NHTSA Complaint #10368655 — 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END IMPACT . THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP FOR REPAIRS. IN THE NORMAL COURSE OF REPAIRS, THE SHOP REPLACED THE COMPONENTS OF THE SUPPLEMENTARY RESTRAINT SYSTEM AND SENT THE VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL DEALER TO CHECK FOR ERROR CODES AND TO RESET THE SYSTEM. ONE OF THE ERROR CODES WOULD NOT CLEAR. THE DEALER, IN WASHINGTON STATE ADVISED THE REPAIR SHOP AND US THAT PURSUANT TO A TSB,01-90-013, HYUNDAI RECOMMENDS THAT THE WIRING HARNESS ALSO MUST BE REPLACED IN ADDITION TO THE STANDARD PARTS OF THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WHEN THE AIR BAGS ARE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS NO DIRECT DAMAGE TO THE WIRING HARNESS AND THIS APPEARS TO BE SOME UNIQUE REQUIREMENT DESIGNED INTO THE HARNESS BY HYUNDAI. IT IS UNCLEAR WHY THIS IS REQUIRED OR WHAT UNIQUE FEATURE WAS BUILT INTO THE HARNESS THAT DEMANDS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE HARNESS. THIS ADDED REQUIREMENT ADDS AN ADDITIONAL $6,767.75 TO THE REPAIR COST OVER AND ABOVE THE REGULAR COLLISION RELATED COST. WHEREAS THIS REQUIREMENT IS UNIQUE TO THE NEW 2010 SANTA FE MODEL AND IS NOT FUNCTION REQUIRED DURING THE STANDARD REPLACEMENT OF AIR BAGS IN ANY OTHER VEHICLE THAT WE ARE AWARE OF, WE MUST ASK IS THIS A DEFECT, IS THIS SIMPLY A DESIGN FEATURE TO ENHANCE PROFIT FROM REPAIRS OR IS THERE SOME UNIQUE FEATURE TO THE WIRE HARNESS DESIGN THAT SERVES SOME OTHER PURPOSE OR FUNCTION? ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE APPRECIATED. *TR