Hyundai Santa Fe Gearbox & Transmission Problems

I definitely agree that 60,000km is pathetically short for the lifespan of a modern transmission. And if, indeed, the transmission has failed or is showing dramatic wear in that distance, I’d be asking Hyundai to help out with the cost of repairs. Even though the vehicle is out of warranty (by only about a year it would seem) the low kilometres and full factory service history might give Hyundai cause to come to the party on a pro rata basis.

Meantime, don’t hit the panic button yet. The fault could be a much simpler one than you might be imagining and could be something quick and easy to fix. The problem could be as simple as low transmission-fluid level. If the quoted cost to examine the transmission is putting you off, try an independent transmission specialist who should be more than familiar with this unit.

The 12-month warranty is designed to give you confidence in the car, but if you’ve completely lost faith in it then it could be best to sell it and move on.

The diesel is rated to tow up to 2.5-tonne so it should handle your camper with ease. There are a few reports of transmission/transfer case failures, as your mechanic has told you, but it’s not widespread, and with a warranty that lasts for five years with unlimited kilometres you should be well covered if something does go wrong.

Hyundai's new-gen Santa Fe has just launched in three model trims, all offered in all-wheel-drive in Australia. While other markets could have front wheel drive options, there are no Santa Fe models offered in rear wheel drive.

They have to drain the pan and drain the transmission to fix the faulty solenoid, so they’ll have to refill it with new fluid and use a new gasket. If the solenoid wasn’t faulty there would be no need to drain the pan or replace the gasket, so I think you have a good claim to be covered for the whole cost of the repair, including the new oil and gasket.

You should approach the dealer in the first instance, and then Hyundai directly if that fails to produce a satisfactory resolution.

Diff failures are not common, but not unknown either. I would try to get Hyundai to help out with the cost, their obligations to support their vehicles don't end when the warranty expires.

All of the models you list would do the job you want well, so it comes down to personal choice. Add in the Kia Sorento and you have the field pretty much covered. The Sorento generally gets the most ticks from CarsGuide reviewers.

Our trade contacts don't report any significant issues on the Santa Fe auto at this time; they've only done low kays to this point. Hopefully Hyundai replaced the transmission under warranty, so you're not out of pocket. Maybe if other Santa Fe owners have had this problem they might contact us and tell us about their experience.

You need to have them inspect the master cylinder and the clutch to determine what the problem is. If it is a leaking master cylinder, and as a result the clutch has been contaminated by the leaking fluid then you have a legitimate claim, but you won't know until the clutch can be checked.

ABSOLUTELY yes. Take it up with Hyundai directly. It seems you have been given the run-around by the dealer and the company needs to know. The clutch would probably need to be replaced when the flywheel was changed as they are most likely to be different, but Hyundai should cop the cost. It sounds like a design problem. And it could be a cause of your belt failures and your ignition problems.