NHTSA Complaint #760872 — 2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

WHEN THE PROBLEM HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME, THE RADIO STARTED TURNED OFF BY ITSELF. I WAS IN THE PARKING LOT OF A STORE. I WENT IN AND DID MY SHOPPING AND THEN WENT TO ANOTHER STORE. WHEN I GOT DONE AT THE 2ND STORE, THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I HAD SOMEONE GIVE ME A JUMP START AS THE ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE WAS GOING TO TAKE 3 HOURS. I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND DROPPED IT OFF. THAT WAS A SATURDAY AND THEY WERE ALREADY CLOSED. BY THE TIME THEY LOOKED AT IT ON MONDAY, THE CAR STARTED. THE 2ND TIME IT HAPPENED, I WAS ON MY LUNCH BREAK. THE RADIO STARTED TO GO OFF BY ITSELF AGAIN AND THE INTERIOR LIGHTS BEGAN TO DIM OUT. I DROVE IT AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP SO THEY COULD SEE WHAT IT WAS DOING. THEY SAID IT WAS THE ALTERNATOR. THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR AND 5 DAYS LATER IT BEGAN AGAIN. I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP LIGHT WHEN MY RADIO TURNED OFF AND THE LIGHTS DIMMED OUT AGAIN. THE CAR WAS WANTING TO STALL OUT AGAIN. WHEN I TURNED IT OFF, IT WOULDN'T START AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE BATTERY. ANOTHER 5 DAYS LATER, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEY REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND THE BATTERY. IT WAS IN THE SHOP A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. THEY SAID THE UPGRADED ALTERNATOR AND THE GEL BATTERY THEY INSTALLED WILL KEEP IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, BUT SAID THE TEXAS HEAT IN AUGUST HAD SOME EFFECT ON IT. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS AGAIN IN AUGUST. SO FAR SO GOOD. I JUST WANTED TO REPORT IT AND JUST FOUND OUT WHERE TO DO IT.*AK