Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

beatfarmer

Each has their good and bad points. CR-V gets better mileage than the SF v6 but will tow less. SF gives you more features for the money (more lux feel). CR-V has better perceived quality than SF (97-01 CR-V rated as most relaible on road but 02 is new model with no real history, which is why I said perceived quality).

What are your needs? What are your wants? Which do you like best? Buy the one that makes the most sense logically, or buy the one that you just love. It's your money, buy what you want.

sen1

I have found that each car dealership has a book which the salesmen use to outline why their car is better. It might list 10 to 20 traits where their car is better than a particular competitor. When I choose the SF I asked to see the book and see what they said about why a SF is better that Ford, Madza, Honda etc. Then I went to Honda and saw their book, etc. Most dealers have such a book. If the salesman doesn't know about it, ask the sales manager. For example, the CRV-4 book said something like "Our car is smaller than a SF therefore is more manuverable."

lrchome

I saw on CNN where the Ford Escape and Jeep Liberty failed the goverments low speed crash test there was no further information.

hyundaima

"The plant, wherever it is built, would likely manufacture the next generation of the company's Sante Fe sports utility vehicle, said George Peterson, president of Tustin, Calif.-based AutoPacific, an automotive research and marketing company."

http://www.auto.com/industry/iwirc29_20011129.htm

coachp4

I am now an owner of my first Hyundai. Bought an '02 GLS 2WD w/ ABS/TC, mats and mud guards for $18,927 on Saturday. From what I could tell from my research, this was a pretty good deal. Just wanted to say thanks to all the posters here, as I used this forum the past couple weeks as I was making my decision....

tidester

Congrats, coach! Keep us apprised of your experiences with your new toy!

tidester
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SUVs

gsogymrat

The Santa Fe got second place in PD Powers APEAL awards for entry level SUV. First was Pontiac Aztec, third was Toyota RAV4. This was based on a survey of 110,000 auto owners on how well they liked their vehicle. Overall the most satisfied drivers own Volkswagon New Beetles.

jc58

Just bought a 2002 Santa Fe LX, AWD, black with gray leather int. Our family could do a Hyundai commercial.....my daughter has a 2000 Accent, I have a 2001 Sonata GLS and we just bought the Santa Fe for my wife. My one son is the only holdout...he has a 95 Grand Prix. I continue to tell everyone that they need to get past prior impressions of Hyundai and actually go and drive one...don't just base their talk because of older models, ( Excel/Scoupe etc).

As I have seen in other posts, I cannot get over the quality of the Santa Fe. It just feels like the goods.

Question....being all wheel drive, does it really need the traction control? Does it improve the traction even more?

We have not had 1 problem with any of our cars to date....I only hope the Santa Fe continues that track record.

jc58

I was wondering if the deal was good...the sticker on the LX AWD was $24,546 or so, and we got it for $22,656 ( before tax, title).

This dealer always seems to be willing to dicker, unlike others that won't budge.

hyundaima

The AWD's 6 to 4, front to rear, torque distribution ratio varies depending on the traction situations; what the TCS(Traction Control System) can do is that it can control the traction of each wheel individually by applying brakes or/and sending torque reduction request to the engine computer if necessary.

dougndo

You might want to really consider those at the dealerships right now as your best bet for getting one. The popular SUV is still in back order status in some places and Hyundai's labor strife is only going to make it worse in the short run.

See my post #1597 in the Sonata board for the latest on the labor strife at Hyundai Motors. This might affect the availability of the Santa Fe.

icom

Has anyone towed a small trailer with the Santa Fe.I have a class III hitch ordered and was wondering how much tongue weight and towing capacity.I am looking to tow a 4x8 or 5x8 enclosed u-haul trailer.Thanks in advance,John

conix

I own a brand new 2001 CR-V. I also own 2000 Sonata V6 GL. I test drove Santa Fe, Rav4, 2002 CR-V. We went for CR-V because of driver visibility (better than santafe, typical honda), looks (CR-V is cuter), and utility. However, I'm kind of regreting our decision now. 2 years of driving Sonata really spoiled me. This brand new CR-V drives so badly (overall noisy, engine buzzy, etc.) and makes me wonder why they sell so well. True, Honda's are known for reliable cars but Santa Fe is overall a much better value and ride quality/quietness/power are all superior to CR-V.

emgoodman

Just started talking to the sales person at the local dealership regarding the SF LX AWD. His first offer (not even close to where I'd accept) was $23,519 (including above items + tile fee.) He claimed a MRSP of 24, 129 (Base MSRP of 23,794 + Mats ($80), Mud Guards ($75), Horizontal Bars to Roof Rack ($180). Edmunds does not list invoice or MRSP for those items, does anyone have the info (or link)?

rebeccamo

Just today I was pricing a new Santa Fe on the Kelley Blue Book web site (kbb.com). They include options on their price listings - invoice and MSRP. Your numbers match theirs for MSRP.

raybear

http://auto.priceline.com/autos/spec/newcars.asp?session_key=D00011ACD10011AC200112172253334ec3c0417857

Couldn't find the mudflaps, but the other stuff verifies his prices.

I apologize for the use of another website on Edmunds, but the information was there.

jc58

I think it depends on where you are as to what you can get the Santa Fe for. I bought my wife a 2002 LX AWD that had the same sticker price as yours ( actually higher as he had the usual 300+ add ons that are worth $10). We got the SF for around $22,600 not including tax title, etc.

This is outside Chicago and there are several Hyundai dealers in the burbs, so they usually will be somewhat competitive. I bought a 2001 Sonata GLS there in May, sticker was $19,343 and I got it for around $15,250. I think buying several cars there (4) and also referring people there that have bought also probably helps me get a decent deal.

They usually have quite a few Santa Fe's and Sonata's ( tons of Elantras) , right now they have 33 Santa Fe's and 33 Sonata's. A real good selection.

Been happy with all 3 Hyundia's we have ( my daughter also has a 2000 Accent) and we have not had a single problem to date.

markshew1

I managed to get a V6 AWD GLS for $21080 OUT THE DOOR. I worked it out that this price was 5% under dealer invoice and the dealer told me that they will still make money on it. I used Autobytel.com and did all of my negotiation via email. Once I agreed the price (with no haggling) I went to the dealer, test drove it and signed the papers.

The car has 1000 miles on it and so far has been perfect which is more than I can say for my only other new car purchase (a 1999 Toyota Corolla).

I test drove a friend's Mercedes SUV today and thought that was not a quiet and refined as the SF although it did go a little better. He paid $30000 for it and it is 2yrs old and has 29000 miles on it. The SF is a much better buy in my opinion.

suvshopper4

Sounds like you did well with your new SF purchase.

What happened with your 1999 Corolla new car purchase? Curious.

fax1

Ok guys, I know I don't post much on here, but I need to vent, please do not let my posting push you one way or the other, however I feel I should share my wonderful experience ok. My wife and I (newlyweds) purchased a 2001 santafe back in June, we have since racked up 18000 miles on it, as for the gas pump problems and all that, it's petty, mainly if the car is off, you can top it right out onto the service station parking lot. Now the real problem, I have asked several times if anyone else has experienced their suv acting as if it were a jackass getting its tail pulled, you know..just bucking all at once nearly putting you through the windshield, and no one seemed to answer. So while driving home from work, i am nearly smashed by a wonderful 18 wheeler when the car decides to do this on the freeway. I take it to the closest service department, they keep it for 3 days..call me and tell me to come pick up the vehicle..i say..ok what have you done to it.."oh nothing, there is nothing wrong with it" ..that is unacceptable, this is now a saftey concern. So i tell them to please drive it more and check somemore..they call me the following day, no go..so i go to get the vehicle. well i keep a VERY close eye on my mileage, and write down how many miles it has when anything goes wrong just for the record..they had put 4...yes FOUR miles on the car. so i refuse to take the car. i call hyundai..they tell me its my problem because the repair shop cant find the problem. I have now refused to go get the car untill the problem is fixed..so i go to a shop(just a private shop) and ask a driveability mechanic to go for a ride..he sees the problem and goes back with me..in the mean time..its now 8 days later..and im setting here with no car...they still say they cant find the problem..yet this mechanic told them the problem..i dont feel safe in the car..this is my 4th hyundai..over 60k i have given to them..and they are treating me like i bought a 1987 excel from them on the used lot or something..does ANYONE have any suggestions as to what the problem maybe or what i could do to see that i am better serviced by hyundai..they have lost alot of brownie points with me at this point.i have never been so dis-serviced by them in my entire hyundai life!! please if you know how i can make them understand that i am entitled to more than they are offering me (which is not a dang thing at this point) please let me know

thank you

markshew1

Regarding problems with Corolla (Sorry, I know that this is a Hyundai forum but what the hell!)

When we did the predelivery check, there was a blemish in the paint on the hood that resulted in the hood being re sprayed and floor mats were missing (without the car for several days).

At about 5k miles the engine developed a rattle and they replaced the power steering pump (it was also leaking I was told) and at the same time a weather strip on the door had to be replaced.

At 12k miles the noise was back and I was told that "they all sound like that". I ended up taking the service technician back to my garage so that he could hear it for himself. It turned out to be a drive belt tensioner that had to be replaced.

At 17k miles the noise is back again and the tensioner is replaced again plus the rear cup holder (which is a piece of junk).

At 18k miles all four tires were replaced (not under warranty).

My point is that I bought Toyota because it was my first new car purchase and I wanted a reliable car and all this stuff happened. Now if I had bought a Hyundai, I would have thought "serves me right for buying a piece of junk Hyundai, I should have bought Honda / Toyota". So the only thing that I have to console myself with is that I did buy what was supposedly the most reliable make and still had problems!
I think that there is a lot of urban myth that surrounds certain makes (anything German for instance is horribly overrated and over priced). I have owned a lot of unpopular / supposed troublesome cars and have had a lot of good experiances with them. I hope that this is the case with the SF. Again, so far I am very impressed and pleased and it is everthing that I hoped it would be and more.

markshew1

Have you thought about asking the service manager to use the car for a couple of days and see if he experiences the problem? Have you demanded to speak with the factory representative?

The only other thing that springs to mind is that something similar happend to me once and I think that it was due to me accidently hitting one of the cruise control buttons (they are sensitive). Had you been using the cruise control before this happend? is it possible that you touched the "resume" button causing the car to accelerate?

gtgtcobra

Use your warranty and don't worry about these problems.

tidester

fax1,

I am curious - what exactly did "the other mechanic" tell you?

tidester
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mudpuddle

It would help if you would specify 4 cyl or 6 cyl.....manual or auto....was the cruise on or off at the time. When you say bucking...........does it accelerate or almost stall ? (If it stalls you may want to check to see if you have a Ford engine, check Escape/Tribute problems LOL) Anyway, I'd like to hear what advice the private shop mechanic gave to the dealer too.

hyundaima

What kind of Santa Fe do you have? 4-cyl. or V6? dealer's name?

fax1

It is a 4cyl 5speed, it does it with the cruise on..or without the cruise on..the other mechanic said something about something on the clutch..i can call him after the holidays and find out exactly..yes i have told the service manager to drive the car untill the problem occours..he didnt reply to my proposal..i have spoke with hyundai..and the woman hung up on me when i asked her would she like to drive her family around in the car this holiday season...then i called back...and talked to another gentleman..who assured me that i would recieve a return call from a hyundai representative..that was now 5 days ago...its christmas..and we have a new car in the shop..we are paying for the rental..to drive to see the family.. ::Shakes head in dissappointment with hyundai::: they have ALWAYS stood behind and beside me in my many hyundai experiences..i thought i would never own anything besides a hyundai...but im starting to feel otherwise..I LOVE THE CAR...but i dont appreciate the service or dis respect from the company..

fax1

the dealer is joe holland in south charleston west virginia

mastrv

Make sure the dealer refers to technical service bulletins 01-36-008 and 01-20-002-1.

hemsflyer

I have been looking at the SF for a couple years now, even before it ever made it to the dealers show rooms and auto shows, and I am really interested in it.
Actually it's more than that. I live in south TX and I am not sure wether it's worth for me to fork out the extra bucks on an 4WD model or just spend the difference upgrading to the 2WD LX and add the TC, because I'd like to have something that gives me a little more safety than pure front wheel drive only.
Can anyone shed some light on the exact function of the TC vs a Limited Slip Differential?
On the issue of horsepower and TQ: HDK Autosport are advertising ECUs or modified EFI chips for improved performance, and I have a feeling one of those could really go a long way in improving quirkness on the SF, plus some stabilizing bars..................
I am also interested in knowing if anyone has had trouble with the quality of the leather interiors for the LX model...............more questions to follow. I already went through all of the previous posts in all of the Santa Fe boards here and they are only wetting my appetite for it; the only other alternative for me would be the Passat 1.8 turbo GLS Wagon, but at the expense of a
couple extra grands.

rbnator

I have 14,800 miles on my LX 2WD and had the unfortunate pleasure of having the stalling issue as "fax1" describes. It is not something that happens all the time. In fact, the car belongs to my wife and she said that the car hesitated on her. I drove it today and after driving it for awhile it hesitated on me when I pulled away from a stop sign. It was almost like it was starved for gas. I will take it in after the holidays. I would be interested in what service bulliten "Make sure the dealer refers to technical service bulletins 01-36-008 and 01-20-002-1. this was referring to?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

harry31

rbnator:
>I would be interested in what service bulletin; "Make sure the dealer refers to technical service bulletins
>01-36-008 and 01-20-002-1 this was referring to.
=====================

 Look 'em up here. =;-)

         http://www.alldata.com/recalls/

hyundaima

Your SF probably needs a new crankshaft position sensor.

fax1

well thanks for the referral to that posting...i dont know exactly what this reads..but i do see something about engine stumble here..i have had the timing problem fixed..but this sounds like something else?

01-36-008 JUN 01 ECM/TCM - Engine Stumble/DTC P0128 Set

i find it pretty pathetic that i have to tell these stupid fools that call themselfs mechanics whats wrong with this car every time it goes in the shop

sonatava

Sorry for off-topic post,
My parent's '99 Corolla, bought new back then, had a quarter-sized spot develop on the top of the car and had to be re-painted, but otherwise hadn't had any other problems in the mere 8K miles on it. The only other quality related thing I can say about it was on the back window, if the sunlight hits it just right, you can see 2 golf-ball sized foggy areas that are obviously an imperfection in the glass itself. I'm guessing all these problems are from this car being mass-produced.

hemsflyer

Hi all, I was checking and comparing options on edmunds.com, and I noticed that the Traction Control and ABS are now standard features and are not offered as optional any longer.
They are still optional on the 2.7 GLS.
Can anyone confirm this?
Happy Holidays to all.

harry31

The Santa Fe has been recalled in Korea. May (or may not) mean anything for the USA.

"The Trajet and Santa Fe have
defective sensors under their
engines, which often stops the
engine. The sensor perceives
the location of the crank axle."

This info is from the Korea Times (English version) so their English syntax may not be the best - however y'all should get the idea.

Everyone have a good new year! =;-O

3904

While waiting on my order Saturn VUE to arrive, I decided to check out the Santa Fe. I'm impressed with what I've seen but more than just a little nervous with some of the problem I've read about on this board! The VUE has all the safely features except 4-wheel disc anti-locks while the Santa Fe has the 4-wheel disc anti-locks but no side air bags or daytime running lights. Of course, since VUE is new, I've not seen (or read) much in the way of customer problems.

Is there anyone out there who's looked at both of these SUVs and can offer any comments?? Even if you have not looked at the VUE, I'd still appreciate your comments ;-)> Any comments about buying at one dealership (far from home) then having warantee work done at another dealership (nearer to home)??

Thanks in advance!!!

thecpa

I picked up a brochure on the VUE but didn't want to wait so drove a Santa Fe and we both loved it. Lots of room in the S/F compared to the VUE statistics especially the rear leg room. The S/F has more rear legroom that a lot of mid-sized UTES. Also all first year editions are in trouble. Ford Escape with 9 recalls, Jeep Liberty ect. Even Mercedes built a crappy first year ML with their resources and testing in 1999.

fax1

Today my problems resulted in the unfortunate departure of my santa fe. I just got fed up with the petty bs that hyundai was throwing at me. Replacing the struts for an engine stutter? GIVE ME A BREAK! i sure hope the rest of you get the service you expect and deserve from hyundai, i know im really dissappointed in the company. If anyone is thinking on buying a new santa fe, please feel free to email me FaxDaMaster@aol.com make the subject HYUNDAI SANTA FE, i will give you my problems with the car. At this point i would concider a dang sportage before id even think of a santa fe again!

suvshopper4

fax1: Did you get decent trade value when you swapped your Santa Fe?
Curious.
-ss4

javaswing

Does 2001 Santa Fe GLS have heated outside mirror?
I am wondering whether it is always engaged or you have to press the "heat" button on top of the dash board.

thanks

guyf

Yes, They operate when you turn the rear window defroster on. They are very efficient.

iluvmysephia1

Are you putting it up for sale or trading it in? I recently traded in my '99 Sephia for a Kia Sportage. I read where you said you'd "even consider a dang Sportage before you'd get another Santa Fe." My wife and I love our new Sportage. We've put about 7,500 miles on it in about 3 months. At about the 5,000 mile mark I had to take it in to the dealer for a stuck on engine light. The problem was found in a tiny emissions leak in the engine. They replaced a part they already had in stock and took off the gas cap and made sure it clicked several times and re-tested the system. Light stayed off. I was told by the service manager to call if the light came back on again and he'd get me a new gas cap. Evidently the sensors are so sensitive that if you haven't clicked your gas cap sufficiently that it's detected as a possible fuel delivery to the engine problem. Other than that little episode(fixed under warranty of course)where the Sporty was given back to me after 50 minutes with a car wash included we've enjoyed a great ride with our Sportage. I love it's speed-sensitive steering, ease to park, decent ride and handling(it is like a small truck, though, not like a car), sufficient pep of the motor and those great looks. Even though we have the Long Haul warranty and 5 year Roadside Assistance plan I don't worry about the Sportage's reliablility at all. It's been a great ride for us. The Santa Fe is my 2nd favorite SUV so I stop by here often to hear about people's view of it. Again, fax1, I'm sorry you're having Santa Fe problems but I would recommend the Kia Sportage!

hyundaima

so where is your Santa Fe right now??

sen1

Months ago there was some discussion here about the Check Engine light and the gas cap. Something about not clicking cap correctly. I spend 30 minutes looking for old messages but I can't find it. Can somebody tell me the story???

suvshopper4

With some new cars, if the gas cap isn't fully tightened (about 3 clicks) after a fill-up, the Check Engine Light will come on. And I ~think~ with some vehicles the CEL will eventually go off (after cap tightening) by itself, but it can take a while. Some may have to go back to the dealer to have the CEL reset by a tech.

orivera

Is there anyone out there from Illinois who has gotten their title for their Santa Fe? I am a Santa Fe owner and have had my title sent to me twice and both times The Secretary of State has screwed up by listing the Santa Fe as a Hyundai Excel. What gives? I would like to hear from anyone who has experienced this problem.

markshew1

Here is a warning to people out there that are considering using Rain-Ex.

The windshield wipers on my SF started "juddering" yesterday and I thought that there may be an issue with the wiper motor until my wife pointed out that we had recently applied Rain-Ex to the windshield. A quick call to the Customer Service number confirms that this "often happens" to quote the person that I spoke to. It turns out that the material can build up on the blade and cause a skipping / juddering. They advised me to wipe the blades with alcohol but this did not solve the problem and the only other thing that they can suggest is to use "Softscrub" which is apparently a cleaner with a mild abrasive that will not harm the windshield. I have to say that I am not very impressed with the idea of using any sort of abrasive on the windshield. I may just have to wait for it to wear off.

The material used in Rain-Ex is a silicone and I know from experience that that it can be a bugger to get off any surface. Does anyone have any suggestions?

lrchome

The problem is not the rain ex. When I first got my LX a year ago the wiper blades skiped and stutterd, I called the dealer , and he said bring it in and he would replace the wiper blades. I did not want to drive 30 miles to dealer so I installed a set of anco wipers, the skipping and stutterding stoped, and the wipers work very well. I too use Rain Ex, the problem is the orignal blades, not the rain Ex. I am not pushing Rain Ex, I am just telling you my experience. I did not use rain Ex with the orignal blades. But I use it now with the anco blades.