2003 Hyundai Santa Fe Power Train

I TOOK POSSESSION OF A BRAND-NEW HYUNDAI SANTA FE (2003 - 25 MILES ON ODOMETER) ON FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2003. SATURDAY, JUNE 21,2003 I TOOK THE CAR OUT FOR A DRIVE. DRIVING AT 35 MILES MPH THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED (BY IT SELF) OUT OF "DRIVE (D") INTO ...? (NEUTRAL, I'M GUESSING BY THE REVVING OF THE ENGINE). THE CAR ROLLED SLOWLY DUE TO ITS OWN FORWARD MOMENTUM, HOWEVER, PRESSING ON ACCELERATOR SUCCEEDING IN ONLY REVVING UP THE ENGINE - "DRIVE" REFUSED TO ENGAGE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE FUTILE. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN (AFTER LIMPING TO THE SIDE OF A 6-LANE ROAD IN TRAFFIC!). WAITED A FEW MOMENTS (PERHAPS A MINUTE OR TWO) AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THE TRANSMISSION ONCE MORE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO DRIVE. I SHUT THE CAR DOWN AGAIN AND WAITED A LITTLE LONGER (PERHAPS TWO -THREE MINUTES) AND STARTED IT AGAIN. THIS TIME THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND I DROVE IT HOME - VERY CAREFULLY! I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP (KEYES HYUNDAI IN VAN NUYS) AND HAD THE CAR FLATBED TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THE OUTCOME WILL BE. I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL MONDAY, JUNE 23 AT 7:30A.M. (PST) FOR THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO OPEN. MEANTIME - I HAVE A BRAND NEW CAR THAT HAS SPENT ONE DAY IN MY PHYSICAL POSSESSION AND WILL HAVE SPENT OVER 72 HOURS SITTING IN THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE BAY! *NLM

WHEN THE GAS PEDAL WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE HAD A DELAY IN ACCELERATING. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE DID NOT ACCELERATE NORMALLY. THE CONSUMER SAID THAT OTHER SANTA FE MODELS HAD DISPLAYED THE SAME PROBLEM. *SCC *JB

THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN HE STEPPED ON THE PEDAL TO GIVE THE VEHICLE GAS TO TAKE OFF, IT DID NOT MOVE. THE CONSUMER HAD TO APPLY EXCESSIVE FORCE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO MOVE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES, AND THE LAST TIME THE MECHANIC PUT IN A SENSOR, BUT THAT DID NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE CAR STILL WAS NOT RESPONDING TO THE PEDAL. THE DEALER/MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE WAS NO WAY TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *AK *SCC *JB

CONSUMER NOTICED FLUID FROM THE VEHICLE WAS ON THE GROUND, UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE, THE DEALER STATED THE AXLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. *JB