Hyundai Santa Fe (2006 and earlier)

lrchome

After 20 months the battery in my keyless entry failed. If you open the door with a key the alarm goes off, and you have to wait 30 min. before you can start the car.

Has anyone else had the battery in the keyless opner fail. I had the opner in my previous car for 7 years and it never failed.

refaires

buy a new battery dude...... They do wear out. Mine did and I popped in a new one and didn't miss a beat.

lrchome

Hyundai said they would give me a new one or put a battery in mine for free.

forgordy

I have a 2001 V-6 Santa Fe and have had rough downshift problem (4th into 3rd) since buying the car in May 2001. Problem is accentuated when engine is straining (high altitude--8 to 10K feet-- driving, above 45 mph, AC on and full load of passengers. Dealer has found no "codes" and when car carries only driver and is driven at 5,000 feet altitude, roughness is hard to notice. Anyone have a similar problem, and if so, have you or the dealer found solution?

azntrojan

yup.. 20.5 out the door

bondd

I am getting an LX AWD wihout moonroof for 21,730 includign destination charges. Is that a good price.

THanks for your reply in advance

bmcadoo

I have been away from the board for a while. Any news surfacing on the 2003's and what changes will be made to them? Any release date? I think the 2002 models came out in Sept. last year, so 2003 should be around the corner.

Thanks.

yoonny

Go Hyundai!!!! I think Hyudai needs to develop a bigger SUV ASAP or bring Terracan to the States to serve happy SF customers who want bigger SUV.

reblfan

Well, I just had to tell this board about my dealership experience today.

Went to negotiate a deal for a 2002 Santa Fe LX AWD. The car has obviously been used by someone at the dealership as it has 900 miles on it. It also has several scratches/abrasions on the gate.

Anyway, I went in with the proper numbers of invoice vs. MSRP. To the MSRP the dealer had added CCP, dealer app and running boards for sticker of 26,108. I took off all of these items (vehicle was built 1/25/02), as well as $1000 for mileage and $600 for dealer incentive. Long story short, I offered $22,500 ($70 above invoice).

I also had a trade (2000 Honda Accord EX in MINT condition, 35,000 miles). Another long story short, the sales manager offered me $11,000 for it. Is this guy smoking dope?! That is no where near any number I have seen. The lowest I have seen for its trade in value is $14,100. He even tried the "we'll pay off your vehicle no matter how much you owe" BS. You know, pay my note off (14k), then give me 13.3k for my car so I could have the honor of financing over 27k!!

The thing that is the most upsetting is not that I fell in love with the car. It is the fact that the salesman understood exactly why I offered what I did as we spent 2 hrs talking about it. I go back this afternoon and the manager ignores what was done this morning and pulls out BS numbers. I think he likes his cars WAY too much. They are also probably not used to someone having a finance degree and having every number under the sun to back my offer up.

Anyway...anyone have any suggestions on where to go from here? I have thought about faxing my info to the salesman and GM and bypassing the manager. I have no intention of calling the dealership again. Or maybe send out an offer to buy over the Internet...only problem is I have a trade.

Thoughts?

lrchome

Go to the internet, I had my best luck there. I bought a 2001 LX in November of 2000, and paid exactly MSRP, dealer threw in all the extras for free. Roof rack cross rails cargo cover etc all were free.

bmcclain

Try another dealership. I wouldn't pay $70 over invoice for a new vehicle with 900 miles and several scratches. Deduct the $1000 for the wear and tear from the invoice, not sticker price. I wouldn't buy it period. You need a new dealership with a new Santa Fe (which have been improved for 2002 1/2, check for the clock in the dash).
My advice on the Accord would be to sell it yourself instead of trading it in, it's a lot easier to get what it is worth.

Print out the carsdirect.com (or which ever service you use) price for the exactly configured Santa Fe that you want, take it to the dealership that you choose (try e-mailing all of the dealerships within the area that you are willing to drive what you want and ask them to call you if they have it), and go for only less than that price. Any dealer worth its weight should take you up on it. If they won't, act pissed and leave, though wait a few moments before driving off and a sales manager should come out and give you the price that you want or lower (we got "at cost" price when they didn't have the pewter 4WD GLS w/sunroof and ABS/TC Santa Fe they said they did [missing the ABS and TC]).

I hope that this will help you out some.

-Brandon

joydrive

I am deciding between a 2002 2wd GLS Santa Fe(msrp=19,347)on the lot, in the color I want; and a Vitara Awd 4 door,also on the lot in the color I want. The Suzuki dealer offered 17,700 before tax and title(and some kind of "shady" rebate from a trust company that I am choosing to discount in my negotiations).My question is what can I reasonably expect to take off sticker on the Santa Fe - they are advertising on TV in New York $18,142 (it may not be automatic). If they have about 8 of the 2002s on the lot and they are expecting the 2003s now, wouldn't they want to move them? In addition, this is the first 2wd I have seen in my extensive mini suv shopping (I prefer the 2wd). If they are less desirable in this area, will the dealer go lower? How do I tell date of delivery from the sticker? Thanks for any input-I had not expected to buy til next year so I'm trying to save wherever I can!

szabotage

hello all, this is my first post and need any feedback on the 2.4L and automatic tranny these vehicles are equipped with.

I have a part ownership in an offroad/fabrication shop specializing in suzuki samurai's and aftermarket products and we are looking to build a samurai rockcrawler over the winter and one of the trannies I am considering is the santa fe auto tranny( I love the fact you can choose what gear to take off in with a simple nudge) but to mate this tranny to a suzuki engine seems like more than I want to handle at the moment.

with that said I would like to simply swap both the tranny and engine into the samurai frame but before I do I need to know the following:

1)how heavy is the 2.4 and tranny
2)what RPM is the 2.4's torque peak
3)what is the engine/tranny dimensions
4)what is the transfer case setup and final drive ratio
5)what side is the front driveshaft on
6)are there any aftermarket parts/gears for the engine tranny and transfer case.

I know this is asking alot but any answers would be greatly appreciated

regards, mike szabo

nippononly

I am curious - went to look at a SF recently, found the dealer to be so obnoxious and pushy, not to mention lying, that I said forget it to Hyundai, and am now looking at Escape instead. Have dealer experiences been worse than typical with other brands that you have bought in the past? Just wondering.

jimbeaumi

Dealer experiences seem to be all over the map -- some are outstanding, others need to indicted. This goes for all brands, so don't rush out to get the Escape just yet. Look to see how many recalls it has required before you do that, especially if you are still considering SF. Is there another Hyundai dealer within your area?

carseeker4

I tried 3 Hyundai dealers in my area. All were quite nice to work with and I would send anyone to any of these 3 dealers for sales. I agree with jimbeaumi...you'd better check carefully before buying an Escape. I had a deposit on a Trib and backed out when I learned of continuing stalling problems with these vehicles. It isn't solved yet. I'd be very cautious.

cm3246

We are getting ready to purchase the Sante Fe but can't decide on 2WD or AWD. Can someone please explain the difference in layman's terms? Also does anyone know when the 2003 Sante Fe might be coming out? Thanks!

jaserb

There's a pretty good discussion going on in the "Subaru Forester vs Hyundai Santa Fe vs Jeep Liberty vs Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute vs Saturn Vue" topic on these systems - you might want to check it out. But, if you want the short answer, the Santa Fe comes with either Front Wheel Drive (FWD) or All Wheel Drive (AWD). The Hyundai AWD system is similar to the one Subaru uses, and power is sent to all four wheels all the time. This means you don't need to use a knob/lever/switch to turn on AWD, it's just there all the time. FWD is exactly what it sounds like - no power is sent to the back wheels at all, ever. Most sedans are like this. Basically, there are pros and cons to getting the AWD option:
PROS:
Better traction in snow/rain/mud/gravel
Better resale down the road (generally)
Better off road, but still not a Jeep
CONS:
Adds weight to the vehicle - and the Santa Fe is no lightweight
Poorer acceleration mostly due to the added weight
Kind of a costly option
Poorer gas mileage. The FWD V6 Santa Fe is rated at 19/26, the AWD is only 19/23.

I own a FWD Santa Fe LX and find that the FWD with traction control and ABS is fine for my needs, and I don't regret not getting the AWD option. That said, if I were an avid skiier or lived in a place with a lot of snow and poor roads, it definitely would have been worth the money. Whether or not you get AWD, I would definitely spend the extra money and get the ABS/traction control package.

-Jason

carseeker4

I agree with jaserb. I have a AWD GLS with ABS/Traction control. I did have one chance so far to drive it in the snow in March and I LOVED the handling in the snow. The 4WD will prevent the rear "fishtail" when driving in the snow, not to mention you can probably go thru deeper snow in a AWD as opposed to a FWD. I'm getting only about 17 MPG in city/urban driving with the AWD. Highway is 23 (I've gotten as much as 28!). And of course, its 100 degrees, so the AWD is pretty much useless right now (maybe for acceleration over melting asphalt..hmm!) But AWD is one of those things you'll wish you had if you get a snowy winter or hit some mud (mud...what's that?)or sand.

kstixx

Hi all. Just bought a Santa Fe last month and after a quick rundown about the shiftronic automatic shifter with the salesman and reading the book I'm still not completely sure how to use it properly. Do you have to be on a highway to use it? If you have any experiences with using it, please share. Thank you.

Keith

P.S. So far I have no complaints with my SF.

mmhblg

Thanks for everyone's previous posts. After "lurking" here on the board for awhile I am ready to buy an LX model. I am trying to choose between two colors. My first choice is the blue, the alternate choice would be the pewter. Has anyone had experience in terms of how difficult it is to keep either color clean and if either is more susceptible to door dings, etc.? How bad a problem are door dings from other cars in general with these vehicles?

Incidently, I am choosing the Hyundai over the Toyota Highlander, my second choice vehicle. Also, I am financing through "People First" who link to this site. I have gotten a great rate and they seem very professional to deal with.

spratt1

For # 3472. We have a pewter GLS w/ ABS & traction control. I once had a car with a blue very similar to the Santa Fe blue. It showed the dirt more than the pewter does. That said, we might have still purchased the blue had they had it in the level we wanted. They only had it in AWD. You don't need AWD in Texas, it costs more and the MPG is less.

We have had our 2002 V6 for about 5000 miles. It has been a truly great car. I've had a number of SUVs including GM Jimmys and Blazers, Sierra, Ford Bronco, and a Subaru. Have test driven everything. No doubt the Hyundai Santa Fe is the best for the $ (the BMW, Acura and Lexus are the best if you can afford them).

carseeker4

I took our Santa Fe to refill our propane tank for our grill, and had to make a quick little manuever and the empty tank tipped and the top edge of the tank which shields the nozzle dinged the interior driver's side door panel. Not a big ding, but noticable. Any ideas on how this might be fixed? I know they had one of those "plastic and vinyl" repair kits advertised on TV...are they any good? Any input appreciated. Thanks.

shivelyt

Last week on a trip east I wound up in the hands of Roadside Assistance. In Boulder, CO, suddenly the engine accelerated at a stop sign and wouldn't come off. Called RA and they obligingly send a tow truck since the closest dealer was in Longmont, 30 miles away. Driver looked under the hood and found the cruise cable was forcing the throttle open. He disconnected and I was on my way. Didn't use cruise on the way home (hard driving when you're used to is). Dealer diagnosed the problem as in the cruise actuator. He replaced and so far no problem. This right after a tranny replacement. Soon I'll have the car rebuilt. Service mgr. says defective actuator might also be causing intermittent problem of car jumping out of cruise control for no apparent reason. We'll see.

shivelyt

I had debated whether to install the custom bug screen to cut down on insect clutter. On two trips to the midwest (home of billions of insects)in the spring and summer I noted that the bugs tended to hit the high bumper and parking lights or else the two outside rearview mirrors, not the hood or windows so much. Figure that the screen wouldn't help me much. Just wash off the bugs each time you stop at a gas station and save your money.

lrchome

I was on MSN's Carpoint, and looked up the tradein and resale value of my 2001 Hyundai Santa Fe LX 2WD. I have 15,400 miles on the SUV.

I was amazed the Kelly Blue Book trade in value was $19,565 the resale value by a dealer was $24,405.

I bought the SUV in November of 2000 for $21,495. I have not checked but the 2002 LX models must be selling for less $24,000.

I wonder why the high tradein and resale values.

dacs_iv

Well, there's a shortage of black LX's here in central NJ, especially with the moonroof installed, so I'm opting to wait for the 2003's.

Anyone have any info when they'll be out and will there be a considerable price difference from the 2002's? This would be my first new-car purchase so I'm not familiar with these things. Thanks.

stever

You can do a customized appraisal on your '01 Santa Fe (look for the button as you drill down with the True Market Value tool). You should get a value somewhere between $12,800 and $15,900 or so. Note that neither Edmunds or Kelley will actually buy your car - that's up to the dealer or the private party you're trying to sell it to - so you have to take all these published prices with a bit of salt.

Check out our What is the "Kelley Blue Book" Price? article too.



Steve

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srchinforacar

First of all let me say that I love this forum. Lots of good info. I have a few questions. We are trying to decide between the AWD and FWD on a Loaded LX. We live in Minnesota but will do no off-roading, only some rare blizzard driving and once-a-month trips to Iowa. I see the difference of about $1200 for AWD plus the added gas cost. As far as getting through the snow, FWD has always worked great for me even on cars lower to the ground. Any thoughts? Also, what should I pay for a FWD V6 LX with package 9 (sunroof)? Invoice? MSRP? TMV? Less? I'd like a good starting point when going to the dealer this weekend. I'm trying the fax blast method today and I'll let you know what kind of quotes I get. Thanks
RB

srchinforacar

Using the fax blast method in Mpls-St. Paul, $22,157 (said it was $49 over invoice) on a 2002 Sante Fe V6-LX, FWD with Shiftronic with option package 9 (sunroof). I'll let you know what other quotes I get. Do you think I can get less than invoice?

carseeker4

For those who read about my interior ding on the Santa Fe, I was able to work on that today, since the wife was out shopping with her friend and I couldn't go gofing without risking lightning encounters! Sorry, no pix. Its a dim sort of day and they would not have come out anyway, not to mention the camera is empty right now. Bottom line is that juice is right, the color matching was the worst of it. It took me TWO HOURS to get a close match (its still a "tad" yellow), and its not perfect, but it looks better than the ding. I got the vinyl repair kit made by Permatex which sold at Pep Boys for $6.99. I did have some trouble with the heating part since I had to use a solder gun as the heating device. I'd opt to spend the $9.99 for their kit that has a UL approved heating device. The mixing is lengthly, but the color material stays pliable for quite a while, so you can take your time mixing and matching. Anyway, it looks better and hopefully I'll be smart enough to tie down that propane can next time!

homer61388

I am looking at the santa fe because it seems to have a lot of the standard equipment included in other vehicles in its price range at half the cost. The warranty seems great but does that mean that hyundai is for sure reliable? How much does the santa fe tow? what is the towing capacity? Does the 2.7 V6 have enough power to haul around a AWD model and still tow a respectible amount? Are there any measurable gripes about the vehicle? Are there other suvs in its class that are better? Thanks a lot! And write back!

carseeker4

.... see my 5K mile review on my SF...post 3411 on this board ... I'd say use the "go to" function, but it didn't work when I tried it (Steve?).... I thought the towing cap. was around 1700 lbs, not great. It is a small 6. Obviously, I'd say the Acura MDX and Lexus RX are better vehicles, but who can afford them?! The CRV will probably be more reliable, but has bland styling and only a 4 cylinder. The Escape and Tribute are probably less reliable than the SF at least at this point. We were MONTHS making our decision. Its a tough call in this class vehicle. All-in-all our Santa Fe has been no worse than any American car we have owned....and maybe better....especially in the build quality.

tommyp13

Asked this on the "accessories" discussion, but doesn't look like anyone goes there.

Is there any way to get a cd changer, except for the aftermarket h/u or rf aftermarket options?

Hoping that there's a changer that works with the factory h/u that'll connect right up. I'm assuming not, and that I'd have to go to a rf-type of setup, but wanted to make sure.

Also, if anyone has a changer in theirs, please post your thoughts. Thanks!

jaserb

2200 lbs. for AWD V6 models, 2700 for FWD V6 models.

-Jason

charlesm1950

Tommy13,

Check out http://www.carstereomall.com. They have the Mazda Double-DIN stereo with the built-in CD Changer for about what you would pay for a CD changer that you would have to put under the seat or elsewhere. That would seem to be a lot less of a problem to install.

Regards,

CharlesM

homer61388

Carseeker4, this will be my daughters vehicle, I actually own an RX 300! I find that funny. The RX is a great vehicle but again, the towing capacity is about slim to none, I am thinking of trading it in on a jeep grand cherokee limited overland, so I can get V8 power, and be able to tow more. My daughter needed this vehicle for college, and this one seemed to fit her budget, for the cargo capacity and so on. One needs a lot for college! She needs the towing capacity cuz she tows around jet skiis and such and is constantly using my RX 300! Those damn kids! LOL! This, however, does seem like a good pic for a college kid and the awd is a definite must in the wintry climate that she goes to college in! The awd will prove capable I think more so that her current dodge neon.
I am gonna take a look at the honda but again yeah the 4 cylinder cant pass too much muster when towing. The escape and tribute are ok but I am not crazy about her driving a ford product. The liberty is more prone to roll overs so that cancels out too!
Thanks for all your input!

jimbeaumi

Stepping down from an RX300 to a Grand Cherokee will surely be a disappointing move for you. Problems problems problems with those vehicles!

whodathought1

I am comteplating the purchase of a Santa Fe. I've read almost nothing but rave reviews on this vehicle. I currently have an Odyssey and the SF will be for my wife.

For any service work on the Oddy, if any is required, I will have to travel 80 miles or so. With the Santa Fe, it will be a similar distance.

I'm ingrained with the old thought that Hyundai's need frequent service, while the Honda very seldom needs service.

I realize I'm probably wrong, based on what I've read so far on different forums. My question is do you think I will regret my decision if I get the Santa Fe??

Thanks,

lrchome

I have had my 2001 Santa Fe LX for 2 years, and have 18,246 miles on it. The only problem I have had is the battery for the remote entry, and alarm system failed, and I had to put in a new battery. The battery cost me $2.40 at Radio shack.

Hyundai offerd to replace the battery if I brought it to the dealer 30 miles away. I declined.

However a new Hyundai dealer is opening this year 4 miles from my home.

carseeker4

See post 3411 on this board for my SF 5K review....only 1 problem of note.... throttle position sensor at 469 miles. Now have 7K miles, nothing big...(rust stain on one wheel hub....quickly replaced)....its running fine.
We have 3 Hyundai dealers within 15 miles. The nearest being 5 miles. BUT we bought at a dealer 50 miles away, because our nearby dealers didn't have any Santa Fes!! We are doing our service at our local dealer and they've been great (only been there twice in 6 mos - once for an oil change - and I'll have one coming up next month). So, far, I have not regretted the decision, but obviously, the long-term outlook is not as certain (true with any newer model!). I often ask myself if Hyundai will be around in 10 years to honor the warranty if need be. The more I look at the company and the more I see their current success, the firmer my belief is "yes, they will be around", but nothing is guaranteed! Chrysler apparently has a 10% stake in Hyundai - I'd prefer to see Hyundai remain independent. They have a lot of positive potential.

carseeker4

You are correct with your numbers, but I noticed, on the chart on my tow kit, that if you have ABS, that capacity is reduced due to braking concerns. I haven't had a chance to study this in the owners manual yet. That's why I posted the lower number (I have the ABS and Traction Control).

whodathought1

Thanks for the responses - Irchome and Carseeker4.

I will be taking the wife 80 miles tomorrow to Ft. Myers and test drive the Santa Fe and the Honda CRV.

The Honda people have 2 CRV's on hand and the Hyundai people have "about 20" Santa Fe's. What's with that? New ones come out soon don't they??

Will post back here when I return.

Again, thanks a lot.

carseeker4

... well the CRV is a hot seller, but up our way (near Philly) so is the SF. Honda is having some sort of production problem, or they are deliberately holding back production, figuring that they can get MSRP or better! The new CRV is a big improvement on the old one, but I wanted a V6 and something a tad more stylish than the bland CRV. The tires on the CRV are also ridiculously small. I also couldn't get used to the dashboard shifter.

whodathought1

Thanks again for your input carseeker4.

Just returned 45 minutes ago. The Honda people have a $945.00 charge for paint sealant to protect each and every Honda leaving their lot, from the Florida Sun. There also is a $1,500 Market Adjustment added on. Those two items by themselves are reason enough for me to look elsewhere if I decide to go with Honda. But on top of these things, as I was leaving, the "Manager" was introduced and my wife said she wasn't at all interested in the Red CRV. "Oh, we have 7 more in the back" the manager said. Quickly the salesman offered. "No we sold 6 of them today."

Now yesterday, they only had 2, then today they only had one, but the "manager" said there were 7.

Visited the Hyundai dealership and enjoyed the ride and looks of the SF. Talked briefly about price and they were 2 thousand away from my price. Will visit Other dealerships and test drive more then will decide.

Whoda

charlesm1950

Your experience at a Honda dealer was somewhat like mine. Little after market add-ons with hugely inflated prices and arrogant sales people. This really turned me off.

This morning CBS Market Watch had an interesting article about what turns people off when looking at cars and makes them go elsewhere:

http://cbs.marketwatch.com/news/story.asp?guid=%7BA16FA3A7%2DE01C%2D4555%2DA050%2DD96AAF606664%7D&siteid=mktw

The top 5 off their list:

1. The price is too high

2. The monthly payment are too high

3. Didn't like exterior's design

4. Limited availability

5. Sales people's actions

stever

I think exterior design placing a high third is interesting. You spend much more time inside the cabin and don't see the outside unless you cruise by a plate glass window. Unless you park your ride in front of your living room window?

At least the interior made the top 10.

Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards

rich0210

Tommyp - I posted an answer to your post in the "accessories" page. Yes one is available from Crutchfield.com.

whodathought1

Well after researching probably 40 hours on the internet, including this site, today I bought my wife her Hyundai Santa Fe. It made it 97 miles back from the dealer to our house so I would say the reliability is quite good so far.

Thanks to those who responded to my queries. Hope there are not too many problems to be encountered with this vehicle. It certainly handles nicely and is fairly quiet. Still have to finish reading the owner's manual.

Thanks again,

whoda

stever

Congrats, and let's hope the next 99,903 miles are just as reliable!

Steve
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SUVs, Vans and Aftermarket & Accessories Message Boards