NHTSA Complaint #10670906 — 2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE BUT RATHER A DESIGN ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO PROBLEMS STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE KEY FOB IS DESIGNED SUCH THAT A VERY SLIGHT AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON A BUTTON CAN REMOVE THE ENTIRE ELECTRONIC PORTION OF THE KEY INADVERTENTLY. IF THIS IS DONE ON ACCIDENT AND THE ELECTRONIC PORTION OF THE KEY CANNOT BE FOUND THEN THE CAR WILL NOT START. CONTRARY TO MOST KEY FOB DESIGNS, WHERE THE METAL KEY (VALET) PORTION FLIPS OUT FROM THE BODY OR HAS TO BE REMOVED USING SOME FORCE, THE KEY FOB ON THE NEW SANTA FE WILL DETACH WITHOUT ALMOST ANY FORCE. I HAVE ALREADY LOST A FOB AT A COST OF $280 TO ME AND THE KEY HAS BECOME DETACHED MULTIPLE TIMES IN POCKETS AND AROUND THE HOUSE WITHOUT HARDLY ANY FORCE. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DESIGN ISSUE AND CONSUMER PROTECTION ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IT SEEMS HYUNDAI DESIGNED THIS PART FOR THE SOLE GOAL OF INCREASING REPLACEMENT KEY FOB SALES. *TR