[jsteinberg197]

Face it. Cars are made flimsy these days. Mostly thanks to bogus CAFE standards and other regulations. So parts are lighter, cheaper, less durable. From paper thin sheet metal to radiators a bug could penetrate. The only way around it is to go find a nice old U.S. Army deuce and a half to drive. Until then, when something like this happens, politely ask the dealer to contact corporate with a complete explanation and request a goodwill repair to cover at least some of the costs. Sometimes they'll cover it all. Many times they'll only charge labor.

I agree ...unfortunately Hyundai in Manchester NH was not willing to budge on any price reduction or assist with help paying...
I went to a local auto repair place and saved close to 600.00

 

[mjb4450]

I agree ...unfortunately Hyundai in Manchester NH was not willing to budge on any price reduction or assist with help paying...
I went to a local auto repair place and saved close to 600.00

Understandable. For future reference, when I had a problem with a Hyundai I owned back in 2009 and the dealer did not want to help, I contacted corporate and surprisingly, they hammered the dealer for not making it right. Different circumstance, but if the need arises in the future, it would be worth a shot to go over the dealer's head.

 

[jsteinberg197]

A road hazard is a road hazard. A rock chip in your windshield or body panels, a punctured tire, and yes: a rock or debris through your grille.

Why do you think Car Insurance covers Road Hazard?? And NO DEDUCTIBLE
Because it's damage to your car from the road so you are protected if you have Compulsory Insurance
If you didn't your out of pocket expense to own a car would be ridiculous
Windshields and Engine parts are covered from road damage with Compulsory Ins
Tires if you have road hazard Insurance
It's not oh well

Understandable. For future reference, when I had a problem with a Hyundai I owned back in 2009 and the dealer did not want to help, I contacted corporate and surprisingly, they hammered the dealer for not making it right. Different circumstance, but if the need arises in the future, it would be worth a shot to go over the dealer's head.

I did speak to Corporate about my issue he was absolutely no help...so I went through my insurance company and it was covered by compulsory no deductible like a windshield
I would not hesitate to go over the dealers head...thanks for your input

 

[SmoovC]

Why do you think Car Insurance covers Road Hazard?? And NO DEDUCTIBLE
Because it's damage to your car from the road so you are protected if you have Compulsory Insurance
If you didn't your out of pocket expense to own a car would be ridiculous
Windshields and Engine parts are covered from road damage with Compulsory Ins
Tires if you have road hazard Insurance
It's not oh well

Exactly my point; I see you came full circle in your realization. Now about that CAL: did you schedule a consultation?

 

[mjb4450]

I did speak to Corporate about my issue he was absolutely no help...so I went through my insurance company and it was covered by compulsory no deductible like a windshield
I would not hesitate to go over the dealers head...thanks for your input

Thanks. As far as the problem though, I think more study would be needed to determine if the problem lay with a weak radiator and not solely with the large grille openings which contributed to the failure. Any part is supposed to be designed to endure the purpose for which it is intended. A part at the front of a car taking the most abuse should be robust enough to survive the typical debris it would encounter. Paint chips and sheet metal dings are cosmetic so I don't include those parts. But a radiator affects drivability. I don't know how large the "rock" was you say hit the radiator, but from the photo of bent fins, I've seen far worse with no leaks from cars I have owned. Sounds to me like the coolant tubes are very thin. Still an uphill battle unless and until many more failures occur. So while I think it's a lost cause for now, I'm not going to engage in fanboy rants and excuses for it. Every car has it's weak points. We just have to work around them or make modifications. I suspect if forums like this existed in the days of the Ford Edsel or Ford Pinto, there would be folks excusing their weak points too.

 

[Bumps]

You're probably better off trying to get everyone to file a report with the NHTSA. If enough reports are filed, they will investigate and determine whether this is a safety issue that Hyundai needs to address.

 

[Bigness]

You're probably better off trying to get everyone to file a report with the NHTSA. If enough reports are filed, they will investigate and determine whether this is a safety issue that Hyundai needs to address.

There would be maybe three reports of actual damage from the roughly 65k Santa Cruz sold!

 

[CASD]

I put a screen in my lower opening as a preemptive measure within 6 months after buying mine... Been a little lazy about the upper grill and probably will do it this summer... I've driven 13,000 miles with no problems so far...

 

[mjb4450]

There would be maybe three reports of actual damage from the roughly 65k Santa Cruz sold!

Can you post the source that states that 64,997 Santa Cruz's never had a radiator leak form debris? Or are you assuming that every one of the 65,000 SC owners are on this forum and have agreed to post any problems they had?
Back about 2011 or 2012 on the Dodge Challenger forum there were a couple broken timing chains. Everyone thought it was an anomaly until we discovered that there were many failures out in the non-forum world. So much so that there was a recall. So I always take a wait an see attitude before jumping to conclusions that just because there are only a few on a forum with a problem, that does not necessarily mean there's not a problem. Time will tell.

 

[Akfan]

Can you post the source that states that 64,997 Santa Cruz's never had a radiator leak form debris? Or are you assuming that every one of the 65,000 SC owners are on this forum and have agreed to post any problems they had?
Back about 2011 or 2012 on the Dodge Challenger forum there were a couple broken timing chains. Everyone thought it was an anomaly until we discovered that there were many failures out in the non-forum world. So much so that there was a recall. So I always take a wait an see attitude before jumping to conclusions that just because there are only a few on a forum with a problem, that does not necessarily mean there's not a problem. Time will tell.

EVERY recall ever was "just an anomaly" according to the dealerships of the first few unlucky winners. Hyundai is pretty well known for screw ups and failures as of late so you may get a pass, but things like the afm collapsing on GM trucks or the spark plugs ejecting from Ford trucks, or death wobbling jeeps.....those were "anomaly" right up until dateline NBC gets involved. Lol.

But there is no way you will see any action on these since the car will NEVER break unless an outside force is the actual cause of the puncture. Of all the thinnest iihs or any other cases.....a rock hit my radiator so hyundai is at fault is just not one you will ever see.

And I agree they must be soft. Every f150-450, every 1500-4500 GM and Ram etc etc etc have massive open grills. The wrangler has a perfectly straight vertical radiator and still survives. Intercooler and coolers have been mounted unprotected right on the road for years with little issue other than bent fins

If mine busts ill fix it. Otherwise I'm not worried about it.

 

[JMII]

google search “radiator damage large grill openings” and you will see this is a topic covering many brands for quite a few years. Very few actual reports of damage, but many people looking talking about it being possible.

seems like most cars are designed this way, so I don’t see any way you could single out Hyundai for a design defect.

Correct. The C8 suffers from the same "problem".

This is not a flaw, it was a design decision. Thanks to this forum we all know the risk and have several solutions posted to mitigate the issue.

 

[Steve.VoltShop]

Hi Everyone,

First- Full disclosure.... I am the VoltShop guy. We make screens to protect the SC and many other cars from this issue, and have been doing so for over 10 years, starting with the Chevy Volt. The debate about this being a design flaw or random issue that happens to an unlucky few rages on with every vehicle we make grill screens for, so you are not alone. While controversial, some of the observations here are spot on, and very similar to other vehicles. Wide open grills and very thin tubes on radiators and condensers are seemingly the factors, and when they are both on the same car, it is a a problem waiting to happen. Tail gaiting and bad roads are also regularly cited as contributory concerns. Regardless of the factors, if it happens, it is a $1500-2000 repair, and is not a warranty issue. Some dealerships find a way to help out with the cost, and Hyundai and Kia are starting to help more folks out with this lately, based on what customers report to me. So I encourage anyone with this issue to contact Hyundai directly and go up the corporate chain to seek redress. I don't have any magic words for the conversation, but many argue that it is a design defect, and politely seek higher and higher levels of authority until getting a final decision. This generally takes some persistence. And yes, comprehensive insurance should pay for this, assuming you have it, subject to your deductible.

Just to let you know you aren't alone with the SC, there are plenty of other cars that have this situation going on, and some are pretty big names. Toyota RAV4, Chevy Volt, Bolt, Honda Clarity, Subaru Ascent, Outback, and Crostrek, Kia Telluride, Sportage, Hyundai Palisade, Tucson... TBH, virtually all Hyundais and Kias made today are very vulnerable.

In the end, as has also been stated here, regardless of who pays for the repair, there is no guarantee that if won't happen again. I talk to people daily that are in the middle of this, and they want nothing to do with it ever again. Between the time it takes out of their schedule, the inconvenience of it all, the cost of the repair, and the worry, it isn't worth it. And if dealership folks are suggesting screens to protect the car, you can be sure that they have seen enough of the issue to be concerned. I have not heard that before about any car. Some will say nonsense, some will look to protect their cars, we all can make our own choices. In the end, a mesh screen is nothing more than an insurance policy. And some folks like insurance, some see little need for it. If nothing else, insurance lets folks sleep well at night, knowing they are protected in case a problem presents itself. If I can help anyone here, I'm happy to.

Steve
Voltstuff.com

 

[sandrao74]

Nothing like some well timed product placement huh Steve -0

 

[Wachtergeist]

I think we should band together and file a class action lawsuit against Hyundai for the flawed design in the Grille of the Santa Cruz which exposes the AC condenser to rocks and debris from the road.
I just replaced my condenser condenser and with the freon and charging Hyundai wanted 1600.00 and my Cruz is 6 months old
BTW they are redesigning the new SC grill ooops wonder why.
If you stop getting cold AC all of a sudden check for holes in the condenser you can put your hand thru the spaces in thd grille and clearly see the condenser sitting there exposed.
I wound up going thru car insurance under compulsory.
And had to put a mesh screen in once grille was off to prevent this from happening again...the Hyundai service guy said I had to or I would be back there.
Found an auto repair place in my town who did the whole project for 600 less than Hyundai.

Did you know the grill openings on the 1992-1997 Ford F series trucks are much larger than those on the Santa Cruz?

Funny it was never a problem for those trucks. Wasn't a problem on the 1999 and up F series trucks either.

Nor for many other cars or trucks with large open grilles.

Now, there are recent Honda and Nissan models with large open grilles that have been noted on their forums to occasionally suffer this type road debris damage. But not as a large scale issue, more of a don't tailgate on a gravel road thing.

And, it hasn't been a large scale issue for the Santa Cruz.
Just a few vocal people who spam the forums.

As to a class action law suit?
Go ahead.

What will likely happen is that the Hyundai lawyers will point out that road debris, like rocks, are inanimate objects. They only move when hit by tires. They then will produce scientific data that:

•Shows that this is not a common problem / design flaw.

•Strongly suggests that the few cases of radiator and/or condensor damage is either accidents within normal averages.

•That most such damage is caused by unsafe following distances/poor driving habits.

Either way, your case would depend upon a jury who also confuses road hazard damage with poor engineering (design flaw).

And that is what it boils down to. The courts will view the condensor damage the same as windshield damage.

When it's all done, Hyunfai might settle for a few bucks to save on lawyer/arbitration fees. Then make an unneeded change to the grille and use the whole thing to either up the price by a couple of grand...or just discontinue selling the SC in the suit happy markets.


As to the possible new grille? Your reading to much into it. Vehicle designs generally have a 5-6 year life with a mid life face lift occurring on the 4th year.

The front end refresh coincides with the update for its partner, the Tuscon....which has not had similar claims despite having pretty much the same front facia.


Please understand, I feel your pain. Paying that much out of pocket or having to make an insurance claim to repair a new vehicle "sucks".

Try to not let the frustration caused by this lead you down a rabbit hole of unproductive blaming and negativity.


About to have to pay for where some jack hole dinged our Santa Cruz's rear door while it was parked. I mean "dinged" like intentional and hard. Smh

Must've been a Maverick owner. Just gonna move on and try to enjoy life.

 

[Tri4me]

I think we should band together and file a class action lawsuit against Hyundai for the flawed design in the Grille of the Santa Cruz which exposes the AC condenser to rocks and debris from the road.
I just replaced my condenser condenser and with the freon and charging Hyundai wanted 1600.00 and my Cruz is 6 months old
BTW they are redesigning the new SC grill ooops wonder why.
If you stop getting cold AC all of a sudden check for holes in the condenser you can put your hand thru the spaces in thd grille and clearly see the condenser sitting there exposed.
I wound up going thru car insurance under compulsory.
And had to put a mesh screen in once grille was off to prevent this from happening again...the Hyundai service guy said I had to or I would be back there.
Found an auto repair place in my town who did the whole project for 600 less than Hyundai.

I noticed dents in the radiator. GT Hank’s for the heads up.

 

[Tri4me]

So, do I have bad luck, or are the Kumho tires really crappy. I had to replace two tires due to flats, that could not be repaired.

 

[nick.calautti]

I think we should band together and file a class action lawsuit against Hyundai for the flawed design in the Grille of the Santa Cruz which exposes the AC condenser to rocks and debris from the road.
I just replaced my condenser condenser and with the freon and charging Hyundai wanted 1600.00 and my Cruz is 6 months old
BTW they are redesigning the new SC grill ooops wonder why.
If you stop getting cold AC all of a sudden check for holes in the condenser you can put your hand thru the spaces in thd grille and clearly see the condenser sitting there exposed.
I wound up going thru car insurance under compulsory.
And had to put a mesh screen in once grille was off to prevent this from happening again...the Hyundai service guy said I had to or I would be back there.
Found an auto repair place in my town who did the whole project for 600 less than Hyundai.

Yea, I noticed that too. I am thinking about getting some black metal screening to put over the condenser. The deal also mounted the front plate on the bumper (its a plastic bumper). I dont need the front plate and when I removed it I noticed that there are not mounting holes for the plate, they just screwed it into the bumper so I have ugly holes there. Ugg.

 

[teh603]

First- Full disclosure.... I am the VoltShop guy. We make screens to protect the SC and many other cars from this issue, and have been doing so for over 10 years, starting with the Chevy Volt. The debate about this being a design flaw or random issue that happens to an unlucky few rages on with every vehicle we make grill screens for, so you are not alone.

Perfect timing. I was just thinking about putting some window screening over that opening on my SC when I get it. Better to have a fitted piece.

And TBH, I'm very much in the "I wonder if they're making those radiators out of thinner metal" camp, considering how my Miata used to have a big ol' "shark mouth" down there with no grill at all, and I never once had trouble with rocks busting the condenser or radiator.

...it was black, so I didn't put shark teeth in it. That only looks right on silver and white Miatas.

 

[Steve.VoltShop]

Perfect timing. I was just thinking about putting some window screening over that opening on my SC when I get it. Better to have a fitted piece.

And TBH, I'm very much in the "I wonder if they're making those radiators out of thinner metal" camp, considering how my Miata used to have a big ol' "shark mouth" down there with no grill at all, and I never once had trouble with rocks busting the condenser or radiator.

...it was black, so I didn't put shark teeth in it. That only looks right on silver and white Miatas.

Take a look at the condenser on your SC when you get it, or any of the cars on your dealership's lot. The tubes are pretty small. Thinking about them being tubes that have to carry refrigerant under pressure, makes me wonder just how thick the wall of the tube is. I don't have materials data on wall thickness, burst strength, or any other stuff to analyze and compare, but if you compare that to a radiator or condenser in the front of a Ford Ranger, or some of the pick-ups cited here, there appears to be a significant difference in how robust some seem to be. A 5 minute random survey of various vehicles grills and what's behind them in a grocery store parking lot may not be very scientific, but it will show how different manufacturers approach this now and in the past.

 

[teh603]

Cue joke about hitting the scrapyard and grabbing a couple of dozen condensers for "ballistic testing."

...tbh, if I had a STEM degree, I could see doing just that and writing a paper on it.