Common Faults Of The Hyundai Santa Fe
The Hyundai Santa Fe is consistently near the top of many midsize SUV reliability rankings. Although, like all motor vehicles, this SUV can present certain problems and drawbacks. Read this post up to the end and discover the common faults of the Hyundai Santa Fe .
Knowing the most common Hyundai Santa Fe problems can help you make an informed decision about which model year you want to buy. If you already own one you can take notes and prevent some problems.
How good is the Hyundai Santa Fe?
Aside from a couple of years with relatively expensive mishaps, the Hyundai Santa Fe is consistently in the top five most reliable vehicles in its class . In fact, according to some surveys, the Hyundai Santa Fe is the second most reliable mid-size SUV among 26 models, only behind the Mazda CX-5.
On average, the Hyundai Santa Fe costs about $515 per year to repair and maintain, which is lower than the average cost of ownership for other SUVs ($573) and other vehicle models ($652). Plus, the average frequency and severity of repairs is lower than other vehicles, making the Santa Fe one of the most reliable vehicles on the road.
Your Santa Fe can easily last up to 200,000 miles in top condition if you follow a service schedule and do proper regular maintenance. Like other vehicles under the Hyundai brand, the Santa Fe is a reliable car that doesn’t cost much to maintain. Although its value tends to depreciate by 58% after five years, according to CarEdge.com , the Hyundai Santa Fe is still the SUV of choice for many.
Common failures of the Hyundai Santa Fe
Most Santa Fe model years do not have many major issues. However, there are a couple of model years that have serious and rather expensive issues that you might want to know more about.
The common faults of the Hyundai Santa Fe are the following:
1- Air conditioning failure
If you notice that the air conditioner is not blowing cool air on the coldest settings, then it most likely needs gas. If this is not the problem, then it means that the compressor is faulty.
As mentioned above, you will most likely have to re-gas the air conditioning system to resolve this issue . You can view a tutorial and do it yourself.
2- Starting problems
The Santa Fe may have starting problems in cold conditions, or when the engine is cold. This problem can be caused by one of two failing sensors: The temperature sensor or the coolant sensor.
You will need to perform a diagnostic check to correctly identify which sensor is faulty. Once you have identified whether it is the coolant or temperature sensor that is causing the problem, you will need to install a replacement to resolve the problem.
3- Engine failures
Among the problems that plague the Hyundai Santa Fe, engine problems seem to be the most expensive and difficult to fix. Both the 2012 and 2013 model year Hyundai Santa Fe had major engine issues that required engine replacement at only about 80,000 miles.
According to many Hyundai Santa Fe owners, the engines in their SUVs would suddenly stall without warning at highway speeds, causing them to get stranded in the middle of busy streets and highways.
The problem was so dangerous and widespread that a class action lawsuit was even filed by the owners despite the recalls. In fact, Hyundai released a two-page statement in August 2014 stating that engine failure only occurred in very specific circumstances , contrary to class action claims that stalling and engine failure were They produced at any time and under any conditions.
This problem had an average repair cost of around $3,000 to $5,000.
4- Problems with power steering
There are known issues with a power steering pump failing on this vehicle. If a loud, high-pitched noise is heard when turning the steering fully and the steering wheel vibrates, this is a sure sign that the power steering pump is faulty.
This is one of the common Hyundai Santa Fe faults that can be fixed with a simple replacement. To fix this problem, you will need to install a replacement power steering pump. You can find used pumps in good condition.
5- Transmission failures
One issue with the 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe is its hesitant transmission. While this is not the most serious problem that the Santa Fe models have, it is certainly among the list of problems for which its third generation is particularly notorious. This particular problem is present on both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive Santa Fe models from 2001 through 2014.
The vehicle is said to shake when shifting from second to third gear . Many owners have also reported that this problem usually occurs when they are first driving the vehicle, rather than when it has warmed up. Some also claim that their SUV jerked when they shifted gears (or downshifted) from Park to Drive.
6- There is no sound in the speakers
Another of the common faults of the Hyundai Santa Fe that is widespread is faulty speakers. Affected model years include 2008-2009 and 2011 to 2017. Owners have claimed to have encountered the issue at approximately 50,000 miles.
Models equipped with navigation units may suddenly stop playing audio from all speakers, including sound from CD players, navigation, phone calls, as well as regular and satellite radio.
Other features seem to work correctly despite this problem. To resolve this issue, you need to perform a hard software reset . This involves disconnecting the negative terminal of the vehicle’s battery and waiting 15 minutes before reconnecting it.
7- Problems with airbags (airbags)
The Hyundai Santa Fe is also known for its airbag issues. The airbag lights on the 2003-2006 and 2010 model year have been known to illuminate irregularly. A recall was issued for thousands of units from model years 2007-2009 to address a similar issue.
This call involved updating the software on the airbag computers to fix deployment issues and prevent the airbags from inadvertently deploying , especially when a child seat has been placed in the front passenger seat.
8- Paint detachment problems
Some Santa Fe models, including the 2009 and 2004 model years, have significant paint problems. The average cost to repair or refinish this problem is about $2,800.
Owners are said to have encountered this problem at around 70,000 to 90,000 miles. The severity of this drawback ranges from slight chipping to very obvious chipping. According to some owners, the paint on their Santa Fes has peeled on almost every visible surface, including the hood, rear windows, and doors.
9- Fuel level sensor and gauge failures
Both the 2008 and 2007 model year Santa Fe have similar problems with their fuel systems. For both model years, the primary problem is a faulty fuel level sensor .
Owners of the 2008 Santa Fe have reported experiencing this problem at around 85,000 miles. Meanwhile, owners of the 2007 Hyundai Santa Fe encountered this problem around 100,000 miles.
In many cases, the faulty fuel level sensor caused the check engine light to come on and the fuel gauge to show an inaccurate fuel level. Because the fuel gauge never showed the actual fuel level, some owners thought they had suddenly run out of gas. Replacing the fuel level sensors and gaskets seems to be the most effective repair for this problem.
10- Central locking problem
The actuators are prone to failure on this car. If you’re having trouble with one of the doors not locking when you use the remote to lock them, then the door actuator could be faulty. To fix this common Hyundai Santa Fe fault, you will have to replace the actuator of that door to solve the problem.
