2002 Hyundai Santa Fe Strange smoke

Tiny
HELGAH
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
  • 6 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 15,600 MILES
When I use my a/c on any setting of fan, it's fine as long as the temp. Control is on maximum. If I try to adjust the temperature (not such cold air), I get immediate smoke coming through my vents. If I turn the dial back to maximum cold, the smoke stops and the a/c works just fine. What do you think?
Sunday, October 12th, 2008 AT 6:44 PM

10 Replies

Tiny
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  • MECHANIC
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Hi there,

what colour is this smoke? And dose it have an odor, do you think it is more like fog, ie water vapor? Let me know your thoughts.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Sunday, October 12th, 2008 AT 6:59 PM
Tiny
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Thanks for your reply! The smoke is dark and stinky. I don't think it's vapor. My friend is now telling me that it has to do with the heater. What do you think?
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Monday, October 13th, 2008 AT 6:49 AM
Tiny
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Hi there,

I would be getting the blower fan inspected as I feel it may be burning out, there is not very much else in the system that can do that.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Monday, October 13th, 2008 AT 4:06 PM
Tiny
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Thanks for your suggestion, but I'm not clear about how it could be the blower fan. After considering that possibility, I wondered how it could be the fan if the a/c is blowing just fine as long as it's on the maximum cold temperature. Everything works fine until I try to adjust the temperature. Could it still be the fan?
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Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 AT 6:46 AM
Tiny
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Hi there,

good point, I will give it some more thought and have a look at the system and get back to you soon.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 AT 5:10 PM
Tiny
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OK. Further information here. After consulting with an auto mechanics instructor, I sat in the parking lot and turned on the a/c again and, yes, smoke. But now that I have smelled it again, I DO think it is antifreeze. So someone said maybe it's the heater coil. So I looked online, and I don't see a heater coil listed for the Santa Fe. Am I looking in the wrong place? Or is it a different part?

I really appreciate all your attention on this, and thanks again for your expertise!

Marcy
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Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 AT 8:50 PM
Tiny
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Hi there,

You will be looking for a heater core, you can get the cooling system pressure tested with the heater on and this should show up a leak in the system,

Mark (mhpautos)
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Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 AT 9:13 PM
Tiny
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Thanks! I have a second opinion that concurs with yours. That's the good news. The bad news is: BIG expense. I am hoping to get help from the community college auto mechanics dept.

Thanks for all your time.

Marcy
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Wednesday, October 15th, 2008 AT 7:54 AM
Tiny
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A followup with additional information now that a mechanic has seen my Hyundai:

Yes, it was the heater core. But, BUMMER, the heater core leaked onto the computer! I was starting to get jerking, like the transmission was not engaging properly. DOH! So luckily I didn't drive it until the computer was demolished. They are saving the computer (cleaning and drying it), and changing the heater core at the dealer service dept. I decided to bite the bullet and let them do all, since then it would be done right or they would have to fix it again.

Thanks for your input.
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Sunday, October 19th, 2008 AT 5:10 PM
Tiny
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Hi there,

You did the right thing and hopefully the ECU will be OK, good luck with it.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Sunday, October 19th, 2008 AT 6:03 PM

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