2001 Hyundai Santa Fe Steering Problems

Your trailing arm (a rear suspension component) broke while driving at 45 mph due to rust and corrosion from road salt. Even though your 2001 Santa Fe has a recall for this same part, the recall only applies to vehicles in designated salt-belt states, and Utah isn't currently included—even though you live near the Great Salt Lake and road salt is commonly used there. Fixing this will require replacing the rusted trailing arm and inspecting the rest of your rear suspension for corrosion damage.

Your steering wheel became difficult to turn while driving. A mechanic found that both front struts, front wheel bearings, tie rods, wheel cylinders, and the driver's side cross member (a structural frame component) all needed replacement, and the subframe showed corrosion damage. These issues likely combined to make steering harder and could affect vehicle stability and control.

SUBFRAME/ENGINE CRADLE ROT TO POINT OF SEPARATION, LOSS OF STEERING AND VEHICLE CONTROL. MY NEWLY LICENSED GRAND-DAUGHTER TOOK IT FOR A SHORT ABOUT TOWN DRIVE, NOT GETTING MORE THAN A QUARTER MILE BEFORE THE WHEEL SNAPPED OUT OF HER HANDS AND THE VEHICLE HEADED FOR THE CENTER LINE. SHE MANAGED TO GET IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. BOTH FRONT WHEELS WERE IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, MOVEMENT FORWARD WAS SLOPPY. AWEFUL NOISES COMING FROM BELOW. FLUIDS LEAKING. I KNEW THERE WAS RUST UNDERNEATH BUT NOT SUCH GREATLY WEAKENED PARTS. IMG_6087.JPG

WHILE DRIVING HOME WITH FAMILY IN VEHICLE THE CONTROL ARMS BROKE, BALL JOINTS BROKE AND THE SWAY BAR BROKE.

DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY PLASTIC GARBAGE BAG FLEW UNDER CAR CATCHING ON POWER STEERING LINES WHICH BROKE DUE TO RUST CORROSION. ONLY ONE LINE BROKE BUT REPLACED BOTH LINES AS PRECAUTION. HARD TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED. TOTAL COST $444.07 ( 277.15 PARTS + 166.92 LABOR- AAA MEMBERSHIP). MICHIGAN WINTERS! *TR

2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE POWER STEERING LINES AND BRAKE LINES COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SUSPENSION. MAKES SENSE IF THEY DIDN'T PROTECT THAT PROPERLY, THEN THEY DIDN'T PROTECT THESE LINES PROPERLY. CAN NOT STOP VEHICLE. CAN NOT STEER VEHICLE. *TR

2001 SANTA FE AT ABOUT 50,000 MILES, FRONT DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT CAUSED STEERING PROBLEM MARCH 2006, PART REPLACED. THEN MARCH 2009 FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT BROKEN, AS BEFORE PART REPLACED. IN BOTH CASES THE STEERING CAUSED THE CAR TO PULL SEVERLY TO THE RIGHT. *TR

I HAD FAILURE OF THE REAR TRAILING ARM ON MY 2001 SANTA FE. ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN. I HAVE YET TO BE NOTIFIED OF THIS RECALL BY THE HYUNDAI CORPORATION. WHY? THIS RECALL IS 6 MONTHS OLD AND THIS IS THE FIRST I HEAR ABOUT IT. HOW MANY OTHERS DON'T KNOW? THIS COMPANY HAS BEEN SLOW TO RESPOND. *TR

I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED FROM CAR MART LESS THAN A YEAR AGO.FIRST MY STEERING WAS VERY SHAKY. IT GOT RAPIDLY WORSE. I WENT THROUGH 3 SETS OF NEW TIRES IN ONE YEAR PLUS 2 ALIGNMENTS. I RECENTLY HAD TROUBLE AGAIN AND MY CAR IS IN THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN FAYETTEVILLE. FIRST THE BEARINGS WERE RUSTED IN. BOTH BALL JOINTS WERE NEARLY OUT. THE CONTROL ARM IS GOING OUT. THE STEERING LINKAGE AND THE CRADLE ABOVE THE DRIVELINE IS RUSTED AND FALLING APART LITERALLY. THE EXHAUST SYSTEM THE CADILLAC CONVERTER IS RUSTED APART FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER WAS RUSTED CLOSED AND HAD TO BE BROKE OFF TO GET MY SPARE OUT. ALSO THE REAR SEAT BELT JUST STOPPED WORKING . TALK ABOUT A BAD DAY. *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS AN "ALL WHEEL DRIVE". THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION UNEVENLY DISTRIBUTES POWER AT AROUND 35-40 MPH - CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL DANGEROUSLY TO THE RIGHT. THIS "JERK" OF POWER TO THE RIGHT OCCASIONALLY CAUSES ME TO ALMOST SWERVE OUT OF MY LANE OF TRAFFIC!! *JB

VEHICLE RATTLES AND SHAKES WHEN DRIVING IN CITY. NOISE APPEARS TO COME UNDER THE CARRIAGE. TAKEN SEVERAL TIMES TO THE DEALER AND THEY ARE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. HAVE A WRITTEN COMPLAIN WITH HYUNDAI.*AK

BELT FOR THE POWER STEERING HAS SHREDDED SEVERAL TIMES SINCE PURCHASE OF VEHICLE. CONTACTED DEALER. *AK

WHEN DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING STEERING WHEEL LOCKS UP, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CAPABILITY. CONSUMER TURNED VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED IT IN WHICH STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK