Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

blusf02

harry31,
What is "303",and who makes it? I need to put something on my SF and don't want the shine myself. I have seen ArmorAll Low Gloss but not sure how this works either. I have seen some products by 3M for the dash and was thinking of using that. Thanks for any help.

Mark

stever

Here's a link. I recommend the free sample trial pack.

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

harry31

Steve (Host) gave a link to the 303 products home page (Msg #3204). 303 Protectant can also be purchased from most online auto detailing or marine suppliers.
I like 303 Protectant as it can be used on most any vinyl/plastic. I use it on my auto CV boots, the radiator hoses and other under hood stuff as well as the auto interior, the door seals and window rubbers. It goes on my boat cover, the boat trailer bunks and tires - the lawn tractor tires.
For those that might want another choice - I've seen Vinylex get good marks on the auto forums, but I've not used it myself. Some people mentioned that one or the other of those products smell 'bad'. It must be a personal thing as 303 doesn't smell bad to me. =;-)

Usual disclaimers...

carseeker4

THANKS for the info and the link! I looked in Pep Boys yesterday and could not find anything of the sort... so I'll check the link out when I get a chance... thanks, again...

carseeker4

I mentioned Tidester in my "303" thanks... it should have been STEVE.. thanks, Steve....

stever

No biggie - it's just like when I go to restaurants. I'm invisible :-)

You may try your local spa dealer or whitewater boating shop. 303 is good for vinyl spa covers and latex drysuit gaskets. Expect to pay around $1 an ounce (US).

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

carseeker4

I saw on the "303" web site that it may be at your local True Value Hardware store.
I'll take a spin out for lunch and let y'all know....

carseeker4

The local hardware stores listed as TrueValue on their website did not have "303". I did find some interesting stuff by 3M at National Auto... I may try that out....

lchatt55

Just to let you all know. I recieved recall notice for the Crankshaft position sensors. It's a defect that exists in certain 2001 models equipped w/ 2.7l v6 engines produced between 3/31/200 through 2/28/2001. The problem can result in engine stalling.

pvalery

I received mine too

johnstone53

You may also wish to consider a product from Zaino called Leather in a Bottle Treatment and Conditioner - Z10. Zaino products have their own thread on the Edmunds Town Hall so you can get the opinion from other users as well. In any case the Z10 conditions the leather leaving a non oily, non greasy and a natural luster finish. You can also use the product on vinyl and on the dash. I just started using the Zaino products and think they're great

carseeker4

thanks for the info!

dirkdaddy

To the person who just bought the GM Aztek, you did just fine, don't worry about what others say. The drivetrain is from the GM van and is bulletproof and gets very good fuel milage and has great torque. It has very little in maintenance required unlike the cam chain on the Hundai. Gm cars tend to be cheap looking on the interior but have fine and long lasting drivetrains for the most part.

After reading these posts from SF owners, I'll have to tell my buddy to look at them. Sounds nice and they do look like a good size. 20mpg is good for a 4x4. The all-time awd seems better than the versatrack that has to slip before it engages.

jaserb

Having heard less than excellent things about the Hyundai accessory trailer hitch I decided to go for the Draw-tite version. I installed it last night. It took about an hour an a half to install both the hitch and the wiring harness, and I took my time. Everything fit very nicely, with no wire splicing or drilling required. The hitch tucks neatly under the bumper, with only the receiver visible. Fair warning, though - you will need to disassemble your interior somewhat to install the wiring harness. If you're not comfortable with this kind of thing, you might want to let a trailer shop take care of it. Let me know if anyone has any questions.

-Jason

gsogymrat

I was just trying to decide what type of hitch to get for my Santa Fe. Where did you purchase yours and what is the model number?

jaserb

The box was pretty mangled when I got it, but I figure that was UPS' fault. They taped all the little accessories to the hitch, so nothing fell out of the box. The hitch wasn't damaged at all. My order contained:
1 41543 CLASS III HITCH 3,100 LBS
1 18310 T-ONE CONNECTOR (wiring harness)
1 BALL 2X1X2-1/8 6000#
1 BALLMOUNT CLASS III STD NO PC3
1 PIN & CLIP CLASS III
Shipping was about $25 - my total for everything was 217.22, much less than I've seen the Hyundai hitch advertised for. The directions were adequate but not spectacular. The listed wiring harness is a 4-pole, so you'll need to buy a converter if you want something else (6 or 7 pole). I just leave the connecter under the cargo tray, but you may want to get something to permanently mount the harness onto the hitch.

Hope this helps,
Jason

dgrpk

Got your email, (even though we all know I used the right verbage in describing what I did) your're right, I didn't even realize it, it was an accident. sorry 'bout that!

dgrpk

thanks for the input, thats good to know.

dgrpk

I'm enjoying my new aztek,
sat down with the OWNERS of the pontiac dealership, and had a chat with them, they also own a couple other dealerships on that street. Mended the relationship with them. They were really nice guys and treated me very well, I respect them for taking the time to listen and respond and make me comfortable and happy with things.
With owning so many dealerships and being in the position they are in, they were very approachable.

The car drives like a dream, finally decided to take it out of the driveway (I couldn't wait to buy a new car, then got struck with new car syndrome and didn't want to drive it.

Close to 300 miles, and I'll tell you, I get some incredible looks from people in this thing.

Its quite the conversation piece, and my husband is getting used to it.

And oh, as with any new car, love that new car smell!!

Will stay in touch for some more heart to hearts.

stever

That was such ancient history, I had to go dig into my personal archives to figure out what you were talking about.

Enjoy your ride!

Steve
Host
SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

dgrpk

Whew! Im so glad you responded to me.
want to hear something funny. I just read the agreement again and thought I blew it again by responding to you. I panicked and tried to get back to my message before the 30 minutes was up to remove it and you had already responded.

You know Steve, youre making me a nervous wreck here. : )
See, big brother is watching, I knew it, and they tell me I have an active imagination. hee hee. : ) This is good practice for being around my little one, I keep reminding my husband of this stuff.

hyundaima

SF doesn't come with it installed, but you can put the Sonata filter in the filter slot behind the glove box.

http://www.brighthikers.com.au/santa%20fe/santa_fe_002.htm

hyundaima

http://www.autoweb.com.au/start_/showall_/id_HYU/doc_hyu0011132/article.html

marla55

Hi,
I am on the fence between the Santa Fe and the Toyota Highlander. The price on the Highlander for what you actually get is a bit steep in my book. I have been a Toyota customer for 12 years and confess don't know much about Hyundai or Santa Fe. Consumer reports says the reliability on the Santa Fe is less than great. True??? General feedback please. I also want to know if launching a boat/trailer around 2,000 lbs. is doable. Thanks

carseeker4

Marla55 - I was going to wait until my first 1000 miles on our Santa Fe to post, but your post needs a response, so here goes..
We too looked at the Highlander. Nice, but Toyota is making virtually NO deals and they are hard to find and NOT all that attractive in my opinion. That along with the EIGHT THOUSAND extra $$$ it would have cost to get the Highlaner AND the engine sludge problem Toyota has had recently, encouraged us to steer away from it! It came down to the Tribute and the SantaFe and we bought the Santa Fe.... It had a nicer interior and better build quality than the Trib (door closings, tolerances, etc). BUT after 469 miles, the SF began to misbehave and rather than damage something, I decided to have it towed. The engine throttle or transmission seemed to be malfunctioning (this was Saturday night!) and the car was really "bucking" trying to get into 2nd gear... yet if I applied harder acceleration, it seemed to do OK....(of course, harder accelerations in traffic aren't a good idea!). Anyway, we were without the car Sunday and Monday. The fix (applied by Fred Beans Hyundai in Doylestown, PA... kudos to them) was a simple "Throttle position sensor". It runs fine now.... I am going to take it on a 2-hour ride to Lancaster PA - I'm going to drag race some Amish buggies (only kidding ) ;-)... we'll see what happens. Overall, however, we love the car. Its the perfect size. The interior is a "bit" plasticy but VERY well laid out. The seats are firm and supportive. I wish it had a tad more legroom in the drivers seat, but its acceptable. Power is sufficient, not awesome, like in the Trib. Interior is better than ANY of the competing models. I will certainly overlook the sensor issue if I don't have any more problems (considering our 99 Grand Am had a FUEL LEAK at 1500 miles and I was wondering if I would be incinerated! - and the Pontiac has been fine since). If I have more issues like the sensor, you'll hear about it! We were both dismayed on Saturday, but are now encouraged by 1) the fact that we really like the car and 2) Fred Beans' quick handling of the sensor issue. One other issue is gas mileage, but the engine is broken in yet and we live in some hilly areas so I withold judgement for now on the MPG. I hope this helps, but I will tell you, decisions on this class vehicle are VERY DIFFICULT, so if you're struggling, I certainly understand!

jaserb

I think your comparo is right on - the Santa Fe is probably more directly comparable with the Highlander than the Rav4 / CRV it's usually compared with. Ours just turned over 16k miles with no major problems. The 2WD V6 model is rated up to 2700 lbs for a trailer with brakes. I'm not sure what the 4WD is rated for. I can't help you on how well it will pull a boat (yet - I'm still working on the wife on that one , but I would guess something under 18 feet or so would be OK. The Santa Fe is great as a road-trip car. Lots of space, very quiet, great cupholders, and pretty good gas mileage. My 2WD LX v6 gets low 20s in mixed city / highway driving and about 25 at 80 on the freeway. Since it's a new model nobody can really say what the reliability will be like, it feels very well put together. Combine that with the warranty and the fact that Hyundai has bent over backwards to help the few who have had problems and I feel pretty secure about reliability. Any questions be sure and ask.

-Jason

jyk1981

I didn't know Santa Fe has a body kit.

The company calls it as Santa Fe T

It gives totally different look.

http://www.santafe-t.co.kr/

I asked the company for selling in US, but they said it's not available right now, but soon they're going to sell it through some dealers.

go to product-> Satafe T

lrchome

Took my Santa FE too Fitzgerald Hyundai, in countryside Florida to have the CPS replaced under recall. They were great in and out in 1hr 45min. They were extremely courteous.

mrmagoo55

Had anyone desired to purchase a third keyless remote transmitter. The dealer said that only two transmitters will work. When another is programmed the previous one will not respond.
Has anyone tried this or know of a work-a-round.
Thanks.

hyundaima

.

carseeker4

Hit our first 1000 (of hopefully many thousands of) miles on our Santa Fe. Actually got to ride it in some snow last night. ABS worked fine, neither the quietest nor noisiest ABS I've encountered, but it worked well. Accelerated on the snow-covered roads with confidence with the 4WD. Ride is quiet and smooth. V6 engine is relatively quiet and has adequate power. Interior is nice (in spite of the plastic, I still like the layout a lot). Only one problem, with the throttle position sensor which the dealer fixed quickly, though to be safe, we had it towed there (Roadside assistance did function OK...). The interior has a lot of nice little storage areas. I just needs a tad more legroom but I'm getting used to it. So far, I'd recommend the vehicle - obviously, I'd like to get it up to 10,000 miles before unhesitatingly recommending it! But so far, in spite of the problem with the sensor, its a nice effort here from Hyundai.... definitely worth considering if you are looking at this class vehicle.

carseeker4

I just noticed a slight rusty discoloration on one of the wheel hubs on our new Santa Fe. (I "guess" they are wheel hubs, not sure what the proper term is!). From the looks of it, its as if something were spilled on it. Its not the entire hub that's discolored. I wonder if it was some kind of solvent cleaner used during dealer prep. The other hubs are an "aluminum" color. Has anyone seen this or know what could or should be done about it? Thanks....

gstitt

Your wheel discoloration is BRAKE DUST. Usually occurs on the front wheel, of a Front drive car. Use WD-40 and just wipe it clean. It works well.

harry31

carseeker4:
My rear axle wheel hubs are showing spots of rust. I'm gonna repaint them shortly. Probably do the calipers, too. I'm thinking yellow for the calipers - saw a black Firebird with red calipers. Looked sharp! With these open-spoked wheels, you can see right in there.

carseeker4

Thanks for the responses..
gstitt... I do have some brake dust showing up on the front wheel hubs and covers and will clean that with a cloth, but the left rear hub isn't in a "dust" kind of pattern, but more "streaks", indicating something else....I will try the WD40 idea though. I tried some C-L-R and that worked temporarily.
harry31.... what kind of paint will you use to repaint the hubs?! Something like a "Rustoleum"?...I'm not quite sure what I'd use on something like that!
Thanks again.

harry31

________________________________________________________
>harry31.... what kind of paint will you use to repaint the hubs?!
>Something like a "Rustoleum"?...I'm not quite sure what I'd use on
>something like that! Thanks again.
___________________________________________________

You need HIGH temp paint. Look in the paint areas of Pep Boys, Cragin, Auto Zone and the like - it's in there. =;-)

carseeker4

First off, thanks harry31 for the response on the paint.
Second, I have just passed the Hyundai-recommended break-in period on my SF.
Keep in mind that I come from the days of "break-in" oil and recommended oil changes at 1000 miles. When should I get the oil changed? Hyundai recommends 3,000 for severe conditions. I checked the oil this morning (it is VERY cold here today), and it was between the Full and Low marks. I hate adding oil when I don't know the viscosity of the oil that's in the car at the time (unless its really an emergency). I'm not totally surprised that I burned a bit of oil during break-in. So, should I get it changed early? Wait? Add? Any ideas? Thanks.

hyundaima

carseeker4

I may just top it off if there is no further advice pending and wait until 3000 for the oil change.

dirkdaddy

FYI -

I don't own a SUV but rented a Rav4 for a ski trip to BC Canada for a week and drove in some limited snow. The RAV4 performed very very well I must say, only downer was the pathetic powerplant. The front wheels would never even get spinning, the AWD would just connect all the wheels. Well, I did get them all spinning in a parking lot doing some crazy driving and doing donuts, but you can punch it coming out on a snowy street and it just goes. Of course if it had more HP and Torque, we might have a different story.

The RAV did have dash squeek, the cargo area is small, but the thing was tight and handled very well, even on snow covered switchback type roads. The ABS seemed very well tuned so it didn't kick in too early like a Explorer I rented in Alaska a few years ago.

I liked it more than I thought I would, but the lack of power would make me consider a SF or other SUV before getting the Rav.

Just thought I'd post my experiences.

DD

carseeker4

Does anyone know if the all-weather floor mats for the Santa Fe come in ONLY black, or is a beige match available? Thanks.

jbmike15

I need to advice from the hardened SF owners. I will be test driving a SF tomorrow here in Greenville and I would to purchase one but, would like to know more about the reliability of the vehicle. I saw some posts in another discussion which put down the reliability of this vehicle. Also, what is the some of the positive and negetive things that you have seen with the vehicle? I know this are a lot of question but, I would like to be sure of my decision. After all, a salesman will not answer these questions truthfully. I trust an owner more than a dealer any day of the week. Thanks.

lrchome

I have a 2001 Santa Fe LX FWD. I have had it for 16 months and have 14,000 miles on it. The vehicle has been fantastic so far, it rides great , it is quiet, and the gas mileage is good.

I have not had a single problem with it. The only negative, was the orignal windshield wiper blades,they were a cheap rubber and bounced over the windshield. I replaced them with ANCO Blades, and they have been fine ever since.

I really like my Santa FE.

greg55126

got ours about a month ago and it has been great. Nice ride, good acceleration (v-6) went out on the road 3500 miles got 22mpg avg. Dealing was fun because of info on the net. No complaints ... Drivers seat could be more comfy for 12 hour days but other than that loved the drive. good luck

pmartinez

Just went over 1000 mi. on my 2002 GL SF. No problems except for the cheap rubber wipers that streak. Will probably install better ones or complain to dealer to get new ones. SF is a joy to drive and even better to look at. Recent buyers are getting them at below invoice and models made after Feb 2002 seem to be coming with an updated interior. Look around and do your homework before buying. Good luck jbmike15.

harry31

jbmike15:
I own an '02 GLS (since Jan 23) and my only 'complaint' (not REALLY a complaint - just an observation) is with the radio/stereo speakers. The speakers could be better - but that can easily be changed. My wipers do NOT chatter, and have NEVER chattered. =;-) I find the vehicle comfortable for drives up to 1 - 1 1/2 hours. Never sat in it for a longer period. I'm not looking forward to changing a flat (after the Hyundai road service is up!). Had the spare out to clean and wax it. At least the spare is a full-sized aluminum wheel and can be put into the rotation.

Of course, you are the one who will have to make up your mind about the SUV, after a test drive or two. What is important to YOU is what you should look for. I CAN tell you that in two months and twenty-two hundred miles, I haven't had problem one with my Santa Fe.

FYI, in my area (north central Florida), the SantaFe is still selling close to MSRP.

thor9

I have 40,000 miles on my 2001 LX, V6 AWD.

While this vehicle has been great overall, there are some quirks with this vehicle that remain unresolved for almost everyone. I will come clean about these, and let you make your own decision.

The most annoying quirk being the fuel fill-up problems:

The vapor-recovery system in the fuel tank is so tight, that the fill-valve (in the tank) back-pressure shuts the filling station pump off too early, causing you to get 2 - 3 gallons less fuel in the tank than when actually full. You can compensate for this by filling on the absolute lowest setting on the pump, and trickling the last few gallons in by hand. This problem REALLY is very annoying and inconvenient, and throws your M.P.G. calculations way off.

There is also the issue of the rear disc brakes 'moaning' for the first few revolutions in damp, cold weather. This is not really anything serious.

I personally have an issue with my suspension leaning to the driver's side, which the local dealer has been unable to fix.

Last but not least, the only other two nitpicks I can mention are that changing the rear spark plugs on the V6 requires removal of the 'surge tank', an extension of the intake manifold, making this questionable for the average do-it-yourselfer. Also, the plastic & steel splash pan under the engine tends to accumulate spilled oil during an oil change, which will later leak out and simulate an actual engine oil leak.

There you have it, everything I can find wrong with the Santa Fe. You may safely assume that anything I didn't comment on is satisfactory.

Traction in the snow has been excellent. Fuel mileage has been consistently in the 22-23 M.P.G. highway, when I can actually get a full tank to measure.

I don't regret getting my SF one bit, but it is not for everybody.

Good luck.

jaserb

We've had our '01 LX FWD for over 1 year and almost 17k miles. No mechanical problems at all. There were some discussions about a recall affecting older Santa Fes, but if yours was made after 3/01 you'll be fine. I had the recall for the Crankshaft Positioning Sensor done yesterday, and the dealer replaced the 0xygen sensor at the same time. From what my dealer says, those of us who have older Santa Fe's may be getting another recall letter regarding the oxygen center. Neither of these recalls seemed to have any effect on my car's performance, and neither would affect an '02 Santa Fe. Overall, we're very happy with our Santa Fe, especially considering what we paid for it!

-Jason

jaserb

I've been able to get around this by filling at full speed until I've put in about 11-12 gallons (depending on how empty the tank is) and then changing the pump handle position to the lowest "lock" setting WITHOUT RELEASING THE HANDLE. I generally drive over 300 miles in the city on a single tank, and I've been able to put over 16 gallons in on a single fillup. It was annoying at first, but it has become more or less second nature. My old Neon did this to some extent, also.

-Jason

gtgtcobra

My Santa Fe LX 6 cylinder now has 13,500 Miles on it and I have had NO PROBLEMS with the vehicle. This vehicle is very SOLID. I drove the car for the first 10,000 miles and then gave it to my wife who drives it now. I have driven this Santa Fe very hard at times and it has held up very well without giving me any problems. It is also very economical. I get an average of 20 to 21 MPG overall mileage.

I recommend this vehicle to anybody who is looking to purchase the Santa Fe. It is comfortable, roomy and well built for an SUV. It's also $20,000 to $25,000 cheaper than the Lexus RX300.

Eat your hearts out Lexus owners!! You were WRONG when you said that the Santa Fe was no good. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! You were 100% WRONG!!
The Santa Fe is the BEST!!