Hyundai’s Quality Check Miss: Santa Fe’s Safety Concerns

New Car Purchase Comes With a Loose Seat
Upon Closer Inspection, Mounting Bolts Were Missing
What Was Hyundai’s Response?

A typical internal combustion engine car contains between 25,000 and 30,000 parts. Although robots perform the basic assembly, humans assemble smaller parts that are difficult for robots to handle. Human beings also conduct the final inspection before the vehicles are shipped out, determining whether there are any defects.

But what if you bought a new car worth millions of won and a crucial part was missing? It would be even more disappointing if the car brand were Hyundai, the largest domestic car brand. A ridiculous incident recently occurred where Santa Fes were shipped out with missing seat mounting bolts.

Removing the Plastic Wrap Revealed No Mounting Bolts on the Seat

A recent post titled “Ah, Hyundai’s quality is a mess” was posted in a Santa Fe enthusiast group. The author, who received the vehicle on the 12th, said it was strange when the third-row seat came off while removing the plastic wrap.

Upon closer inspection of the seat, it was found that none of the bolts securing the third-row seat were fastened. Initially, the author thought the tinting company might have done something, but when they inquired, the company said no work would have removed the seat. Therefore, it was confirmed that the vehicle was shipped out with the bolts missing after the inspection process.

Riding in a Seat Not Secured Could Lead to Major Injuries

Although the seat mounting bolts are small parts, they pose a significant safety issue if they are missing. If someone were to sit in the third row in this state, not only would the seat shift during braking or starting, but in the event of an accident, it could have resulted in severe injuries.

The author even went to Hyundai’s exclusive repair center, Blue Hands, for repairs but was told they “don’t have the bolts, so you’ll have to come back.” The author contacted the supervisor and was told to “request emergency service from the customer center when the part arrives.” The author responded with disbelief, saying they plan to “just get it repaired when the part arrives.”

This Wasn’t the First Case of Missing Bolts

Moreover, this is not the first time bolts have been missing from a Santa Fe MX5. The same thing happened in September with the third-row seat bolts. Despite missing crucial safety parts, Hyundai has not issued an official statement. Netizens unanimously say, “The person in charge and the final inspection department need to develop preventive measures to prevent a recurrence.”