2009 Hyundai Santa Fe: headlights failing or too dim

Filed Jul 5, 2019 · Electrical, Engine · 105,000 miles · CA

Vehicle stalls while slowing down. When this happens, headlights and power steering and braking are lost, and the check engine light and battery light come on. Imagine driving down a dark windy road at night and losing power steering and braking and not being able to see the road. This is accurate to the experience. If I turn car off and back on, it starts just fine. It happens everywhere, on the freeway, while parking, etc. Every person I have talked to with same vehicle confirms the same. I have yet to find anyone with a fix. There is a recall out for 2010 and on for a similar issue. This issue started happening in 2015 when I purchased the car, and it has continued to happen for years.

Filed Nov 30, 2016 · Lights · 126,000 miles · NY

The headlights are so poor that we do not feel safe driving at night. On low beams, it almost seems as if the lights are turned off. On high beams, visibility is adequate but, of course, we cannot keep high beams on all the time. I called the dealer and they said they could replace the bulbs with new ones. However, they could not replace the bulbs with brighter ones such as leds.

Filed Sep 5, 2016 · Electrical · 78,000 miles · AZ

I am having the issue with the gas gauge, where a short time after filling up the tank, the gauge drops to empty and then the check engine light comes on. I believe this problem was caused by the same issue as a recent recall, where oil was dripping on the alternator. Just a couple days after I received the recall for that issue, I began having electrical issues. My radio came on and off, my windows rolled up and down very slowly. On my last drive home, my electronic brakes stopped working, the steering was hard and the transmission began shifting up and down before I was finally able to pull over and have the car towed. Upon my drive home from the dealer after the recall repair, I noticed that a headlight was newly burned out. In less than a week, the other headlight burned out. On the same tank of gas I had since getting the car back from the dealer, the gauge first dropped to empty before the tank was empty. I believe something was shorted out in the gas gauge system, just as the headlights and all the other electrical issues that resulted from the alternator not working. Hyundai should repair the gas gauge issue since it was caused by the issue of their last recall.

Filed Aug 25, 2014 · Acceleration, Body · 57,500 miles · OH · crash

I was attempting to parallel park between two cars and as I was about to cut the wheel to the left to finish the park, my vehicle suddenly accelerated (without my doing) into the car behind me. I had no time to compensate and ultimately crushed the right headlight/frame of the car behind me.

Filed Aug 9, 2012 · Acceleration, Electrical · 15,546 miles · IL

Incident 1: (10-20-2010) driver side head light was fogging up constantly. Dealer replaced the head light under warranty. Incident 2: (02-22-2011) upon fill-up of the gas tank, just before it was topped off, there was a series of clunking noises. After taking it to the dealership, the gas tank was replaced. Incident 3: (05-01-2011 approx.) upon removal of the cabin air filter cover, the little plastic parts that are squeezed to remove the cover broke, which wouldn't allow the cover to go back on. The dealer replaced the part and I have not yet replaced the filter yet. Incident 4: (11-12-2011) driving 60 MPH down the highway, I heard a loud banging noise coming from the engine compartment. As I was pulling over to check out the situation, the car lost power steering and air conditioning! My serpentine belt broke! After it was towed, the dealer replaced it, along with belt tensioner and idler pulley! Incident 5: (07-30-2012) I was coming up to a stop light and upon deceleration, the check engine light and ESC off light came on. After coming to a complete stop, the RPM gage showed 1100 RPM and it felt like the vehicle wanted to move as if I was pressing the accelerator. When I did try to accelerate, there was no power to accelerate ( the engine was still running, etc, but when I pressed the accelerator, I could only move a few miles per hour.) I pulled over and shut the vehicle off for a few minutes. I started it back up and the check engine light remained on, and I gained acceleration power. I took the vehicle to the dealership. They determined I had a faulty throttle position sensor as well as brake light switch and both were replaced by the dealer. [current mileage on vehicle after all incidents: 48,897]

Filed Sep 15, 2009 · Lights · DE

The range of vision on the low beams is sub-standard. Going up hills, they seem to shine into the middle of the hill as if their long range aim was down, not up. Going down a steep hill , they appear to shine on a horizontal plane - not down on the road. The high beams are fine, but it's very difficult to see using just the low beams. Hyundai says there is nothing wrong with the focus of the light emitted by the lamps or with their aim. However, they are not fit for nighttime driving.

Filed Sep 13, 2009 · Lights · PA

The light emitted by the low beam headlights is so focused as to create a tunnel effect. This non-diffused light does not allow for any illumination other than straight ahead and no higher than the level of the headlamp. In conditions of total darkness, it is as if you are wearing a long brimmed cap and blinders. As you drive up or down a hill, the light shines "into" the rise or dip in the road. When going around a corner, the light does not "lead" the vehicle around the bend, it "lags" behind creating a dark zone as the car goes around the turn. When the bright lights are switched on, the tunnel effect disappears. Hyundai has said there is nothing wrong with the lamps or their adjustment. They contend that it is a design feature of these particular lamps and that they are effective. The vehicle is not safe to drive in the dark.