Hyundai Santa Fe 2007+

aschwindt

Well, there are more than 30 Hyundai Santa Fe threads on this website. After posting in the Hyundai Santa Fe: Problems and Solutions thread, I realized there was a 2007 Santa Fe: Problems and solutions. So I posted to three threads that seemed relevant. I'm sorry if I wore you out reading my three small posts. Next time just skip over my posts.

tidester

Or Did I pick 1 out of 1000000000 santa fe which has ...

I'm definitely buying Hyundai stock. I had no idea sales were so brisk!

Seriously, try another dealer or an independent mechanic.

tidester, host

retiredpilot

I once had a Honda Accord that had the same problem and received exactly the same responce as you when I took it to the dealer. I simply made certain every time I went to the dealer for an "inspection", I reported the problem and made certain they recorded it in their computer. I never did find out what the problem was but after 3 years the dealer called me and asked me to bring the car in so they could put a new transmission in the car. It is my bet they (the dealer) knew all along what the problem was but just couldn't address it until Honda confirmed they had an issue and said anyone reporting the problem should get a new tranny. One hopes Hyundai will do the same for you as I suspect whatever the problem is can't be "fixed". To the best of my knowledge the problem was not widespread. As you say, you must have the one in a million. May your fortunes be a good as mine were.

kp58

I've previously owned Honda Accord and Toyota Camry and decided that is all I will drive. However, I purchased a Santa Fe after driving everything the others had to offer and continuing to go back and like the Santa Fe. I started with the Rav4 - interior way too cheap looking (Santa Fe's seats are also not expensive looking but believe it or not they were better than the Rav's. The Rav's looked like they were made for a teen who was not going to take care of them so you didn't want to give them anything nice. Looked at Highlander - too boxy design - is it trying to be an SUV or a cross between an SUV & mini-van? CRV - a little too short but at least better interior than the RAV. The Mazda CX-7 - definitely a cool little crossover. But taillights are clear - like those aftermarkets ones that the bass thumping teens like. Drove it several times before I realized that the plastic in it was as cheap as all the others. If I am paying more for lets say a CX7, then shouldn't I expect better plastics? Yeah Hyundai uses cheap plastic but so do all the others now -- some just try and dress it up more than others. I wanted a white CX7. Didn't want black seats - so I drove one with the sand color seats .... but the carpet was black and the doors were two-tone black & what appeared to be grey. Okay at first but something a person would easily tire of. If you get the black seats - then you get all black and don't have to put up the the two-tone. I still love Honda and Toyota but - hey - why not give the up and coming underdog a chance? Toyota was once an up and coming underdog and got little respect even though they were reliable workhorses way back when. I know a lot of people who have purchased a Hyundai over the past 2-3 years and none of them have any complaints about the mechanics, ride or reliability. As for me, my '07 Sante Fe has a smooth, quiet ride and great visibility and a good price that includes some options that I couldn't have got for that price with the others. So as much as I love the others, I'm willing to try a different brand and form my own opinion.

wjaner

We have been waiting for six months?? for the arrival of the 5 speed manual transmission. The arrival date was stated to be at the end of the year 2006. What is the current date of arrival? Has anyone seen the manual transmission?
Werner

7honda

Thanks to all of you! I'm ready for a test drive on the Santa Fe, now I just have to get my wife to go along. I think she realizes once she drives a car she likes it, and that just makes a decision harder for her! Unfortunately, she once drove a Passat Wagon and we bought the piece of junk. So now I think she's wary of that!

fanbanlo

Q to owners, is there a trunk cover/screen available? standard or optional?

I can see there's some rail for hooking a screen in the trunk, but where's the screen? I don't want the car thief to see what's in the trunk...

fanbanlo

another Q to owners:

Although SF has a very good turning radius, is it easy to park? And since it has no Nav package, therefore no screen for Backup Camera...

Any idea if the Nav package would have backup camera?

Thanks!

pelican19

Optional

pelican19

The new Santa is very easy to park. I am in New York. Parking is tough to say the least. I do not think the NAV will have backup camera but I am looking into it. If I find any additional info I will update this post.

Backup Camera Alternatives:

http://sewelldirect.com/Car-Backup-Camera.asp
http://www.mobilevideo4less.com/cameras.html
http://www.roadmasterusa.com/backupcamera_vr3.php

Also, Many CD/DVD entertainment packages now come with this feature built in.

kp58

I didn't think about negotiating a cargo cover into the deal but wish I would have. Asked the dealer (after my purchase) how much the cargo cover would be --- it was something like $349.

ural9982

I purchase my 2007 AWD 5 speed manual Santa Fe more than one month ago. It was assembled in Korea (not in Alabama).

Ilya

pelican19

$ 279.54

And if your a new customer I think you get an additional 11% discount. I purchase ALL Santa Fe Parts from them. Excellent support team. Take a look.

http://www.hyundaiaccessorystore.com/Hyundai_Santa_Fe_2007_Cargo_Screen.html

eyo

Hello guys, Happy New Year first of all!
I have made some pics, check it out if you are interested.
Here is the link:

http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/eyophotos/album?.dir=518cscd&.src=ph&store=&pro- did=&.done=http%3a//uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

This car is so much fun!

carrito

hi

you can just buy an inexpensive mirror. this is from a site in Canada, I'm sure you can find something similar in the States.

click here

good luck

santafesi

This "Chip plastic" you are talking about is plastic that can be recycled as I was informed by experts.

Owing to this more and more plastic of this kind will be also in cars !

BorisB

eba55

We just got an SE last week. The TPMS light is staying on which the owners manual states means there is something wrong with the system, not that a tire is low. Has anyone else had this? We can't get to the dealer until next week, they said they haven't had to "run a scan" for this yet. Just wondering- thanks. :sick:

pelican19

Yes. Unfortunately in my case the TPMS Receiver had to be replaced.

How the system works: Every time you turn on the ignition the TPMS sends a signal ( through a cable )to each wheel initiator to wake up its respective wheel sensor via a 125KHz LF signal. Each wheel sensor then sends a 315MHz RF signal back to the TPMS Receiver. Data is then analyzed by the receiver and displayed in the cluster.

In my case the receiver was not responding.

Let us know how it turns out...

Anthony G.

carrito

thanks for sharing, nice pics.
I see you got stuck in the sand, how did you managed to get out of that? do you have AWD or FWD?

wjaner

Dear llya,
Happy holidays and happy new years to you and yours.
Thanks for your courteous reply re the 5 speed manual transmission. Please advise what dealership and what part of the USA you are located in.
I find it very interesting that your Santa Fe with 5 speed manual was made in Korea.
Werner Janer Los Angeles, Ca

eyo

It’s AWD or 4WD, what ever, but the problem is that it doesn’t have diff lock, which would be really useful. When I gut stuck it’s usually because 1 or 2 of the wheels are in the air, so even if I lock 4WD it only turns the wheels in the air. At that point you have to start to dig out the path of the tires in from of it. It never took me more then 20 minutes to get it out. But you need help, so don’t go alone. In fact when I took it for the first time, my friend came with me with his Land Cruiser, but I didn’t need him :shades:
So if you have 4WD just go ahead and try it. Try not to stop on flat spots. And keep it in 1st gear and rev it. It doesn’t have a lot of power so you need to be smart. Mine is 2.7 4AT.
Take care!

phatboyc

I would think if only one wheel is in the air you would be fine. Since 50% is still going to the opposite end, front or back.

Also I though the traction control or stability control would apply the brakes of the wheels in the air. Then by doing this the power would go to the wheel on the other side.

I realize this ain't no LandRover but with all the small SUV comparison saying the 4WD Lock is a good option for our Santa Fe what good is it if it's not working as described...

eyo

You have something there, I would try next time. Because when ever I go off road I switch the ESP off, but in the situation as you have described it might just help if it really breaks the wheels in the air. ESP needs to be switched off because when you turn in the sand you will slide a little bit and it will start to work which will eventually get you stuck. Other thing is the ABS. I would be happy to have a switch off button. When I role down a steep sandy hill and the ABS starts to work it freaks me out. It keeps me on top off the sand and I can only stop when I reach the bottom. If I could switch it off, I could block the wheels and they will dig them selves in the sand and I could stop very soon. So when you are in that situation keep your speed below I think 20 to keep the ABS off. Because it doesn’t work under certain speed, but when it work it works rivers as well. So, just be a wear of it.
The switch for the 4WD lock is not doing much I would think in the send. I would say that it’s more useful in snow or mud. Diff lock would be entirely different, as in its name that would lock the differential between the front and rear axel and between the front 2 and rear 2 tires.

phatboyc

Can't wait to test it myself in the snow once I get it. Should be in on the 11th.

Let us know of your findings in the sand. Oh and thanks for the pictures.

eyo

I will let you know if anything new I found. And congratulation for the car, you will like it a lot, it’s awesome.

fanbanlo

As much as I like this car, my friends and family still think it is a bad choice because.. It is a Hyundai.

The biggest concerns are the nearly non-existing resale value and reliability.

In another forum, someone suggests me to lease instead of to buy. Would leasing be a solution? Since I don't have to keep the car and I don't have to worry about selling the car?

Thank you!

sirvagabond

I'd agree whole-heartedly with you had I not investigated myself and checked their stocks. I would only say that that assumption is unfounded. Recently Hyundai has been making phenom strides is quality and resale value. Their resale isn't non-existant. It may have been a few years ago, but not in the past 5 years. Every year it continues to climb upward. Their sales increase, as do their awards from numerous critics every year. If your unsure, check resale values in the past 3 years of Tuscon, Elantre, Tiburon. An worst case scenario, your only saving a few k in the end on resale, which with any other manufacturer, you'll end up paying up front anyway. Do your research, you'll be surprised at what you find out about Hyundai.

stever

One way to research the resale is to check depreciation over 5 years with the True Cost to Own tool.

eyo

I feel like I live in the 80’s again. What happened is, that in the 80’ my parents started to by Japanese cars and from 86 till now we stuck to Honda. Now days everyone admits that they are very good cars, but back then the same story was going on like it goes now with the Hyundai... “why did you buy a Honda… It will run only for few years... Japanese cars are not good...” and so on. It’s amazing how people just never learn.
I bought Hyundai and not Honda, because I could get NOT beige interior in Honda. The dealers don’t have black. I’m actually very happy, because I could found the Santa Fe, which I think look better then the MR-V or CR-V.
Isn’t crazy, that stupid people at Honda just seal what they want. And I swear if there was a black interior MR-V I would have bought it.
So, here we go again and back to the 80’

stever

I went through that trash talk, first from buying "lawn mower" engine equipped VW Bugs in the 70's, and then a "tin can" Datsun wagon in the late 70's. People sort of quit laughing when I drove them back and forth to Alaska from the Southeast with nary a break down (first in '73 in a Bug on mostly gravel - the wagon went north in 1980).

Hyundais are legit now so it must be time to laugh at the Chinese Cherys. Then it'll be India and Thailand's turn. After that I don't know - maybe Mars Rovers?

tidester

maybe Mars Rovers?

Surely, the prices will come down when they go into mass production. $200 MILLION is still a bit steep for some of us.

tidester, host

kp58

I keep a car until the wheels fall off because I enjoy not having a car note - so resale values isn't a concern for me. However, some people like to have a brand new car every 3-4 years and if you fall into that category then resale may be a concern for you. It all depends on what how long you plan to keep a vehicle. Resale value is less than a Honda or Toyota but in terms like where a certain year model Toyota or Honda might garner you 38% your Hyundai may bring in 30-32%. Not that big a deal.

carrito

I'm deciding between two SF models; one has 16" tires and the other 18" tires. what are the pros and cons of these two sizes? comfort, ride, handling, price when it comes to replace tires, looks, etc.

thanks.

blackexv6

Resale value is less than a Honda or Toyota but in terms like where a certain year model Toyota or Honda might garner you 38% your Hyundai may bring in 30-32%. Not that big a deal.

Actually it is a big deal.

Honda cars have residuals of 55-62% after 3years and win awards consistently for best resale value.

Hyundais on the other hand have relatively low residuals around 30+%.

More depreciation = higher monthly payment

IMO your better off negotiating a good purchase deal on a Hyundai. You might find a lease special on a Sonata (money factor specials may bring the payment down).

eba55

Thanks for the info. It's now been going on and off and is mostly off. We'll see what the dealer says Weds.

pelican19

I know its more info than you needed but information is power. Now the tech guys cant BS you when they diagnose the problem.

Anthony

canucker

I presently have a 2002 Toyota Highlander AWD V6 that I plan on replacing in the next couple of months.

Of all the new mid-size SUV’s/CrossOvers, I particularly like the 07 Santa Fe. Size, drivability and cargo carrying capacity is quite similar to my present Highlander and I like the looks of both the exterior and interior. There is only one problem, the missing silver gauge rings on a $31,445.00 (CDN) vehicle.

Now I can understand that manufacturers want to differentiate both exterior and interior options between models but for Hyundai to actually remove the silver rings around the tachometer and the gas/engine temperature gauges and only leave the one on the speedometer both on the base and mid models is going a little to far in my books. Either its penny pinching or just complete stupidity on their part because it sure looks odd to only have the middle gauge with a silver ring and not the outer ones.

Now I don’t know if this is only a Canadian feature or if it’s the same in the US models. Anyone else notice this?

pelican19

If you dont get the limited 3.3 with AWD then your missing the best part of this new design. What model are you talking about and with what package? 31.5k is steep even for the limited.

canucker

It’s a Canadian 3.3 GL FWD Leather Pkg (5 pass). Our packages are different, the Limited is called GLS here.

carrito

Pelican, I also live in Canada and if I buy the SF or other any SUV I'll never buy a FWD, unless you live in Vancouver where you don't (don't use to :sick: ) get much snow! why not go for the AWD?

pelican19

I cant imagine why some dont opt for AWD. Everyones perception is its used for snow. Not true. Its used for better hadling in all weather. Rain, mud rocky terrain. It does not cost THAT much more. I do quite a bit of traveling with the truck and frequently find myself in conditions I would not want to be without it. Camping, Off Road, hitting the slopes and the occasional climbing over the grassy hill highway dividers to avoid the traffic.

pelican19

P.S.

Skid plate would be a nice option - :shades:

doubleh

I live in south western ontario, canada and just bought a black on black SF GL 3.3L V6 Premium with Leather package. You can't just say oh...you need AWD. It all depends on what you plan to use the vehicle for. I initially was looking at AWD, but when I really thought about it we really don't get a lot of snow anymore where I am and if it's that bad outside I wouldn't be driving even if I had an AWD anyway. I also don't go off the pavement much so again don't need the AWD. I took the extra 2K CDN I saved from the AWD and got the FWD with all the goodies I wanted. Just my $.02

guyfr

Agree with you. The only real difference betweeen FWD and AWD performance wise is acceleration from a dead stop on snow or ice. In those conditions, the AWD is more fun to drive for sure; but with stability control, the FWD is as safe as the AWD. I own a XC90 AWD and a Tucson FWD and I live in Quebec.

carrito

I'm convinced that AWD makes a huge difference while driving in snow or heavy rain specially if you are going uphill in slippery conditions. Depending on the weather even 1/2 inch of snow or wet snow at freezing temperature can make driving conditions really challenging aka Black ice... :sick: Just last week we got black ice and you can't say "well I'll stay at home", it was raining which wasn't a big deal but then temperatures went down to freezing point and we got black ice, I saw 4 vehicles in the ditch while driving to work.

I have an AWD and will never look back to FWD; again, where I live we have 4 months of snow and I'm sure I use the AWD much more than any other safety feature (at least during winter).

here is a report from Consumer Reports about FWD, AWD and 4WD.
link title

stever

I tend to agree more with Guyfr (it's the tires!). That said, we got an inch of snow the other day that played havoc with the morning commute and my wife turned the van around after a half mile and came back home and grabbed my Subaru.

mrmister2000

Agreed. Here in New Jersey we really don't get that much snow (in fact, we haven't had any at all so far this winter). Normally, we might have one, maybe two snow storms a year here and the roads are rarely impassable for more than a day or two at a stretch. HOWEVER, we do get a reasonable amount of rain from time to time and our roads and highways can become dangerously flooded very quickly... so at least, in my case, I see 4WD as being beneficial and perhaps necessary simply due to the fact that it should greatly improve traction and handling in flooded road conditions. 4WD is not just a "snow thing."

mrmister2000

Yes, tires are just as important (if not moreseo) than whether a vehicle is 2WD, 4WD, or AWD. Whether having only half, or all of the wheels driven means nothing if the tires can't get a grip. I've long argued to people that it's important to get a good set of tires right from the start, especially if you intend to own your new car... but most people don't want to hear it. "Why spend another $500-$600 on new tires when I have these brand new OEM's that just came with the vehicle?" is the question that most people think to ask. They just don't seem to get the point that those four tires and a contact area of only a few square inches with the ground are what decides how your several-thousand pount vehicle handles, accelerates, decelerates, and just plain stays on the road, in general.

davesuv

Thanks for reinforcing the importance of tires to me. Safety is my number one concern, and putting some tires on with a higher traction rating is something I will consider. There unfortunately isn't a huge selection available for the 18 inch wheels at this point.

I'm really glad I got the AWD. I think of it sort of like the air bags. There will hopefully be few instances where I will need it, but when I do, I'll be glad I have it. In the meantime, with my prior FWD vehicles, there were many times on wet roads where my wheels would slip when starting out. It has never happened to me with my AWD Santa Fe

lv2drv

What does OEM mean? Thanks for your reply. I'm still waiting to get my SF. I just hope I can get the model I want. It seems the Limited is selling pretty fast.