2003 Hyundai Santa FE
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Suspension is the leading concern among 308 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 25 Santa FE model years with reports.
Of the 2003 reports, 26 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 20 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Suspension, front, springs, coil springsJul 18, 2014
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model Year 2001-2006 Santa Fe vehicles manufactured from March 31, 2000, through February 15, 2006, that are registered and operated, or which were originally sold and registered, in the following 20 salt belt" states and the District of Columbia: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The affected vehicles may experience front coil spring corrosion from road salt, causing the coil spring to fracture and make contact with the tire.
If the front coil spring fractures due to corrosion it could cause the coil spring to make contact with the tire, possibly puncturing the tire and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the coil spring, free of charge. The recall began on October 24, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 124.
Campaign 14V435000 on NHTSA.gov
Suspension, rearApr 16, 2009
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 83,355 MY 2001-2003 SANTA FE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. ROAD SALT APPLIED IN THESE JURISDICTIONS DURING THE WINTER MONTHS MAY RESULT IN PROGRESSIVE, INTERNAL CORROSION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARMS, WHICH COULD LEAD TO THINNING OR PERFORATION OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM STEEL. OWNERS MAY SEE OR FEEL SLIGHT TO MODERATE CHANGES IN VEHICLE OPERATION WHICH WILL INCREASE IF THE VEHICLE IS NOT REPAIRED. THESE CHANGES INCLUDE A LOWERING OF VEHICLE HEIGHT THAT CAN LEAD TO TIRE MISALIGNMENT AND STEERING PULL. OWNERS MAY ALSO NOTICE A CREAKING SOUND.
IF THE CORROSION IS ALLOWED TO PROGRESS, THE REAR TRAILING ARM MAY FRACTURE WHILE DRIVING, THEREBY INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE REAR TRAILING ARMS FOR INTERNAL CORROSION DAMAGE. IF SPECIFIED LEVELS OF CORROSION DAMAGE ARE FOUND, THE REAR TRAILING ARMS WILL BE REPLACED. REAR TRAILING ARMS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE REPLACEMENT WILL HAVE DRAINAGE HOLES ADDED AND WILL BE TREATED WITH RUST-PROOFING MATERIAL TO ARREST THE CORROSION PROCESS. INSPECTION, TREATMENT AND REPLACEMENT PROCEDURES WILL BE CONDUCTED AT NO COST TO OWNERS. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING MAY 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 09V123000 on NHTSA.gov
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/moduleMar 16, 2004
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.5 LITER V-6 ENGINES, 4-WHEEL DRIVE AND ANTILOCK BRAKING SYSTEMS (ABS), IF THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 3 AND 12 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE PAD FRICTION SURFACES ARE WET, A VIBRATION MAY OCCUR BETWEEN THE BRAKE DISCS AND PADS CAUSING ABS SENSOR ELECTRONIC SIGNAL NOISE TO DEVELOP. AT SPEEDS BELOW 5 MPH, THE ABS SENSOR SIGNAL NOISE MAY CAUSE THE ABS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO ACTIVATE THE ABS, EXTENDING THE STOPPING DISTANCE.
IF AN EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE OCCURS, IT COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE ABS ECU. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 04V131000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, other, labelsDec 18, 2003
CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 120, "TIRE SELECTION AND RIMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES OTHER THAN PASSENGER CARS."
THE TIRE PRESSURE LABELS DO NOT CONTAIN THE INFORMATION REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD.
OWNERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH A CORRECT LABEL AND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON OCTOBER 29, 2003. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 03V520000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
35 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Jul 14, 2005
MY 2003 SANTAFE HAS AN IDLE PROBLEM. IT FEELS LIKE IT MIGHT STALL WHEN I'M SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. THIS HAPPENS INTERMITTENLY AND THEIR IS NO CODE IN THE COMPUTER SO THEY SAY THEY CAN'T REPLACE ANY PARTS. THE CAR HAS BUCKED ABOUT 5 OR 6 TIMES OVER THE LAST 2 MONTHS WHILE I'M DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT ABOUT 70MPH. IT'S BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES AND THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. I'M READY TO GET RID OF THE CAR BECAUSE OF FRUSTRATION.
Power train, Feb 22, 2005
RECENTLY, MY 2003 SANTA FE HAS HAD A GRINDING/WHINNING/RUBBING NOISE WHEN I TAKE OFF AT LOW SPEEDS. SOUNDS LIKE MIGHT BE TRANSMISSION, WHEEL BEARING OR PULLEY, BUT NOT SURE. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALSHIP AND HIS ANALYSIS WAS THAT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE IDLER PULLEY. ORDERED NEW PULLEY AND WILL REPLACE WHEN IT COMES IN. THIS NOISE WOULD COME AND GO AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 5 - 25 MPH AND WOULD LAST FOR SEVERAL SECONDS UP TO A MINUTE.*AK
Power train, Feb 22, 2005
ON MANY OCCASIONS OUR 2003 SANTA FE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AND THEN VIOLENTLY JERKING OR CATCHING BACK INTO GEAR, CAUSING PASSENGERS TO BE SLAMMED FORWARD AND BACKWARD IN THE VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS AT ANYWHERE FROM 20-65 MPH AND HAPPENS RANDOMLY. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS WITH THE EXACT SAME RESULTS - COULD NOT DUPLICATE COMPLAINT.*AK
Power train, Feb 17, 2005
THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVING ON THE WAY HOME. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO GEAR. THE CLUTCH IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. *NM
Service brakes, Air, Power train, Visibility, Apr 17, 2004
A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD APPEARED ONE DAY. NOTHING HAD HIT THE WINDSHIELD. IT IS A SMALL ARC ON THE DRIVERS SIDE ABOUT 3" FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE WINDSHIELD. WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THAT SOMETHING HIT IT AND THE HEAT INSIDE THE CAR CAUSED IT TO CRACK. THE PLACE WHERE THEY SAID SOMETHING HIT THE WINDSHIELD ONLY THE POINT OF A PIN COULD FIT IN. I KNOW NOTHING HIT IT. ONE A FEW OCCASIONS I HAVE NOTICED A GRINDING SOUND COMING FROM THE TRANSMISSION. I ALSO HAVE HAD THE ABS ENGAGE WHEN THE BREAKS WERE NOT BEING APPLIED AND THE ROAD SURFACE DRY. THERE WASN'T A REASON FOR THEM TO ENGAGE.*AK
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Feb 3, 2004
THR CRUISE CONTROL ACCELERATES THE CAR FOR NO APPARENT REASON. THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKS WHEN SHIFTING DISLODGING ALL PASSANGERS. THE ACCELERATER TAKES A FEW MOMENTS TO GET THE CAR GOING. THE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THE CRUISE CONTROL HAPPEN AT ALL SPEEDS, WEATHER CONDITIONS AND ROAD CONDITIONS.*AK
Power train, Sep 4, 2003
THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE PEDAL TO GIVE THE VEHICLE GAS TO TAKE OFF, IT DID NOT MOVE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES, AND THE LAST TIME THE MECHANIC PUT IN A SENSOR, BUT THAT DID NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE CAR STILL WAS NOT RESPONDING TO THE PEDAL. THE DEALER/MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK *SCC *JB
Power train, Sep 4, 2003
WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE HAD A DELAY IN ACCELERATING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE NORMALLY. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT OTHER SANTA FE MODELS HAD DISPLAYED THE SAME PROBLEM. *SCC *JB
Power train, Jun 22, 2003
I TOOK POSSESSION OF A BRAND-NEW HYUNDAI SANTA FE (2003 - 25 MILES ON ODOMETER) ON FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2003. SATURDAY, JUNE 21,2003 I TOOK THE CAR OUT FOR A DRIVE. DRIVING AT 35 MILES MPH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED (BY IT SELF) OUT OF "DRIVE (D") INTO ...? (NEUTRAL, I'M GUESSING BY THE REVVING OF THE ENGINE). THE CAR ROLLED SLOWLY DUE TO ITS OWN FORWARD MOMENTUM, HOWEVER, PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR SUCCEEDING IN ONLY REVVING UP THE ENGINE - "DRIVE" REFUSED TO ENGAGE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE FUTILE. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN (AFTER LIMPING TO THE SIDE OF A 6-LANE ROAD IN TRAFFIC!). WAITED A FEW MOMENTS (PERHAPS A MINUTE OR TWO) AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE TRANSMISSION ONCE MORE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AGAIN AND WAITED A LITTLE LONGER (PERHAPS TWO -THREE MINUTES) AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND I DROVE IT HOME - VERY CAREFULLY! I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP (KEYES HYUNDAI IN VAN NUYS) AND HAD THE CAR FLATBED TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY, JUNE 23 AT 7:30A.M. (PST) FOR THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN. MEANTIME - I HAVE A BRAND NEW CAR THAT HAS SPENT ONE DAY IN MY PHYSICAL POSSESSION AND WILL HAVE SPENT OVER 72 HOURS SITTING IN THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE BAY! *NLM
Power train, Mar 25, 2003
CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID FROM THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE GROUND, UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER STATED THE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB