NHTSA Complaint #11387403 — 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

MY WIFE WAS ACCELERATING TO 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWERVE LEFT TO RIGHT RAPIDLY. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. SHE COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. SHE NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS ALMOST TOUCHING THE INSIDE OF THE REAR FENDER. SHE WAS ABLE TO LIMP IT ABOUT A MILE HOME TO DRIVEWAY. SHE CONTACTED HYUNDAI & THEY TOLD HER TO TOW IT TO CLOSEST HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP & REAP SUSPENSION PROBLEM WILL BE FIXED UNDER RECALL. AFTER WE PAID TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR TRAILING ARM WAS CORRODED AND ALMOST BROKEN & NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER SERVICE TECHNICIAN CALLED MY WIFE THE NEXT DAY TO INFORM HER THAT HER SANTA FE REAR TRAILING ARMS HAD NOT BEEN REPLACED BY HYUNDAI. SHE IMMEDIATELY CALLED HYUNDAI TO SPEAK WITH PERSON THAT TOLD HER TO HAVE IT TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. HYUNDAI OPENED A CASE NUMBER FOR HER SANTA FE. HYUNDAI CALLED BACK COUPLE DAYS LATER SAYING THEY HAD RESEARCHED HER SANTA FE UNDER RECALL CAMPAIGN 090 AND THAT IT DID NOT QUALIFY BEING THAT IT HAD NOT REGISTERED WITHIN THE 20 SALT BELT STATES REQUIRED FOR RECALL. HYUNDAI CASE WORKER SAID THEY WERE NOT GOING TO REPAIR THE SANTA FE UNDER RECALL.& HYUNDAI WAS CLOSING THE CASE. AFTER A VERY EXTENSIVE SEARCH ON THE SANTA FE FRAME CORROSION RECALL SHE DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME CORROSION RECALL HAD BEEN EXPANDED TO INCLUDE EVERY SANTA FE WITHIN THE 50 STATES, ALTHOUGH HYUNDAI DID NOT SEND NOTICES TO ANYONE UNLESS THE SANTA FE HAD BEEN REGISTERED IN THE 20 SALT BELT STATES. WITH THIS NEW INFO SHE HAS BEEN TRYING TO CONTACT THE HYUNDAI CASE WORKER TO RE-OPEN HER CASE. AS IT STANDS HER SANTA FE WAS TOWED TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WHERE IT SITS IN BACK LOT UNTOUCHED & UNDRIVEABLE. AFTER CLOSER LOOK AT TRAILING ARMS BOTH SIDES ARE RUSTED COMPLETELY OUT.