Need ADVICE for 2003 Santa Fe

Feb 20, 05 I purchased a USED 2003 Santa Fe (from a reputable Nissan
Dealer). First off - I know nothing about vehicles and was hoping the
salesBOY (who no longer works there) did..well I was wrong...and that
was ok - because I believed I was still getting a good deal...

1. I was told I was getting a 6 cylinder - IT WASN'T - IT IS A 4
CYLINDER. (the kid didn't even apologize - just giggled)
2. When I later called to find out information about the vehicles
history (since the kid couldn't answer them in person) - I couldn't
find out how many owners it had...and that's probably standard - who
knows.

3. yesterday as I was checking my oil I saw that my dip stick was 98%
DRY. I immediately drove to Nissan - got a lecture on when to put oil
in the vehicle...
4. Was told to call Hyundai and find out about the WARRANTY
5. I DID/DO have a 3 year warranty (purchased w/vehicle)
6. They told me (while looking at their computer) - that I missed an
oil change by 4K miles - I told them that my sticker says I have 2K
more miles to go - they didn't believe me till they saw the sticker
(THEIR STICKER). They didn't have anything to say - they just left
that argument alone.
7. They topped off the oil and sent me home - and DID change their
tune a little by TRYING to be less condescending.

OK - so what in the hell do I do you guys? I called a Hyundai dealer
who said my warranty is no longer an option. Is Nissan responsible for
any kind of repairs such as LOSS OF OIL??????

 

Unless you've got over 60k on the vehicle or it's not a US vehicle, it's
still within the factory warranty period.

Hyundai will repair the vehicle within the warranty period for defects
such as oil leaks or excessive burning of oil. Be prepared for a fight if
you want to make a claim on excessive burning/consumption. Most
manufacturers set the standard grossly high (around 1qt per 1000 miles),
so they'll need to find consumption higher than this.

Technically, you should check your oil every time you fuel the vehicle. I
don't. Nor do I really expect anyone else to. But once a month (or every
couple weeks if you drive a lot) is a good idea.

 

Yes it's over 60K (79K actually). I check my oil (only because I
bought it USED) twice a month - and for it to go from FULL to almost
EMPTY is freaking me out.

Should Nissan be covering this - with the 3-year extended warranty -
THEN?

Julia

ps, I appreciate the info

 

uhhhhhhhhh no ur warranty should still bne intact, dosnt it have remainder
of manufact warranty???
id phone head ooffice asap, and bite your tongue, i know its hard but keep
bitting it ...
explain the situation, if its used that much oil something is very wrong...

 

In that case, the factory warranty is done (except rust through and 8/80
emissions components). Be aware, though, that no oil on stick is not the
same thing as empty. In most cases, no oil on the stick is about two
quarts low. As an estimate, pull your stick out and consider each quart
low to take the same length on the stick. See how you only get to two
quarts or so before reaching the bottom of the stick? The issue is that
the dipstick does not reach down to the bottom of the pan. Your engine
holds about 4.5 quarts, so it's not as bad as you originally thought. I'd
definitely keep an eye on it though.

Also check the warranty you purchased to see what it covers and what
deductibles it has. You may be able to get some benefit from it.

 

The manufacturer's warranty isn't intact anymore - it has exceeded the
mileage - it now has 79,000 miles on it...I agree with the loss of oil
being a warning of some underlying problem too....

 

Oh right - thanks for saying that - they did tell me there was a smidge
oil on the very bottom of the stick that signified that I was a quart
and a half low vs. the TOTALLY EMPTY that I thought it was...

 

i check mine once every two weeks and before long trips on the highway...
(oil)
and rad etc...

 

STP is your friend, or anyway it's mine. I suspect I'm was losing my
oil through bad valve seals because it loads up and smokes when I idle
too long like in the takeout line at mickey's. Started using STP in
the oil and seriously reduced consumption and smoke.

 

79 000 miles is over the warranty? i thought in usa it was up to 100 000 ...
your american right?

 

Yes American - was told it was 5 years or 60 K - was that wrong? I
also bought the Santa Fe used...did I get the wrong info?

 

The info you received is correct. The 10/100 is for powertrain only and
original owner only.