2013 Hyundai Santa Fe Fuel System Problems

Our Hyundai Sante Fe Sport smells like gasoline. The odor is very loud and nauseating. We parked it outdoors and the smell is still very loud and immediately noticeable from inside the vehicle and even walking by. We looked it up and saw an article in Consumer Reports (by [XXX] on May 18th describing this same thing. The article states the cars are being recalled however, we had our vehicle towed to Thornton Road Hyundai and were told there is no recall. They have diagnosed it as a leak in the top valve of the cover gasket and are charging $365 to repair it. Additional note - on July 8th, as we drove from Atlanta to Orlando, we witnessed a silver Hyundai Sante Fe Sport on fire (completely engulfed in flames) on the highway. We are very concerned and would like for this concern to be taken seriously. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

THE FUEL GAUGE ISN'T GIVING THE CORRECT READINGS. TWICE MY WIFE AND KIDS WERE STRANDED ON THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE SHE WAS THINKING SHE HAD 70/75 MILES TO GO AND GET TO A STATION. 1ST TIME, SHE WAS DRIVING HOME AND IT SUDDENLY SHUTS OFF AND 2ND TIME IT SHUTS OFF AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. IF IT'S READING 75 TO 84 AND YOU ADD GAS, IT STAYS ON 75 TO 84 UNTIL YOU GO BACK AND ADD MORE. SO EVEN AFTER ADDING GAS, SOMETIMES SHE'S SCARED THAT THE CAR MAY BE GOING BY THE GUAGE READING INSTEAD OF WHAT'S ACTUALLY IN THE TANK AND MAY STILL SHUT OFF. P HYUNDAI SAYS IT'S NOT A DANGER BUT HOWS YOUR CAR SUDDENLY KILLS ON THE HIGHWAY AWAY FROM FAMILY OR FRIENDS OR MAYBE STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, NOT DANGER?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER AN UNKNOWN RECALL, IT BEGAN LEAKING FUEL AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO SHAKER'S FAMILY HYUNDAI (674 STRAITS TURNPIKE, WATERTOWN, CT 06795) TO BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 74,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE LEAKED FUEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUDDLES WERE VISIBLE IN THE DRIVEWAY. THE CONTACT ALSO SMELLED AN ABNORMAL FUEL ODOR OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE VEHICLE, AND THE BOTTOM OF THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS WET. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO NUMBER ONE COCHRAN HYUNDAI (4520 WILLIAM PENN HWY, MONROEVILLE, PA 15146, (877) 211-5526), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT DID NOT WANT TO PAY THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE BECAUSE IT HAD A SALVAGED TITLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,080.

MY 2.0T ENGINE WHICH I HAVE MAINTAINED RELIGIOUSLY PER THE FACTORY SEVERE SERVICE SCHEDULE WITH SYNTHETIC OIL FAILED WITHOUT WARNING DRIVING AT NIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN A COLLISION AND WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITH WHAT LITTLE MOMENTUM I HAD. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND I FEEL SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

TRYING TO PULL OVER AT PARKING LOT, THE ENGINE WAS SUDDENLY STOPPED AT ABOUT 16:00 ON THE DAY OF MAY 15, 2016. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES FOR RESTART, BUT IN VAIN. BATTERY STATUS WAS GOOD. CALLED SERVICE DEALER AND THEY COULDNT GET THE CAUSE OF THE MALFUNCTION, THEY SENT MY CAR TO THE UPPER LEVELED SERVICE WORKSHOP. THE SHOP MANAGER SAID HIS HANDS ARE TIED IN THIS CASE AND EXPLAINED ACCUMULATED METAL(ALUMINUM) PARTICLES BLOCKED THE FUEL FLOWS OF HIGH PRESSURE PUMP OF THE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM. AND THE CAR NEEDS REPLACEMENT OF WHOLE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM FROM FUEL TANK TO FUEL PRESSURE PUMP. DURING THE 4 YEARS OF OCCUPATION OF THE CAR, I HAVE DRIVEN THE CAR IN VERY NORMAL AND REGULAR MANNER. AT EVERY 7~8,000 KM, FUEL FILTER WAS REPLACED WITH NEW ONE. THE ACCUMULATION OF THE METAL(ALUMNUM) PARTICLES SEEMED COME FROM THE DEFECTIVE PART DURING THE MANUFACTURING BY FACTORY. IF THIS OCCURRED DURING THE ROAD OPERATION, SUDDEN ENGINE STOP MAY CAUSE A CRASH, INJURIES, DEATHS. NOW THE DRIVERS IS IN A SERIOUS MENTAL CONDITION OF DEEP CONCERN ON THE POSSIBLY FATAL CRASH, EVEN NOT OCCURRED. THE REAL PROBLEM IS THEY DONT KNOW THE EXACT REASON OF THE METAL PARTICLES ACCUMULATION IN THE FUEL SUPPLY SYSTEM. BECAUSE THEY DONT KNOW THE REAL CAUSE AND THE WARRANTEE PERIOD COMPLETED, THE CAR OWNER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COST, MAKER IS INSISTING.

THIS ISSUE SEEMS TO BE WELL DOCUMENTED BY OTHERS ON THE INTERNET. WHEN PUMPING GAS, THE FUEL TANK ACTS LIKE IT IS FULL CAUSING THE GAS PUMP TO SHUT OFF. HOWEVER, THE TANK IS ONLY ABOUT 3/4 FULL. IF YOU ARE PATIENT ENOUGH, YOU CAN EVENTUALLY FILL UP THE TANK BY TRICKLING IN GAS, WAITING A COUPLE OF SECONDS, TRICKLING IN SOME MORE GAS, ETC. THIS APPEARS TO BE A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT HUYNDAI SERVICE CENTERS FAIL TO RECOGNIZE THIS AS AN ISSUE. IT APPEARS THAT SOME INDIVIDUALS HAVE HAD THEIR TANKS REPLACE. 1 COMPLAINT INDICATES THAT THE SERVICE CENTER INDICATED THAT A PIECE CLOSE TO THE FILLER HOSE HAD "MELTED". SOUNDS LIKE IT MAY BE TIME FOR NHTSA TO STEP UP AND DO SOME FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *TR

THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER DISPLAYED CORRECT MPG. THE DIGITAL READ OUT THAT "TELLS" YOU YOUR AVERAGE MILEAGE IS ALWAYS 2 OR 3 MILES OFF THE ACTUAL MPG. I RESET ALL THE SETTINGS EVERY FUEL UP. IT 'TELLS" ME I'M AVERAGING 21 MPG, BUT WHEN I CHECK IT MULTIPLE TIMES IT'S ACTUALLY 18MPG. THE VEHICLE IS SUPPOSED TO GE 21/29 AND I NOW HAVE 15,000 MILES ON THE CAR AND I'VE NEVER GOTTEN MORE THAN 19 IN TOWN OR ABOUT 27 ON THE ROAD AND THOSE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN. YET, THE GAGE IS ALWAYS INACCURATE BY 2 TO 3 MPG. I FEEL THAT IS VERY DECEIVING. IF YOU DIDN'T CHECK IT YOURSELF, YOU WOULD THINK IT'S GETTING THE GAS MILEAGE IT'S SUPPOSED TO, BUT THE READOUTS ARE WRONG. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S DELIBERATE OR A CALIBRATION ISSUE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY CLAIM EVERYTHING IS FINE. IF I'M SUPPOSED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT WITH ANOTHER AGENCY, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. *TR

PURCHASED CAR 7/2013. BROUGHT CAR TO LESTER GLENN HYUNDAI AT TOMS RIVER NJ FOR SERVICE ON 3/5/2013. THEY HAD VEHICLE FOR 3 DAYS WHICH INCLUDED OTHER REPAIRS. IN THE PAST 3 MONTHS, THE DIGITAL READOUT THAT SHOWS REMAINING MILES TO FUEL CAPACITY IS NOT ACCURATE OR CLOSE TO IT IN COMPARISON TO OTHER FUEL GAUGE THAT SHOWS FUEL IN TANK. THE GAUGE READS ONLY 250 TO 270 MILES DISTANCE WHEN I REFUELED MY CAR TO THE BRIM. DEALER SAID IT SHOWS THIS READING BECAUSE OF MY DRIVING HABITS. I'M THE ONLY DRIVER AND TREAT THIS CARD WITH KID GLOVES AND DO NOT DRIVE FAST OR SUDDEN STOPS (64 AGE). IF YOU DIVIDE THE FUEL CAPACITY IN THE TANK 19 GALLONS BY 270 MILES GIVES YOU 14.2 MILES. THE GAUGE ON MY DASHBOARD FOR AVERAGE MILES PER/GALLON IS 23 MILES. IF YOU CALCULATE 23 MILES BY 19 GALLONS RESULTS SHOW 437 MILES. I CALLED CORPORATE HYUNDAI YESTERDAY CASE # 6456349 AND THEY COULDN'T HELP ME OR EXPLAIN THE REASONING BEHIND THE PROBLEM OTHER THAN MY DRIVER HABITS. EITHER THE GAUGES ARE DEFECTIVE OR WORSE THE MILEAGE REPORTED TO EPA/DOT IS FALSE AND NOT 18 CITY AND 24 HIGHWAY MILES AS SHOWN ON WINDOW STICKER DESCRIPTION WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR. PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE HYUNDAI WILL NOT RESPOND TO MY CONCERNS AND FACTUAL COMPLAINTS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE GAVE ME A BLANK LOOK WHEN THEY RETURN THE CAR TO ME WHEN I SHOWED THEM THE GAUGE AFTER SERVICING. COULD NOT EXPLAIN AND RECOMMEND RESOLUTION! WHEN EXITING THE DEALER, I RAN INTO ANOTHER PERSON WITH SIMILAR COMPLAINT ABOUT FUEL GAUGES GIVING CONFLICTING INFORMATION. PLEASE HELP ME BECAUSE HYUNDAI DOESN'T LISTEN TO LITTLE GUY CONSUMER. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR HELP AND ASSISTANCE. *TR

FUEL TANK SHUTS GAS PUMP OFF 3/4 FULL. CAN NOT FILL UP GAS TANK. PURCHASED SUV NEW IN DEC 2012, HAD THIS ISSUE FROM FIRST FILL UP. WENT TO DEALER SERVICE ONCE AND THEY TOLD ME EVERYTHING WAS WORKING FINE. IT IS CURRENTLY 20 FEB 2013, SINCE MY DRIVER SIDE BLINKER DOESN'T WORK (NOT THE BULB) I HAD TO TAKE BACK IN FOR SERVICE. I HAD THEM LOOK AT THE FUEL TANK ISSUE AGAIN. THEY ARE NOW SEEING THE PROBLEM AND ARE REPLACING THE FUEL TANK. I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE I SAW THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE OUT THERE WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND WANTED IT RECORDED IN HOPES THAT HYUNDAI WILL DO A RECALL. *TR

VEHICLE STALLS IN TRAFFIC.NO WARNING SIGNS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR WHENEVER THE CONTACT REFUELED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,500.

2013 SANTA FE 2.0 AWD- FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY THEREFORE YOU DO NOT KNOW HOW MUCH GAS YOU HAVE IN THE CAR. FIRST TIME I PUMPED GAS IT STOPPED AT 3/4 AND MET CLICKING. 2ND TIME PUMPED IT NEVER STOPPED AND THE TANK OVER FLOWED. MY AVERAGE MPG DOES NOT GO HIGHER THEN 15 MILE PER GALLON! MY RANGE SHOWS ONLY 250 ON A FULL TANK. HYUNDAI KNOWS THIS IS AN ISSUES AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. I RECOMMEND EVERYONE CONTACT THEIR LOCAL LEMON LAW ATTORNEY AND START THE PROCESS IF YOU HAVE TRIED 4 OR MORE TIME WITH HYUNDAI TO RESOLVE THIS. I STARTED MY PROCESS AND ITS LOOKING LIKE THEY HAVE TO GIVE ME 100%'OF MY MONEY BACK AND NO LESS. OH ALSO EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE ON DRIVER SIDE WHEN DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE PROVIDED INACCURATE READINGS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000. *TR UPDATED 05/23/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ON MAY 6, 2013. THE GAS TANK ASSEMBLY UNIT AND FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 05/28/2013 *JS

GAS GAUGE DOES NOT READ CORRECTLY AND CAUSES TRIP CALCULATION AND DRIVING RANGE TO BE DISPLAYED INCORRECTLY. THIS COULD CAUSE CAR TO UNEXPECTEDLY RUN OUT OF FUEL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR ## VIN FAILED ##

WE PURCHASED THE 2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT (2WD) ON 2/23/13. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO FILL UP THE GAS TANK FOR THE FIRST TIME, THE GAS PUMP CONTINUOUSLY SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY AS IF THE TANK WAS FULL. IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MINUTES TO FILL UP 3/4 OF THE TANK. I INITIALLY THOUGHT IT WAS THE GAS PUMP THAT WAS BAD. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO FILL UP AGAIN, THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED ON A DIFFERENT PUMP. I TRIED A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS, AND THE PROBLEM CONTINUED. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP FOR A CHECK UP. AFTER A PRELIMINARY CHECK, THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THERE WAS NO ERROR CODE. HOWEVER, IN ORDER FOR THEM TO REMOVE THE TANK AND CHECK THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY, THE GAS TANK WAS TOO FULL, SO I NEEDED TO DRIVE IT AROUND AND USE UP SOME GAS UNTIL IT WAS LESS THAN 1/2 TANK FULL. SO AFTER A FEW DAYS, I TOOK IT IN AGAIN. AFTER A FEW DAYS, THEY ADVISED THAT THE AFTER REMOVING THE TANK, THEY OBSERVED THE FUEL TANK NECK END HAD BEEN MELTED. THEY WERE NOT SURE WHAT THE CAUSE WAS. SO THEY REPLACED THE FUEL TANK, AND FILLED THE GAS TANK WITHOUT ANY ISSUES. WE JUST GOT THE CAR BACK, SO WE'LL SEE IT THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED, OR IF IT'LL BE A RECURRING PROBLEM. WE THOUGHT IT WAS VERY ODD THAT A BRAND NEW CAR WOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM, AND WE'RE MORE CONCERNED WHAT CAUSED IT TO "MELT". IF THERE IS A MAJOR HEAT ISSUE THAT WOULD CAUSE SOMETHING TO MELT NEAR THE GAS TANK, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN. THE DEALER ADVISED US THAT AN ENGINEER FROM HYUNDAI CAME OUT TO INSPECT IT UPON LEARNING ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WE'VE FOUND NUMEROUS SIMILAR COMPLAINT ONLINE, AND NOT ONLY WITH THE SANTA FE BUT WITH MANY OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS. IN FACT, THE 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA RENTAL THEY PROVIDED US WITH HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHERE IT WOULD SHUT OFF EVERY 2 1/2 GALLONS. THE DEALER FIXED THE PROBLEM FOR NOW, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO MONITOR IT. *TR

CAR DID NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE INPUT FOR AS LONG AS 5 OR 6 SECONDS THIS HAPPENING SEVERAL TIMES EARLY ON. THE CAR NOW HAS 2300 MILES AND THE SYMPTOMS HAVE EVOLVED TO THE CAR STARTING TO MOVE TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES PER HOUR THEN FALLING ON ITS FACE FOR 2 TO 3 SECONDS BEFORE RESUMING SPEED ALMOST CAUSING A REAR COLLISION. THE CAR HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE ONE TIME FOR FIVE DAYS WITH THE DEALER UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS ISSUE COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE A REAR COLLISION OR AN ACCIDENT PULLING INTO TRAFFIC. *TR

2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. CONSUMER STATES ISSUES WITH HESITATION AND STALLING WHEN ACCELERATING. *TGW THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION, WHICH WAS COMMON AMONG SEVERAL BRANDS OF AUTOMOBILES AND THERE WAS NO FIX FOR THE PROBLEM. THE HESITATION AT ACCELERATION OCCURRED AT SLOW SPEEDS WHILE TURNING AND THE ENGINE WOULD MOMENTARILY STALL. *JB