This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving approximately 70 mph when the vehicle began to accelerate without the accelerator pedal being depressed. The contact was able to pull over and noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 143,000.
On March 4, 2020, heading home at night on a curvy mountain road my car (2006 Hyundai Santa Fe) suddenly jerked, started to accelerate to over 80 miles hour. At the same time half of the panel light behind part of the RPM's and half behind the mph went out; the rest of the panel was still lit up; I was heading down the curvy road accelerating heading quickly towards an 18 wheeler when I tried to brake, my brake pedal would not move and my car kept accelerating (I was not stepping on the gas pedal). I quickly dropped my car into low gear and maneuvered around the 18-wheeler and trying the brakes, the emergency brakes, and as quickly as it started up, it stopped, and my car started to drive normal (except the panel lights). On my way home (March 5th), it happened again while driving down the curvy mountain road at night! as I begin descending the curvy road (driving 40mph in the right lane), my car suddenly began accelerating again up to 90mph! there were not as many people on the road, so I was able to maneuver it by dropping down into low gear and as I began ascending the mountain road, the unintended acceleration stopped, and the car drove normal. Each incident lasted about 5 minutes. On March 6, 2020, I took my car to the mechanic and ran a diagnostic and did not find a cause. He told me to call the Hyundai dealership to see if there were any recalls. The dealership informed me to contact Hyundai headquarters, which I did. I reported my issue and made a claim on March 6, 2020. I was told to take my car to capital Hyundai dealership and Hyundai headquarters would send a forensic engineer out to investigate the issue. They told me to not drive my car and have it towed. I received a call from Hyundai headquarters informing me the dealership ran a diagnostic on my car and did not find anything wrong and could not duplicate the unintended acceleration.
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. When the contact shifted the gear in reverse, the vehicle accelerated backwards on its own. As a result, the vehicle crashed into a brick wall. The driver then shifted into the drive position and the failure recurred. As a result, the vehicle drove forward through the neighbor's fence before crashing into a parked vehicle. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The driver stated that the brakes were inoperable during the failures. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 155,000.
Four separate incidents within a 30 day period at higher speeds (>65 mph on a freeway) of unintended acceleration, remediated by shifting into neutral and braking hard without pumping. These actions disengaged the acceleration without having to come to a complete stop and turning the ignition off. Unintended acceleration occurred again, in the latest incident while traveling at 40 mph on a city street, however car would not come to a complete stop even with full weight on the brake, and while shifting into neutral solved the immediate acceleration problem, the ignition had to be turned off to bring the vehicle to a full stop. Driver almost wrecked several cars while trying to Dodge traffic as car accelerated very rapidly. This could have been had a tragic ending but fortunately only resulted in a mechanics' visit.
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. While driving approximately 5 mph, the vehicle suddenly accelerated independently without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but the failure was unable to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 59,000. Updated 1/15/16 the consumer stated the dealer performed two ECM updates. Updated 01/25/16.
- Snohomish, WA, USA
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At first I noticed that sometimes (randomly) when I started my car after sitting for a longer period like 6 or 8 hours that I'd turn the key and without pressing any pedals the vehicle's rpms start to climb up slowly. It max's out at 4000rpms and stays there for awhile then will decrease on its own after awhile (random timing always). If I step on the gas as its revving up it releases and goes back down. If I brake it does nothing. So after a few weeks of noticing this problem, taking it to the mechanic and having the throttle body cleaned, and a gasket replaced the vehicle has now started to rev up on its own after I release the gas pedal when driving at high speeds of 80 or over. I let off the gas then it revs up quickly to 4000 then again quickly shoots back down below normal. It didn't do the highway problem as much I noticed when the fuel was low, but when I filled my tank the problem came back again. It did still rev on it's own from cold start the whole time still regardless of fuel level. I noticed this week it now jumps when I put it in drive or reverse after a cold start and the other day it seemed to lose its gusto as I was turning a corner, then it revved high and went back to normal. This is all very scary and I am concerned as I read more and more that this is a wide spread problem that could cause injury or fatality. No one seems to be able to say what the problem is, just that it could be a bunch of things.
Car races at idle while in park or neutral to 3,500 RPM. While in drive or reverse the car continues to race but at a lower level(1,200-1,500 RPM). The car surges while braking requiring harder pedal pressure than normal. Racing is continuous at all speeds requiring less accelerator pressure than normal. A complaint was filed today 1/19/15 with Hyundai and a case # 7614630 was provided. This owner expressed his concerns to Hyundai representative with safety of car due to racing and surging especially under wet or ice conditions. The rep. Scheduled a service appointment with the Hyundai shrewsbury, NJ dealership for 1/22/15.
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. While driving various speeds and making a right turn, a squealing noise emitted from underneath the vehicle. Also, the vehicle lunged forward when making a turn. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician discovered that the steering shaft was bent and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the squealing sound continued to occur. In addition, the failure caused the front passenger side tire to deflate. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 5,000.
This happens more often than none now. I can be pulling out into traffic of just cruising along when I press gas to go whenall of a sudden the car jerks, looses power! like its going to stop and stall in one quick second and throws me forward even with my seatbelt on it jerks me I only had it stall one time, so far. If I let off the gas and press it again it seems to help and power comes back, sometimes. I almost got hit pulling out into traffic because the car lost power and wasn't going anywhere when I had gas peddle pushed. When all this happens the engine light will come on and than go off, sometime now the engine light comes on and stays on for a few days and the car has a lot less power or feels like its going to stall, than the light will go out on its own. I had it checked out and they told me I needed an alternator so I bought one when my son and my neighbor was going put it in they checked the alternator and battery and they were fine and have been checked several times and are fine. Also at night when I press the break to stop or slow down the head lights will dim and I can feel the jerking of the care just a little bit. I am so afraid to drive this care sometimes or on the beltway because I am afraid its going to stall/shutdown or shut off that its going to get me killed and I am also afraid to drive my grand children because of the same reasons. Please help me! I can't afford to keep getting it looked at when it doesn't happen all the time they can't find anything wrong with it. What can I do to fix this problem. When this happens I have no steering or control of the car for that split second and I am an emt/firefighter I know that split second can kill me and anyone else in my car. I had bought the car used last year and it was doing it just a very little bit at first and I called the used dealer and he said its bad gas.
While traveling @ 50 mph, remove foot from accelerator and car failed to slow. Depressed brake an car still failed to slow. Turned key to off and pulled to side of road to full stop. Restarted engine an it again over accelerated so turned it off. Depressed accelerator several times and restarted, drove to work area to have inspection of problem.
Stopped at an intersection, foot on brake, engine began revving, then decelerated, but revved again, this time forcing my car forward. Another vehicle was approaching from the left, so I steered right. Impact on left front wheel, car careened into a lightweight plastic type fence and stopped. My foot remained on the brake the entire time. I was wearing my seat belt and was not injured. The other driver was transported to the hospital by ambulance. Both vehicles were inspected by the same insurance adjuster and totaled. I have filed a complaint with Hyundai, but so far, they have not sent an investigator to check out the vehicle.
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated while the contact had his foot on the brake pedal. He mentioned that he had to apply an incredible amount of pressure in order to keep the vehicle from leaping forward. The vehicle was taken to a dealer who was not able to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 53,900 and current mileage was 54,000.
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that whenever the accelerator pedal was depressed from a stopped position, the vehicle would lunge forward. Also, the vehicle would accelerate up to 15 mph although the accelerator pedal had not been depressed. The dealer stated that the link system could be the cause of the failure. The manufacturer sent out a technician to inspect the vehicle but could not duplicate the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 15 and the current mileage was approximately 11,000.
I have a 2006 Santa Fe 6 cyl. Front wheel drive. I purchased the car in 2007 from go Hyundai. The car has run very good, except the surging or acceleration problem. I took it back to the dealer two times specifically for this problem. They said they could find no problem. I took it to a second dealer, planet Hyundai, and they could find nothing. The problem got so bad even I was afraid to drive it. My wife was really scared to drive it. I finally took it back go and they called, said it was ready. When I picked it up, the service guy said they replaced a part and that I shouldn't have any more surging problems. Last night, my wife drove the Santa Fe to church. As she was parking it in the garage, (something she had done a thousand times), the car suddenly accelerated, slamming into our Volvo convertible, pushing it about five feet forward, jamming it under our stairs into the house. In all, there is a lot of damage to both vehicles.
Occasionally, when accelerating from a stop position the car will unexpectedly surge forward. We have had this car for 3 years now and it has happened about 6 times so far. Consequences have been none so far, but I am concerned something may happen in the future.
My 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe has experienced from the time of purchase a long lag time between depressing the accelerator and the vehicle starting to move. The time can be up to a few seconds. This has been annoying and at times dangerous. If the vehicle always did this, you could get used to it, though it is still not safe. Unfortunately, there are times when barely depressing the accelerator results in instant tire spinning and associated quick acceleration. The inconsistent nature of the accelerator response makes the vehicle dangerous. As my daughter is learning to drive, I cannot let her use the vehicle because with any inexperienced driver, this car would be deadly. I have brought the car to the dealer once (in pa) and was brushed off with the excuse that the engine computer did not report any problem.
At the recommendation of the dealer mechanic I had a transmission flush done. Now the car idles erratically, and surges when slowing to a stop. At times.when stopped the idle drops to 300-400 rpms, almost a stall, and sometimes it jumps to 1200-1500 rpms and wants to lunge forward. I have to make sure I am really stomp on the brake, or else I would hit something. I took the car to the dealer, and they said they used the computer and found no codes, so nothing was wrong. They recommended an injector flush, though the car seemed to run fine at speed.
#1 car would not stop, rolled through a stop sign and pulled over into empty lot and tested brakes a few times and then it was okay. #2 was stopped behind a vehicle about 2 feet away, with my foot on the brake when car accelerated and felt like it jumped and I bumped the car in front. This was on 11-28-06 about 1 1/2 hours after bringing my car to the dealer to tell them that my brakes sounded like metal against metal and was told that it was normal on foggy mornings. The same thing happened the morning before but I was told to bring it in the next day because they were busy. I don't remember the date of the first incident when I rolled through the stop sign but it was about 4 weeks before the second time. Dealer had my car for 2 days but could not duplicate the incident.
: the contact stated while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal, the engine accelerated and when the brake pedal was depressed, the vehicle failed to stop. The gear was shifted into park and the vehicle stopped. It was driven to the dealer who could not duplicate the problem. Updated 12/18/06.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Riverside, CA, USA