I have an 02 Santa Fe with the 6 cyl. It runs great, starts great and over all is just a great truck unless I put gas in it. When I try to start it up after fueling up it will just turn over a bunch of times then finally will start but run rough and you have to tap the gas and feather it for about 20-30 seconds then it will idle normal and run great again untill you have to put gas back in it.
Any ideas on what this might be? The gas cap is on tight and it is not showing any codes. It's driving me crazy, thanks for any help you can offer.

So can you give us the maintainence history, i.e. The mileage, what parts you had replaced, what service you had done, etc? Sounds like you just put gas in it.

Dear j,

It would help if you did get a CEL code. I suspect the problem is the EVAP circuit. When you fill up your car, the gasoline fumes are supposed to be trapped in a charcoal canister up by the left headlight. A valve is supposed to be closed, but after the engine warms up and you are above 1500 rpm, the valve is supposed to open and allow fresh air to enter the bottom of this charcoal canister and draw the trapped gasoline fumes into the intake manifold. This burns the fumes in the engine, instead of letting them escape into the air.

If that valve is staying open, when you attempt to start after refueling your engine is getting air with gasoline fumes being drawn in through the charcoal canister and causing a rich condition. I believe it is called the EVAP control valve.

Byron

No parts replaced no issues untill this point. Oil changed every 3000 miles is about it. Just a tick over 100,000 miles


Good info, anyway to test this? It is showing no codes, that would be helpful.

There's two valves in the EVAP system: The purge control valve, and the canister control valve. Either one of these would have produced a code. But it's a good guess, and can't be ruled out. You're referring to the purge control valve.

Yeah, your problem is you haven't done any maintainence, so it could be all kinds of things.

You MUST change your timing belt every 60k miles. If it breaks, you might need a new motor, which in your case would cost more than the whole car. Not to mention a stretched belt will also make your car run like poopy.

You need a tune up. Plugs, wires, air filter and especially FUEL FILTER. Fuel filter might be your whole problem. Hmaservice shows you fuel filter under the car, but posters have repeatly said it's in the fuel tank.

Address ALL of these issues, and I'll bet your problem goes away.

OK my bad on that, it has had plugs wires and filter within the last 30,000 miles. I also was told this motor has a timing chain not a belt can you confirm or deny that? Thanks

2002 both 4 and 6 cylinder have a timing belt. 2006 they starting using timing chains.

Hmm thanks for that tidbit. I will get that taken care of right away, I don't need my timing belt breaking on me.

Definitely don't dawdle on the timing belt. 100k on the original? You're seriously lucky. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/thumbsup.gif)

I had the start problems after fueling for a while and after I switched gasoline brands (away from 76), the problems went away. Car seems to run its best on Shell gasoline.

@357flyer
Hi,
Are you fix problem with start car when fill gas?I have same problem with my 2004 santa fe.

thanks

best regards

i'm having the same hard start condition after refueling my 2003 santa fe also,now here's the real wierd thing i'm thinking fuel system pressure, when the cap is on car shuts off nicely, cap off car keeps running with key off, untill gas pedal is touched, it then dies. this car has a remote start which i don't think has any bearing on the problem. 2 codes on car both o2 sensors, P0150 & P0160.

The hard start after fueling is most likely a faulty purge control solenoid. It is located on the back of the intake manifold on a bracket. The solonoid is stuck open and when you fuel it allows fuel and vapors to enter the intake manifold. This causes a flooded condition. The canister close valve which is located on the canister under the car is open at all times except when the computor does a self check of the evap system. Then it closes to seal the system and applies vacuum thru the purge solonoid to the tank and the computor reads the fuel tank pressure sensor to determain if there is a leak in the evap system.