Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION - REAR | ||||||||||||||||
| 09V123000 | HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC | from 03/31/2000 to 01/27/2003 | V (Vehicle) | 83355 | 07/17/2009 | ODI | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY | 04/16/2009 | 04/16/2009 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | If the corrosion is allowed to progress, the rear trailing arm may fracture while driving, thereby increasing the risk of a vehicle crash. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | 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. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Hyundai recall no. 090.owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov . | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||||
| 0450008 | 06/01/2004 | 10009149 | Alignment specifications shop manual correction. *tt | 09/14/2004 | |
Investigations
| NHTSA ID | Manufacturer | Date open | Date close | Subject | Recall campaign | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | ||||||
| EA08023 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY | 10/28/2008 | 04/17/2009 | REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE | 09V123000 | |
| In a letter dated april 14, 2009, hyundai-kia america technical center, inc (hyundai) notified nhtsa that it will conduct a safety recall of approximately 85,000 model year (my) 2001 through 2003 hyundai santa fe vehicles manufactured prior to january 27, 2003, that are registered and operated in the following 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.hyundai is recalling the vehicles to remedy a condition where internal corrosion of either the right or left rear trailing arms may result in fracture of the affected arm while driving, which could result in loss of vehicle control and a crash.the rear trailing arms will be inspected in the recalled vehicles using a procedure developed by hyundai to measure metal thickness.parts with perforations from corrosion or with metal below the specified thickness will be replaced with redesigned trailing arms.if the minimum metal thickness is met, drainage holes and and rust proofing material will be added to the existing rear trailing arms.although not subject components of this investigation, hyundai noted it would perform a similar procedure for the front subframes of the subject vehicles. odi's analysis of complaint data revealed that 99% of all consumer complaints related to trailing arm corrosion were from vehicles either originally sold or operated in saltbelt states. similarly 92% of the warranty claims were from vehicles originally sold or operated in saltbelt states.odi identified 30 rear trailing arm fracture incidents through analysis of complaint and warranty information and consumer interviews.twenty-nine (29) of the fracture incidents involved vehicles in states covered by the recall.based on hyundai's decision to conduct a safety recall this engineering analysis is closed. | ||||||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | ||||||
| EA08023 | HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY | 10/28/2008 | 04/17/2009 | REAR TRAILING ARM CORROSION FAILURE | 09V123000 | |
| In a letter dated april 14, 2009, hyundai-kia america technical center, inc (hyundai) notified nhtsa that it will conduct a safety recall of approximately 85,000 model year (my) 2001 through 2003 hyundai santa fe vehicles manufactured prior to january 27, 2003, that are registered and operated in the following 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.hyundai is recalling the vehicles to remedy a condition where internal corrosion of either the right or left rear trailing arms may result in fracture of the affected arm while driving, which could result in loss of vehicle control and a crash.the rear trailing arms will be inspected in the recalled vehicles using a procedure developed by hyundai to measure metal thickness.parts with perforations from corrosion or with metal below the specified thickness will be replaced with redesigned trailing arms.if the minimum metal thickness is met, drainage holes and and rust proofing material will be added to the existing rear trailing arms.although not subject components of this investigation, hyundai noted it would perform a similar procedure for the front subframes of the subject vehicles. odi's analysis of complaint data revealed that 99% of all consumer complaints related to trailing arm corrosion were from vehicles either originally sold or operated in saltbelt states. similarly 92% of the warranty claims were from vehicles originally sold or operated in saltbelt states.odi identified 30 rear trailing arm fracture incidents through analysis of complaint and warranty information and consumer interviews.twenty-nine (29) of the fracture incidents involved vehicles in states covered by the recall.based on hyundai's decision to conduct a safety recall this engineering analysis is closed. | ||||||
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 01/17/2013 | 120000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to have nhtsa campaign id number: 09v123000 (suspension: rear) performed for rust on the trailing arms. the contact stated that the recall repair worked for the rear passenger side but was informed by a private mechanic that it appeared that the dealer did not repair the rear driver side of the vehicle. the contact was also informed that the vehicle could not be driven because the rear wheel and frame of the vehicle was completely rusted. the failure mileage and current mileages were 120,000. the vin was not available. mah | |||
| 01/17/2013 | 120000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a hyundai 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated that they took the vehicle in for nhtsa recall campaign id number: 09v123000 (suspension: rear) for rust on the trailing arms. the contact stated that the recall repair worked for the rear passenger side, but was told by a mechanic that it looked like the dealer did not repair the rear driver side of the vehicle. the contact was told that the vehicle cannot be driven because the rear wheel and frame of the vehicle is rusting all the way through. the vin was not available. the failure mileage and current mileages were 120,000.rl | |||
| 12/22/2012 | 128010 | 1 | |
| I purchased a used 2003 hyundai santa fe for my son which he took to college. during winter break, i tool it to a local hyundai dealer to have a complete tune-up, as well as check a creaking sound in the lower left rear and a pop sound when decelerating. the dealer informed me the lower rear left trailing arm is bad and needs to replaced asap for safety reasons at around $500. i checked online and discovered there was a recall on trailing arms for this year, contacted hyundai - who promptly told me it was not covered as i am not in a road salt state. this is a known problem which hyundai admits, and i feel all of the trailing arms have fatigue issues from these years due to inferior materials. i feel hyundai should step up and cover the cost, no matter what state we live in, as it is a major safety issue they are well aware of. we have plenty of rain, flooded streets and salt air here in florida! *tr | |||
| 12/22/2012 | 128010 | ||
| I purchased a used 2003 hyundai santa fe for my son which he took to college. during winter break, i tool it to a local hyundai dealer to have a complete tune-up, as well as check a creaking sound in the lower left rear and a pop sound when deccelarating. the dealer informed me the lower rear left trailing arm is bad and needs to replaced asap for safety reasons at around $500. i checked online and discovered there was a recall on trailing arms for this year, contacted hyundai - who promptly told me it was not covered as i am not in a road salt state. this is a known problem which hyundai admits, and i feel all of the trailing arms have fatigue issues from these years due to inferior materials. i feel hyundai should step up and cover the cost, no matter what state we live in, as it is a major safety issue they are well aware of. we have plenty of rain, flooded streets and salt air here in florida! | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 125000 | 1 | |
| The right front rocker arm rusted out causing the right front wheel to no longer be properly supported. the lower support arm is no longer fastened to the front support frame. this caused the alignment to be off, improper and excessive tire wear (replaced tires well before the warranty was up). hyundai had a recall for this problem on other models (front sub-frame) but not on santa fe's (only rear trailing arm was included in the recall). when experiencing issues in multiple vehicles for the same reason, but different locations, all locations should be checked and not only the only that is prominent. a 5 minute additional inspection vs. the ultimate worse case scenario of a death, seems like a no brainer. hyundai knew this could be a problem and refused to address it. this has now cost us almost $3000 in repairs that could have been avoided. the mechanic that found the problem will not let the vehicle be driven from his shop, as it is too dangerous. the worst part is if that if this failure had occurred while traveling over the highway, it could have resulted in a severe crash, which as you know could result in serious injury or death. hyundai was not interested in hearing about the problem when we contacted them. *tr | |||
| 07/27/2012 | 125000 | ||
| The right front rocker arm rusted out causing the right front wheel to no longer be properly supported. the lower support arm is no longer fastened to the front support frame. this caused the alignment to be off, improper and excessive tire wear (replaced tires well before the warranty was up). hyundai had a recall for this problem on other models (front sub-frame) but not on santa fe's (only rear trailing arm was included in the recall). when experiencing issues in multiple vehicles for the same reason, but different locations, all locations should be checked and not only the only that is prominent. a 5 minute additional inspection vs. the ultimate worse case scenario of a death, seems like a no brainer. hyundai knew this could be a problem and refused to address it. this has now cost us almost $3000 in repairs that could have been avoided. the mechanic that found the problem will not let the vehicle be driven from his shop, as it is too dangerous. the worst part is if that if this failure had occurred while traveling over the highway, it could have resulted in a severe crash, which as you know could result in serious injury or death. hyundai was not interested in hearing about the problem when we contacted them. | |||
| 07/21/2012 | 120000 | 1 | |
| Driving down the roadway at 45 mph and vehicle the front end of the car was shaking and making thumping sounds. the steering was pulling the vehicle all over the roadway. i had to have the truck towed to the garage. the mechanic stated that the car can not be fixed due to the control arm rusting away from the body of the vehicle. *tr | |||
| 07/21/2012 | 120000 | ||
| Driving down the roadway at 45 mph and vehicle the front end of the car was shaking and making thumping sounds. the steering was pulling the vehicle all over the roadway. i had to have the truck towed to the garage. the mechanic stated that the car can not be fixed due to the control arm rusting away from the body of the vehicle. | |||
| 11/28/2011 | 153000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated that the brakes were being repaired at an independent repair shop when he was informed that the front suspension system was rusted and corroded. the vehicle was in the process of being towed to an authorized dealer for repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was assisting the contact. the failure and the current mileages were 153,000. | |||
| 11/28/2011 | 153000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated that the brakes were being repaired at an independent repair shop when he was informed that the front suspension system was rusted and corroded. the vehicle was in the process of being towed to an authorized dealer for repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was assisting the contact. the failure and the current mileages were 153,000. kmj | |||
| 11/28/2011 | 153000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated that the brakes were being repaired at an independent repair shop when he was informed that the front suspension system was rusted and corroded. the vehicle was in the process of being towed to an authorized dealer for repair. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and was assisting the contact. the failure and current mileages were 153,000. sm. | |||
| 05/16/2011 | 140000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact was stopped at a traffic stop when the control arm from the frame of the vehicle fractured and detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop who advised that the sub frame was completely rotten and corroded. the mechanic advised that the frame would need to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure mileage was 140,000. | |||
| 05/16/2011 | 140000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated while stopped at a stop light the control arm from the frame of the vehicle fell off. the vehicle was towed to a mechanic shop who stated the sub frame underneath the vehicle was rotted away. the frame needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not contacted. the vehicle was not repaired. thevin was unknown. the failure mileage was 140,000....mw | |||
| 01/10/2007 | 1 | 04/01/2003 | |
| I have had a squeaking noise in the tires for several months. i continued to take it to hyundai and they told me that the tire needed to be replaced and charged me. the squeaking noise was still on the driver's side, so i took it back and they replaced 2 wheel bearings, one in the front and one in the back. most people know that once changing one you could change all the other on the same side . they refused. i heard a squeaking noise now more than ever, and they claimed they could not hear it. the longer you drive the vehicle the louder it got. this was really costing me my time , and hyundai dealers did not care about a noise was getting louder. they will not even go over my vehicle anymore when i brought it in. they just stated well we did not know what it was. . i have take the vehicle to two different dealers, and neither one of them took the time. all they wanted was more money for stuff that did not need to be replaced.*ak | |||
| 06/05/2006 | 17000 | 3 | 04/04/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated the engine failed without warning. this occurred while driving at various speeds and while at a stop. upon inspection of the vehicle it was noticed the undercarriage had corrosion, the windshield was etched on the passenger side above the windshield wiper, and the vehicle vibrated. the dealership was unable to duplicate the problem. the manufacturer has not been alerted. | |||
| 07/12/2004 | 3 | ||
| While driving at 50 mph there was vibration in the front of the vehicle. dealership inspected vehicle several times, and rotated the tires, but could not duplicate or correct the problem. *ak the vibration and flutter occurred at 40 mph to 60 mph and was most noticeable at 50 mph during acceleration and deceleration (60 to 40 mph). the flutter/vibration was felt in the consumers hands on the wheel, feet, and feet. this was an internal vibration/flutter and not just a road vibration. *sc | |||
| 12/09/2003 | 2000 | 2 | |
| When at a stop vehicle would intermittently jerk forward. dealerships notified, but the problem was not resolved. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 04/01/2011 | 136000 | ||
| I drive a 2003 hyundai santa fe, driven in md, 136k miles. the steering wheel was not handling right in the car, it would pull back and forth while driving at all speeds, it was worse in wet conditions. i brought my car into the hyundai dealer for regular maintenance and asked for them to look into the steering wheel problem. the representative told me that my front control arm had rusted into the sub-frame of my car. what occured is what the nhtsa id # 09v123000 recall was supposed to fix. i had the recall maintenance performed on my vehicle approximately five months ago. i think hyundai motor company should be responsible for the repair of this part based on the time that elapsed between initially addressing the recall and today. failure to fix this malfunction would most likely result in a crash or other damage to the vehicle. | |||
| 03/22/2011 | 50000 | ||
| 2003 - hyundai santa fe - march 29, 2011. the front right spring broke on my santa fe and punctured the tire. luckly i was just pulling out of a parking lot and not on the road. had this happened while i was driving, i may not be here today. i had to replace both front springs, struts, and four new tires for the entire cost of $1300. i would like hyundai to be responsible for this repair cost since it was there defected spring that broke. | |||
| 03/09/2011 | |||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. while driving approximately 65 mph, there was a significant loss in the steering control. the contact was able to gain control and maneuver the vehicle to the side of the road. the engine was turned off and restarted; however, the failure continued to occur. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer who stated that the front passenger lower control arm needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable. | |||
| 03/09/2011 | |||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. while driving approximately 65 mph, there was a significant loss in the steering control. the contact was able to gain control and maneuvered to the side of the road. the engine was turned off. the vehicle restarted and resumed to a safe location with the steering malfunction. the vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer where they informed that the front passenger lower control arm would need to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was unknown. the vin was unavailable. js | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 07/25/2007 | 96000 | 2 | 06/30/2003 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the contact stated that the lower ball joints were replaced at 65,000 miles. while driving 10 mph, she heard a knocking and rattling noise coming from the front end of the vehicle. when the contact took the vehicle in for a wheel alignment, she was informed that the lower ball joints needed to be replaced again. the vin was unavailable. the current and failure mileages were 96,000. | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR | |||
| 05/15/2010 | 110000 | ||
| When i was driving my 2003 hyundai santa fe at about 30mph, the rear left suspension failed and i lost control of my car. the wheel connecting to it was out of its position by about 10 degrees. the suspension is heavily rusted and i was lucky i was not driving on a highway and no one got hurt. i googled this problem and found several similar cases have been reported to you. so i think my case would be one of them. | |||
| 01/01/2010 | 32500 | ||
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. she received a recall letter and the dealer advised her that the repair would take over 5 days to perform due to the internal corrosion of the rear trailing arms. the contact did not find that information listed in the recall notice, nhtsa campaign id number 09v123000; component: suspension rear or that the repairs would take more than a few hours. the current and failure mileages were 32,500. | |||
| 05/02/2009 | 80299 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2003 hyundai santa fe. the front left trailing arm corroded, which caused the bar to separate from the wheel. the vehicle was repaired at a local repair facility. after the repair she received recall notice # 09v123000(suspension:rear). she sent receipts to the manufactures main office in reference to reimbursement. she received a letter rejecting her claim shortly afterwards. the failure mileage was 80,299. | |||