10.0

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
No data
Average Mileage:
20,000 miles
Total Complaints:
1 complaints

Most common solutions:

  1. not sure (1 reports)
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problem #1

Jan 012006

Santa Fe GLS 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 20,000 miles

On or about the time I turned my odometer to 20000 miles, the paint on my 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe GLS 3.2L with the Midnight Blue Metallic paint Special Edition, started to oxidize for no apparent reason. I thought it may be that it was due to the elements because at the time I had no cover for the vehicle.

Over the years the oxidizing continued. It started on the rear just above the rear window and continued on the hood and the side panels and now is very spotty all over the vehicle. I have had conversations with others that have a Santa Fe without the Metallic paint and they have not had any oxidization with the paint as they have just the regular colors with no Metallic in the paint. I have talked with several that do have this kind of paint and they are having the same issue. Some in places that are considered salt states and others that are not in salt states.

I purchased my Santa Fe in a salt state but live in and have lived in a none salt state for the past 15 years and the oxidizing just continues. The only time I can say it slowed was when I purchased my home in 2009 and it was kept in a garage. Now without the sun or elements hitting the car it seemed that the oxidizing slowed or stopped, so it would bring me to think that the Metallic paint that Hyundai used on the Hyundai vehicles is a faulty color or a bad kind of paint period.

I would have thought that by now Hyundai would have had enough complaints about the paint to issue a recall but as of yet they have not. I tried to call Hyundai and all I got was this typical run around bulls..t that one would expect from an automobile maker. I love my Hyundai because it has never given me any issues other than the paint issue. I have asked experts about the cause and get the same answer, it is bad paint and is caused by the elements and all have said that if it were good paint it would not be doing this as other owners with regular paint do not have the same issue with their vehicles.

I would not expect much but would think that if you have only 20000 miles on your vehicle, you should not have your paint fading this badly. Now if you just did not do all you could to talk care of your vehicle, then one would expect that you may have some kind of issue, this is not true in my case as I hand wash and wax according to instructions of the products I use. My vehicle also has the clear coat they put on a car with metallic paint and this plays a factor in this issue.

If anyone knows of a recall due to this issue please let me know and whom I need to contact.

- Richard A., Springfield, MO, US