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- Hyundai has decided to inspect a number of early production Santa Fe and Trajet models and is recalling customers to go to their local authorised dealerships for this work
- A small percentage of vehicles may be affected by suspension corrosion
- Hyundai’s inspection strategy is part of the company’s policy for continuous quality improvement
Hyundai’s quality control has revealed that first generation Santa Fe models produced between July 2000 – June 2003 and Trajets produced between January 2000 – May 2004, could have been affected by corrosion due to winter road salt conditions in the UK.
In a small proportion of the affected cars, the corrosion could affect the structural integrity of suspension trailing arms.
Hyundai UK has therefore recalled 17,000 first-generation Trajet and Santa Fe models, and is encouraging owners of these vehicles to take them to a local Hyundai dealer for inspection.
Most vehicles will be inspected and a minor upgrade to the rear suspension trailing arms will be made, comprising of additional drainage and corrosion inhibition.
Following the inspection, a small proportion of older cars will need replacement of trailing arms, which will be undertaken free of charge. For owners of these vehicles, alternative transport will be provided for the duration of the repair.
There are no reported accidents as a result of the corrosion, and Hyundai is asking for the vehicles to be inspected as a quality measure.
John
20 January 2011 at 03:27
Yes we have had the same problem as you for some time now and kept telling the dealership and they kept saying there was no problem. Our car isn’t going in for inspection until 4th Feb and we have to pay £10 insurance fee for a hire car to get me to work.
Masood
18 January 2011 at 11:32
My Trajet has been causing me concerns lately with clunking sound from rear passenger side ,every time I go over a pot hole /rough surface ( probabley a suspension arm fault).This is bugging me and I have now recieved a recall letter from HYUNDAI ,stating that trajet models may have a problem with corrosion with suspension,which I feel is linked with the clunking sound I have been hearing.Iam now arranging with a local dealership for inspection. I hope the problem is detected and rectified immeadiatley.
Has anyone else has similar problem?
Sean Martin
21 December 2010 at 03:24
Following up on my post from the 11th – just to say that the customer service and lack of care from the Irish end both with Hyundai Ireland and our local dealer was nothing short of appalling. I eventually got the car to a dealer who would take it without arguing only after many calls to Hyundai UK to tell them to take it in. Even though I am now car less for 10 days Hyundai have only offered me €20 a day towards a hire car. I must repeat that the suspension arm colapsed while I am my 3 young children were in the car. I dread to think what could have happened if we were travelling at any speed. This is through no fault of our own and yet Hyundai ran me ragged before they would accept responsibility. I currently own 2 Hyundai vehicles and have owned two in the past but will be very much evaluating this when I come to purchase once again next year.
Sean Martin
11 December 2010 at 03:10
The driver’s side suspension arm on mine collapsed on Dec 3rd with my 3 kids in the car. We got an awful shock as well as then having the inconvenience breaking down in the middle of traffic on a school run, having to get the car towed and then only finding out from a friend that there was a technical problem with the car. We were not aware of a recall. Hyundai should have put this is the national papers and on radio as it is obviously very dangerous. My car was a UK import and I am following up with Hyundai now and will post how I get on.
Lisa Hind
3 November 2010 at 15:30
and that even though it’s an inconvenience not having my car I would rather it was fixed
Lisa Hind
3 November 2010 at 15:27
need to add that as my car is an older model I wasn’t going to take it in at all which could have caused a serious accident
Lisa Hind
3 November 2010 at 15:25
Have taken my Trajet in for this re-call to be told that Hyundai have no more spares left until the middle of December. Think that Hyundai should be making people aware of this as they now have to provide me with a hire car until then as mine is a 2002 model and they say that the arms on mine need replacing. Obviously I don’t want to be driving around in an un-roadworthy vehicle but some people might not go for the re-call as they don’t realise how serious it potentially is
kieran whelan
28 October 2010 at 16:46
Hi i recently had the rear trailing arms on a customers santa fe 2001 model collapse completely. We done a very detailed inspection 3 weeks before the collapse as the main dealer could not do it before the customer left on holidays to go to france from ireland. The main dealer told him it was only a minor inspection and car was ok to drive untill inspection and waxing was completed at later date. Myself and another mechanic and the customer spent 30 mins inspecting the rear suspention and although a lot of surface corrosion was seen, no evidence of major structural fault was obvious. During this inspection we used levers etc etc to check all bushes and mountings and went as far as tapping the rear suspention components with hammers to show up any signs of rusting through or cracks. Luckly the customer was under the vehicle with us during the inspection and was impressed with the detail we went to and does not hold us responsible. This may not have been the case if customer had not been present during the inspection. The car had also been service approx 2 months before by one of our other mechanics and although the customer was informed of other problems approx 10 items requiring attention no obvious defects apart from surface corrosion were noticed. Also the car was tested approx 6 months ago by the NATIONAL CAR TEST and still no problem found. When in france the customer had just left a motorway having been travelling at high speeds when the trailing arm collapsed. It is very worring that such a serious defect was not obvious or evident during the previous 3 inspections and would be greatfull if you could post this information, regards [email protected]