Hi,
I own a 2004 Santa Fe 2.0 Diesel that has approx 76000 miles and a full service history. I was driving to work back in October 2008 and the car started to make strange noises from the engine and felt like it had no power, I stopped the car and telephoned the Green Flag who moved the vehicle to the dealership. It took the dealership over 5 days before they started to investigate the knocking noise from the engine. I was informed at first that they thought the problem was possibly the turbo, then I was asked permission to take the engine out so they could investigate further. A few days passed and I was informed that the dealership had found gunge in the sump on the pick up pipe. The pick up pipe was then sent to Hyundai manufacturer and I was told that they thought the problem had been caused by the wrong oil or lack of oil. Hyundai then requested a sample of the oil from the dealership which they could not produce as they had disposed of it when they took the engine out.
I was informed a few days later that the problem was my fault through lack of maintenance and servicing ! I have over £2000 worth of receipts and every stamp in the book to prove its service history by a reputable V.A.T. reg garage and my husband mandatory checks both our cars engine oil on a weekly basis. I was informed that the vehicle needed a new engine that would cost £6500.

 

If you have the book with dealer stamps then that should seal it. What good is a warranty if they won't even honor dealer/reputable mechanic service?! In the states, by law they must accept maintenance by any qualified mechanic. In the UK the laws could be different. Was the maintenance performed by a hyundai dealer?

I plan to always have my oil changed by Hyundai to the tune of $74 every 3,000 miles just to make sure nothing like this happens. It's cheap insurance. I also never mix brands of oil because of possible incompatibility of additives causing sludge.

 

I can't agree with you more that they should honour this warranty as I do have a full service history - Hyundai warranty are known to wriggle out of replacing engines. I will go to court with this eventually, I am just waiting for 1 more case to appear on the forum as this lack of oil was created by metal sludge on the pick up pipe in the sump that is obviously a failed engine part. I don't think that this is a one off and think there will be more 2004 Santa Fe's with the very same problem.
clifty27

 

I would go to the garage where you had your oil changed and ask them for a document with the specs for the oil they used. If it meets the Hyundai specs then Hyundai MUST honor the warranty. If not, then you sue the garage. Also, did your oil light come on in the Hyundai to warn you of a lack of oil pressure before the engine failed? If not, that should also mean Hyundai pays for a new engine.