NHTSA Complaint #11165253 — 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

STICKY STEERING WHEEL WHEN TRAVELING ON STRAIGHT ROADWAYS AND HIGHWAYS ABOVE 40 MPH. I NOTICED A SLIGHT STICK TO THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY OR ON A STRAIGHT ROAD ABOVE 40 MPH. THIS PROBLEM STARTED AT 15,000 MILES. THE STEERING WHEEL TENDS TO STICK WHEN TRYING TO TRACK STRAIGHT WHICH CAUSES ME TO CONSISTENTLY SWERVE WHILE TRYING TO CORRECT. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY WERE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THE ISSUE AS A BAD MDPS UNIT (STEERING COLUMN SHAFT ASSEMBLY) PART#56310-2W840. WHILE AT THE SHOP, I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH ON MY OWN AND FOUND THAT THIS UNIT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED IN OTHER MAKES AND MODELS AS A BAD UNIT DUE TO A RUBBER COUPLER INSIDE THE MDPS AND HYUNDAI HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THESE PARTS. I BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD BE AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS PART BEYOND THE FACTORY WARRANTY FOR THE 2017 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WE HAVE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 1 YEAR 11 MOS AND IT CURRENTLY HAS 16261 MILES. NOTES FROM DEALERSHIP TECH: " THE STEERING WAS STICKING. THE COLUMN WAS AT FAULT INTERNAL FAILURE. I WAS UNABLE TO ISOLATE WHAT PART OF THE MOTOR DRIVEN STEERING UNIT WAS THE ROOT CUASE OF THE STICKING. ALL PARTS TESTED GOOD BUT I STILL HAD THE ISSUE. I PERFORMED A STEERING WHEEL CALIBRATION AND RESET THE STEERING FEEL ZERO. I REDROVE THE CAR AND NOTED AFTER DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT LEVEL ROAD AND 40-60 MPH SPEEDS THAT WHEN I MOVED THE STEERING LEFT OR RIGHT THAT THERE WAS A NOTICABLE STICKING. BEFORE THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT HAD ASSIST. I REPLACED THE MDPS COMPLETE UNIT RESET THE TOW VARIANT CODED AND DROVE THE CAR AGAIN"