including hoses leading
    to the canister for clog and/or kink.
  • doverlydoverly Member Posts: 2
    I have had problems with my driver's side lock freezing up on two occasions, both in the early am after extremely cold nights. Had to climb over the center console to get it. Ugh! Worked fine once I aimed the heat vent at them for a while. Interesting that others have had this problem. Is this a dealer-fixable thing or just a put-up with the occasional inconvenience thing? Also, I notice at night the time on my clock flashes and it's pretty noticable and distracting. Any ideas? Otherwise, I love my Santa Fe (1700 miles and sailing)!
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    Were you unable to unlock the door from the
    outiside by turning the lock cylinder with the key?
    How about from the inside?

    The lock problem is totally unacceptable and can
    be fixed.
    I don't know any current or previous Hyundai model
    that has this kind of pattern failure.
    It could be a lot of things...needs to
    figure out what part is freezing first...the lock
    cylinder or the latch or maybe something to do with
    the actuator...after that, whether the problem can
    be solved by lubricating the visible parts or the whole
    assembly needs to be replaced...my guess is
    that the latch is not properly lubricated at the factory.

    Anyway, there's no way for Hyundai figuring out
    why this is happening if you don't take the car in
    for warranty service.
    At the dealership, a repair order MUST be
    generated so that Hyundai can collect data on
    this problem. The dealer is not going to
    get reimbursed for the diagnosis time from
    Hyundai without a repair order number.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    I read simple replacement of the clock solves this
    problem, but I would check the battery first.
  • fitnessman42fitnessman42 Member Posts: 21
    My clock flashes too, but only when I have headlights on. My dealer is replacing the clock; we'll see if that is the correct fix. On an earlier post someone had the same problem and their dealer replaced the turn signal switch. I will keep everyone posted as to the results of my clock replacement.
  • dustyw_07dustyw_07 Member Posts: 4
    I don't know if this will actually help answer anyone's problems with the freezing locks, but I came across this article about washing your vehicle in the winter and it mentions freezing locks in there and how to prevent it.

    http://www.auto.com/autonews/qwash28.htm
  • toeouchtoeouch Member Posts: 14
    In several previous posts I have mentioned the vibration at around 60-65 mph phenomenon in more than one SF that I have driven (and the one I own). The replacement of the rear differential HAS made a significant difference, whereas balancing and driveshaft replacement did not. I am still convinced that the SF is somewhat more sensitive to road conditions than other similar vehicles.

    I recently drove a Tribute, whose steering wheel seemed less prone to road generated vibration. My other car is an Acura MDX and is completely rock solid, relatively unaffected by road crowns, grooves, etc.

    However, even after all I have been through trying to resolve this issue, I am still convinced that the SF has the most desireable combination of features within its price range. The Tribute is too cheaply made, loud, and not as comfortable. The RAV4/CRV both suffer from an idiotic design, placing the spare tire on the rear hatch, which pulls to the side rather than straight up. Both are relatively expensive for smallish, 4 cyl. plain jane vehicles. The RAV4 can't even be obtained with ABS yet! The CRV is in its last year prior to a makeover. Thus, my advice to would-be buyers is to stick with the Santa Fe, but just to carefully test drive the actual vehicle you are considering. If it does vibrate, the rear differential fix takes about one week, so that's not the end of the world. Good luck!
  • sliwinski1sliwinski1 Member Posts: 5
    Toeouch, thanks to you I will ask my dealer on the next test drive if we can go on the highway so I can see how the Santa Fe performs at speed.

    I do wish to know how you feel about Hyundai's reputation, better yet how did the service personnel treat you when you came back for an adjustment?

    I really like the Santa Fe, but am worried about jumping into a purchase that may be unwise.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    What's the name of the dealership?
  • toeouchtoeouch Member Posts: 14
    sliwinski1 and andes11:

    I dealt with Fitzgerald Hyundai in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Overall, I can say that they were extremely patient and gracious during the entire time we were trying to solve the vibration puzzle. I felt that they were genuinely interested in getting to the bottom of this problem; Hyundai central was also very supportive and through the latter's efforts came up with the rear differential fix.

    I got to use a free rental car throughout the time the vehicle was in the shop. The service and the sales people were all following the case; I could have gone to arbitration and obtained another car (or $ back) without much hassle. But since other SFs had shown similar symptoms (and for reasons mentioned in my previous post), I was more interested in solving the problem and keeping the car.

    They also resolved a brake pressure problem which was unique to my vehicle.

    I would highly recommend Fitzgerald to anyone considering a SF. You can access their stock at www.fitzmall.com

    I believe that buying a model in its first year is always a little risky...witness all the Tribute recalls. It is hard to tell how well the SF will hold up over time since the problems I experienced were intrinsic to the vehicle. Problems resulting from wear and tear will only be known over time. At the very least, the strong warranty and (at least in my case) excellent dealer support provide some security that even should problems arise, they will be overcome. I hope your dealer experiences have been as positive as mine!
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    Yea, before I bought I test drove it up to 70 or so. No vibration then or now after two weeks. I am a little dissapointed in silage, seems like the gauge goes down quick. I go 20 mph one test of highway and city but the engine is not broke in so it may go up. I was hoping to do a good bit better than my old Jeep C.
  • mikezakmikezak Member Posts: 95
    Since the Rear Differential fix has seeming taken care of the Vibration issue, I was just wondering for my clarification from all who have posted concerning the vibration problem,...

    Were the models with this vibration all GL or GLS with 2WD or did the problem also surface with the GLS and LX with AWD?

    Thanks.
  • santefelookersantefelooker Member Posts: 5
    I would be interested in knowing what brake pressure problem you lightly mentioned getting fixed in your post. Is this the soft brakes several people have noticed? They really are spongy and I wish someone knew how to adjust them to make them better. What was wrong with yours and what did they do to fix them?
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    FWD cars don't have a differential in the rear axle.
  • georgefarmergeorgefarmer Member Posts: 98
    I would like to know too if a Hyundai tech. can adjust the brake pedal pressure to give firmer brakes? That is my greatest negative so far.
    george
  • toeouchtoeouch Member Posts: 14
    Mikezak: Andes11 hit it on the nose - rear differential only found on AWD models, in my case a GLS.

    Santafelooker: My brake problem was less related to softness but rather to a kind of uneveness in pressure, accompanied by a slight noise. The technician described it as a "notchiness." The fix was to replace the power brake booster. Again, I would recommend that you test-drive several prior to purchase: it is likely you will find one without the soft-brakes.

    It is my understanding that there is a TSB out about the soft brakes. I spoke to the service manager at Fairfax Hyundai (who happened to be staffing the Hyundai booth at the D.C. Car Show) about my own brake problem; he immediate assumed it was the "soft brake" issue and mentioned a TSP having to do with the rear brakes. Sorry, that's as much as I can remember...

    Georgefarmer: I averaged 20.5 mpg in a mostly hiway trip; less than the stated 23 mpg rating. However, the often mentioned problem with the narrow gas fill tube and subsequent difficulty in being absolutely sure that the car has been previously filled-up makes estimates a bit unreliable. I will be keeping a note pad next to me for a while to keep tabs on mileage. I would be happy to hear from other SF owners about mileage experience.
  • cotuit_santafecotuit_santafe Member Posts: 1
    Been driving our GLS 4wd Santa Fe for 2 months now and am quite pleased with the decision to purchase it. We've got 2200 miles on it. I've been watching the posts, and here are my observations and 2 cents worth.
    We too have the blinking clock problem. It only occurs when the lights are on and only at certain times. 5:11 it will blink, 5:12 it will not, 5:13 it will blink, etc. It seems to be related to which segment(s) of the clock are lit. The dealer has ordered a new clock.
    The vehicle has had this whining noise at around 40 mph since it was new. It was not too loud but somewhat annoying. When I told the dealer about it he knew immediately that the problem was low oil in the differential. They topped it off and the noise has quieted down quite a bit. I guess they have had to check every vehicle that is delivered to them. Although I'm sure Hyundai has resolved the problem by now.
    The wipers on the Santa Fe are fairly cheap. The one on the passengers side does a pretty bad job of clearing the rain and salt crud from the left side of the windshield. The dealer is ordering a new set. We'll see how they work.
    I recenly went to the dealer for an oil change and to have them look at the above mentioned problems, and I must say the dealer has been most friendly and helpful. They seem to be genuinely concerned with fixing the problems and making me a happy customer. (Miskinis on Cape Cod)
    With 2200 miles of driving, the mileage has averaged 19.25.
  • maj1maj1 Member Posts: 37
    I'm so close to purhcase a Santa Fe but I can not find anyone who works for hyundai that can tell me if the santa fe lx models have a limited slip diffirential.It is not listed on the sticker anywhere or even as an option.The gls model at least on the edmunds.com site shows that it comes with lsd if you order option 10. The lx only lists option 11 and 12 which do not include it but it is written as standard (late availibility) what point is late? are they being shipped today with lsd and does the sticker list it?
  • tpa1tpa1 Member Posts: 4
    Hello again! A couple of weeks ago I let you know that I was having a problem with the clock. My post, which was done around December 12th, was only on for a couple of days and now seems to be missing (maybe I did something wrong as I am a new user) anyway, I did have my new turn signal / light switch installed today on my GLS 4WD and the problem seems to be resolved. My dealer did not feel that it was the clock unit itself. They tested the symptoms originally by moving the switch and noticing the light flickering. In any event, I think the problem is corrected. I, too, have experienced the lock problem. I noticed another owner is in Pittsburgh and did not experience this problem, but I too live in Pittsburgh and have had this happen to me twice now. Originally, my wife blamed me for washing the Santa Fe too much in the cold weather, but now I can share with her that I am not the only one!

    Other than that, we have had 1,100 enjoyable miles together thus far!
  • elantra00elantra00 Member Posts: 225
    Hello everyone.

    Last year, I purchased a 2000 Hyundai Elantra GLS. I am very pleased with the car. I payed 10,800 for it with a lot of features. Best deal I ever got. 9,000 miles so far and not one problem :)

    Now comes the time to switch it up a bit. I have a 1996 Jeep Cherokee Classic with 100,000 miles on it. Great car. No problems. Just old and boring. Being so pleased with Elantra, I am considering the Santa Fe to be the Jeep's replacement. Hyundai really cleaned up their act since the excel. I really like the styling on the Santa Fe and its a real deal for being fully loaded around 23,000. I would get another jeep, but thats the third jeep...its a boring car now. ;)

    Any input? comments or experiences with the santa fe would greatly be appreciated! I was reading some of the posts in here, and there seem to be some problems. i would get a 2002 model...as i will be looking next summer/fall
  • lrchomelrchome Member Posts: 130
    I have 1500 miles on my Santa Fe LX and have owned it for 2 months.
    I am averaging 22 to 23 miles to the gallon in suburban driving , I have not had it on any trip longer than 30 miles.
    I have not had any problem no vibration, no blinking clock, the gas tank fillup is a slight annoyance at about 80% full I reduce input flow to about 1/2 full flow and it fills to the top.
    I check these posts regularly to follow any problems noted. I will let you know if I encounter any problems.
  • labelgeeklabelgeek Member Posts: 10
    Does anyone know a good website for locating Santa Fe accessories??
  • tpa1tpa1 Member Posts: 4
    Well, I lied to you all yesterday, so I figured I better come clean today . . .

    As I was driving last night, my clock started to blink again, so the turn signal/light switch was not the correct fix. My dealer is talking to the mechanic today and will let me know if they think ordering a new clock will solve the problem. If anyone who has had this problem has received their new clock, please let me know if this has solved the problem.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    The optional LSD goes on the rear axle of AWD Santa Fe;
    hence the option name, limited slip REAR differential.

    As far as I know, (you can verify this on the HMA web
    site) limited slip rear differential is not offered as a standard
    equipment on any trim level of AWD Santa Fe.

    Limited slip differential is not offered on FWD
    SFs sold in the US.

    AWD Santa Fe has a VCU(Viscous Coupling Unit) on the
    front axle that acts as a slip-limiting device.

    I hope that helps you figure out the features and options
    combination of Santa Fe.
  • andes11andes11 Member Posts: 62
    Alex & Dave at Focus Hyundai in Canada are the best.
    http://www.hyundai-owners.com/
  • maj1maj1 Member Posts: 37
    To andes11

    Thanks for your info. Further, I received an e-mail from my local dealer regarding SLD I wold like to share with this board :
    "I checked into the options on the Santa Fe for limited slip diff., TCS and
    ABS. According to the 2001 Sourcebook, full-time 4-wheel drive provides
    power to all four wheels, all the time. With 60% of the available torque
    going to the front axle and 40% going to the rear, the Santa Fe has balanced,
    stable traction. Then, when a wheel slips, it automatically distributes
    engine power to the non-slipping wheel.

    Rear Limited-slip differential is an option on the GLS, with this design, if
    one wheel begins to slip, power is diverted to the wheel directly opposite to
    enhance traction and control.

    Electronic traction control system (TCS) and Electronic Brake Force
    Distribution is optional on Santa Fe Gls and LX. Together, these two systems
    let a driver accelerate and corner on demanding road surfaces- wet, slippery
    or even gravel- with added control and confidence.

    The anti-lock braking system that's optional on the Santa Fe GLS and LX
    includes a traction control system to enhance driver control in extreme
    conditions, like wet, muddy or snow-covered roads. The TCS activates upon
    detecting a sustained loss of traction and applies corrective action until
    traction is fully restored.

    Reading these descriptions of the different systems, traction control and
    limited slip differential act in the same way. That is why limited slip
    differential is not offered as an option on the LX."

    I'm ordering my SF as soon as I can negotiate a deal with my dealer.
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