2002 Hyundai Santa Fe Electrical Problems
8 owner-reported electrical complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Electrical Recalls (1)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 2.7 LITER V-6 ENGINES, IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSORS (CPS) WERE INSTALLED. THE CPS CASES WERE IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED AND DID NOT MEET DIMENSIONAL SPECIFICATIONS. INTERNAL GAPS WITHIN THE CASES ALLOWED EPOXY TO CONTACT THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD, WHICH RESULTED IN CRACKING OF THE PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD CAPACITOR.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE CPS. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MARCH 10, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-829-9956.
Owner Complaints (8)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE STATIONARY AND DRIVING VARIOUS HIGH SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE ALTERNATOR FAILED. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 160,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMALLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED SIX TIMES. THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE MENTIONED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
THE 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE V6 WILL EITHER NOT START, STALL WHEN MOVING OR RUN EXTREMELY ROUGH. THE PROBLEM IS MORE NOTICEABLE WHEN IT IS RAINING OR HUMID OUT. WE ARE THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE SANTA FE AND HAVE MAINTAINED THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN A RECURRING PROBLEM FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS. THE ISSUES COMES AND GO BUT HAVE BEEN MORE CONSTANT OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS. IN THE PAST, I HAVE REPLACED THE BATTERY AND HAD A TUNE UP PERFORMED BY THE LESTER GLENN HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. I BOUGHT THE SANTA FE IN SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE TOLD THEY CAN NOT FIND THE PROBLEM. ON OUR LAST VISIT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY BELIEVED IT WAS DUE TO OLD SPARK PLUG WIRES. THE TUNE UP DID NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE AT ALL. AS I RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM AND BECAME AWARE OF HYUNDAI RECALL 049 WHICH REPLACES THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. I SPOKE TO HYUNDAI AND THEY EXPLAINED MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL DUE TO ITS PRODUCTION DATE. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEMS I AM EXPERIENCING IS EXACTLY IDENTICAL TO THE PROBLEM SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO EXPAND THE PERIMETERS OF THE RECALL TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. *TR
ENGINE STALLED SUDDENLY ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE DURING LOW SPEED, AT IDLING OR AT A CONSTANT SPEED AS A RESULT WITH FULL LOSS OF POWER, BRAKING, AND STEERING. CAR DID START BACK UP FINE, BUT WOULD EVENTUALLY EXHIBIT SAME BEHAVIOR AGAIN ALONG WITH ERRATIC RPM SURGES. MY LOCAL MECHANIC ATTRIBUTED THE PROBLEM TO A BAD CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR CPS. HE ADVISED I CONTACT THE DEALER SINCE THERE IS AN OPEN RECALL ON THIS EXACT PART AND SAME ISSUE REGARDING 2.7 V6 ENGINE RECALL #03V030000 I CONTACTED THE DEALER TO DISCUSS AND PROVIDED MY VIN NUMBER, HOWEVER THEY INDICATED MY VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. MY LOCAL MECHANIC REPLACED THE CPS SENSOR AS PER RECALL, AND CONFIRMED THE DAMAGED CPS SENSOR WAS THE ORIGINAL PART, AND THE ISSUE WAS ULTIMATELY RESOLVED. THIS OPEN RECALL 03V030000 AFFECTS APPROXIMATELY 25,000 VEHICLES, I BELIEVE THIS SAFETY ISSUE IS MUCH LARGER AND SEVERAL COMPLAINTS EXIST WHERE CONSUMERS ARE BEING TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THERE VIN NUMBER IS NOT PART OF RECALL 03V030000, YET EXHIBITING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE DEFECTIVE CPS AND ULTIMATELY PAYING FOR THIS PART THEMSELVES. THIS RECALL SHOULD BE EXPANDED. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SHIPPING IN AND OUT OF GEAR. AT LOW SPEEDS THE VEHICLE STALLED, SHUT OFF AND IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. A TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT SINCE HIS VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER WAS EXCLUDED FROM RECALL # 03V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY), HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $350.00 TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE VEHICLE'S CRANKSHAFT SENSOR HAS BEEN REPLACED THREE TIMES. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT 60,000, 62,000, AND 80,000 MILES. WHILE DRIVING UPHILL, THE ENGINE STALLED AND SHUT COMPLETELY OFF AFTER 100 YARDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS BAD. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL # 03V030000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY). THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 100,211 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.
THERE IS A FAILURE IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. WHEN HEAT IS RUNNING LIGHTS DIM. WHEN I ROLL UP WINDOWS, THE LIGHTS DIM. WHEN USING WINDSHIELD WIPERS THE HEAT GETS COLDER. LITTLE THINGS THAT WEREN'T SO BAD AT FIRST. HEAT WOULD FAIL TO TURN ON OCCASIONALLY AND NOW WILL NOT COME ON AT ALL. THIS IS CAUSING MY WINDOWS TO FROST WHILE DRIVING MAKING VISIBILITY VERY HARD. IF IT WEREN'T FOR ALL THE OTHER LITTLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS I WOULD JUST THINK THE HEATING SYSTEM WENT BAD. BUT IT HAS BEEN A PATTERN IN EVERYTHING ELECTRICAL ON THIS CAR. A FEW TIMES I WOULD GO TO START THE CAR AND IT WOULD NOT START. IF I TURNED EVERYTHING OFF THEN IT WOULD START. THOUGHT MAYBE WAS BAD BATTERY UNTIL I GOT A NEW ONE AND IT STILL WOULDN'T START. I HAD THE NEW BATTERY TESTED AND IT WAS OK. I BELIEVE IT IS ANOTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *JB
WHILE DRIVING CAR WITH AC ON THE BATTER DIES BROUGHT BACK TO DEALER SAID NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES NOW NO ONE WILL ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR