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Anyone experience Sudden Unintended Acceleration in a Santa Fe?

bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
We've experienced two separate instances in the past week where our 2009 Santa Fe has accelerated on it's own. Once in town at around 30mph with my wife driving and again when I was on the highway at 75-80mph. Applying the brakes did nothing, and in both instances, we had to shift the vehicle into NEUTRAL and allow the engine to rev and slam it back into gear before normal operation resumed. Let me assure you that it was NOT a fun experience. Cruise control was NOT ENGAGED, nor was this a "FLOOR MAT PROBLEM". I physically stuck my foot under the gas pedal and raised it up with no difference to the vehicles speed. It just wanted to take off. We immediately called and took the vehicle to the dealership after the most recent incident (on 12 DEC 2009) and they stated they have been unable to find anything wrong. Of course not. It was operating normally when we dropped it off too! I've filed a complaint with the NHTSA as well as with Hyundai USA. I suggested that the problem was related to the electronic throttle somewhere and even suggested they replace the Throttle Position Sensor as it may be defective. (they failed to repair or replace anything!) They want us to take the vehicle, but we do not feel safe driving it, especially since nothing was repaired or replaced! This is a serious issue, and the problem occurred with two different drivers at different times. If they're so confident there's nothing wrong, I'd like to see them put their wife and kids in the car and let them take it out on the highway.

I'd really like to know if other Santa Fe owners have also experienced unexplained sudden acceleration issues? If so, please speak up and log a complaint at NHTSA.GOV!
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Comments

  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    I've not heard of a similar concern (I'm a Hyundai Svc. Mgr. in Northern Cal.). You mention it's happened twice....how long ago was the last time? The dealership isn't about to throw a Throttle Position Sensor at in on a whim. If your cars' onboard computer is not picking up a trouble code, and the problem doesn't happen while the car is there....and a visual inspection shows everything is okay.....there is nothing they can do EXCEPT drive the car until a code sets or it happens while they're testing it. If it only occurs once every three months, I doubt you'll want to leave your car there that long!

    I think your guess of a TPS sensor is a pretty good one. However, if they installed one and it didn't help, that would count as a repair attempt if you ever went to Lemon Law arbitration. And your quick mention of "reporting to the NHTSA" indicates you're the type of person who might go that route, rather than work with the dealership to fix your car.
  • lucky15lucky15 Member Posts: 72
    I own a 07 Sante Fe with the 2.7 engine, I have not had this problem on mine yet and hope not to in the future, but I did have this problem on a 2004 Hyundai XG350L with 21,000 miles, it has the same "drive by wire" setup as the Sante Fe`s, It did it twice in 2008, I took it in and they checked everything and found out there was a TSB on it, they disconnected the battery for a short time and then reconnected it and said this will reset the computer and this should eliminate the probem, it did for about a year and it did it twice again, I took it back to the dealer and said they checked everything and there is nothing they can do, ( they could not DUPLICATE IT, (their favorite answer) even though it was still under warranty, they said disconncting the battery can only be done once to solve this problem, Rather than endanger my life or someone else`s I took a loss on it and trade it in. If it was not under warranty the dealer would have gladly accepted my money and replaced the Throttle Position Sensor or anything else they could think of as long as it wasn`t costing them anything and they could make money on me. My advice to you is sell it or trade it in for one that does not have this type of throttle system. Without thinking I purchased a 2009 Honda Civic for my wife and later found out it has the same system on it, no problem so far.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Espo35, We've BEEN working with the dealership to address the problem, but they've not been able to "duplicate the problem" after putting 200 miles on the car.
    I can't put blame on the service department, because they're only authorized to do what corporate allows them to do. The service manager at the dealership has been great, but he can only do much. The SUA incidents occurred twice in a week's time about 5-6 days apart... once while my wife was driving and had our daughter in the car, and once while I was driving it on the highway at around 75-80mph. I took it directly to the dealership immediately after it occurred when I was driving and they had our vehicle for 4 days. They were going to charge us for a loaner until we brought up the point that this was a potential safety issue and we weren't bringing the car in on a whim, we had a legitimate concern. Only after engaging a sales manager did they agree to provide a loaner at no charge. Corporate refused to allow the dealer to replace any parts. While I do understand their unwillingness to replace the TPS for fear it'll count against them as a "repair attempt", isn't it also the dealership's responsibility to attempt to repair problems? There's never any guarantee that a performed repair fixes every problem the first time. But it stands to reason that the TPS would be the first logical part to replace, before diving deeper.

    I work in IT, and when we cannot determine the exact cause of a customers system crash, we often start with replacing components such as memory and CPU to see if the problem goes away before we start replacing system boards, etc... It only makes sense that they would first try to replace the TPS and see if that resolves the problem. If the vehicle still exhibited the SUA problem, I'd simply take it back and tell them to try again. But their unwillingness to replace ANYTHING and tell a customer "we didn't find anything wrong -- here ya go, good luck - hope you don't have an accident" and hand it back over seems very irresponsible when lives are potentially at stake.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Lucky15, Thank you for sharing your experience. I've been in contact with NHTSA to log a complaint (simply to ensure the incidents were documented and on record with authorities should litigation become necessary) and I also opened a case with Hyundai Motor America/Hyundai USA Consumer Affairs. Of course because the dealership was unable to "duplicate the problem", they've essentially treated as an OPEN AND SHUT CASE, and while the rep I spoke to was empathetic, (that's her job afterall!) I feel the whole issue was swept under the rug. Never at any point did anyone of authority speak to me. I requested a call back from a regional rep, and even they have refused to call... I want this aired on a public forum so that other consumers can stand up for the rights and if enough owners speak up, we may have grounds to start a class action if nothing else.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Found this entry on another forum for a 2005 Santa Fe:

    2007-10-30 00:00:00 Brigantine, NJ
    Sudden engine acceleration when parking. this is the second time this happened. my wife was parking the car and when she put her foot on the brake (note, she is a very experienced driver and was not accidentally pushing the accelerator, also nothing on the floor was touching it.) the engine started to accelerate to full throttle, she jammed on the brake and throw it into park at which point the engine raced full speed until she turned off the key. it was ok after restarting, this is the 2nd time within a month. very dangerous condition .
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Found this on a Consumer Reports Article comment section:
    Posted by: Charlie K. | Nov 27, 2009 1:05:29 PM

    I wonder how wide spread the sudden acceleration issue is to vehicle makes beyond the current recall. We own a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe. My wife has frighteningly experienced this problem with our car, and the dealer mentioned receiving a Hyundai service report on the issue, although mostly concerning sudden deceleration.
  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    That's a pickle, all right, Briancos! Duplicating the concern is absolutely square one. Sounds like the Service Manager is on your side, and that is a good thing. You might consider seeing if he's willing to drive it home until it duplicates. I know it's a pain, but it's your best shot.
    The dealership is handcuffed until either your computer detects a fault or they reproduce the occurance. Hyundai won't pay them unless a problem is found/fixed. They won't pay a tech to drive it for days. You can try "opening a case" with Hyundai, but it just refers back to the dealership.
    Both Hyundai and the dealership want nothing more than to fix your car (and get you out of their hair!). But if they don't know what is wrong.... obviously, they can't.
    If it were me, I would pay for a new TPS to be installed (cheap part). See if the Service Manager will do it at cost. As long as it's by YOUR request, they'll do it.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    For anyone who has experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration regardless of make/model, here's a great resource of information on the subject: h t t p: / / suddenacceleration (dot)com.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    espo35, I took your advice and when we went to pick up our vehicle today we spoke to someone in the front office. After some discussion, we made the formal request that a new TPS be installed, which I we agreed to pay for. They agreed to provide the part at their dealer cost plus the labor charges, so now I'm out $170 but at least now have some peace of mind that we can rule out the most likely culprit. And of course if the problem resurfaces we know that component can crossed off the list. Thanks for the input.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    espo35, I took your advice and when we went to pick up our vehicle today we spoke to someone in the front office. After some discussion, we made the formal request that a new TPS be installed, which I we agreed to pay for. They agreed to provide the part at their dealer cost plus the labor charges, so now I'm out $170 but at least now have some peace of mind that we can rule out the most likely culprit. And of course if the problem resurfaces we know that component can crossed off the list. Thanks for the input.
  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    Good luck! Please let me know if you have success with this fix. Maybe I can use the info to help someone down the road!
  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    ps- Save your old part. Who knows but this becomes an issue later with a bunch of cars and Hyundai issues a recall. If so, you'll get your money back.

    Worth a shot!
  • lucky15lucky15 Member Posts: 72
    The problem may still exist unfortunately, and someone could get hurt or killed because of it, I hope for your sake the new TPS solves the problem, like my vehicle the problem did not surface for the second time until a year later, each time you start up your vehicle you have to be wondering is it going to happen again or isn`t it, and am I going to be able to react fast enough. That is why I got rid of my problem, I didn`t want the worry hanging over me.
  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    Sounds like your car needed a priest, not a mechanic.

    By the way, you said this in your earlier post:

    "If it was not under warranty the dealer would have gladly accepted my money and replaced the Throttle Position Sensor or anything else they could think of as long as it wasn`t costing them anything and they could make money on me."

    You seem to be under the mistaken impression that the dealership pays for warranty repairs to your car.
    Truth is, the manufacturer pays the dealership for warranty repairs, so, it's absolutley in the dealers best interest to repair your car. Conversely, Hyundai pays the dealer NOTHING to disconnect your battery etc. if there is "no problem found."
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Truth is, the manufacturer pays the dealership for warranty repairs, so, it's absolutley in the dealers best interest to repair your car.

    Truth is the manufacturer's book time is so off it's impossible to meet unless the tech was performing the procedure twenty times a day. Warranty work isn't a money maker and profit is the name of the game.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    It has been a little less than a month since the TPS was replaced, and so far we have not experienced a repeat occurance of Unintended Acceleration or Throttle sticking. I honestly believe that we may have had a defective sensor, in spite of the fact that it passed the dealership diagnostics. If we have a repeat incident, you can be assured I'll be letting everyone know. They charged me $170 (their cost) to replace the TPS (parts and labor) but it was relatively cheap considering the peace of mind it gave myself and my family.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Found another post:

    Posted by: Steve | Dec 31, 2009 9:08:02 PM

    Bryancos, we have a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe and we have had the same exact 2 instances that you mentioned with sudden unintended acceleration, one on city streets at below 55 mph, the second one just yesterday at 75-80 mph on I-35. My wife is now afraid to drive or ride in the car. We also took it to our dealer the first time it happened, they found nothing. We will be filing the complaints as you suggested. Thank you.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    I found this case which indicated a problem with a faulty Throttle Position Sensor.. only in this instance the vehicle would not accelerate... Still, it provides evidence that a TPS can and does cause trouble!

    NHTSA.GOV: ODI ID Number : 10286003

    Make: HYUNDAI
    Model: SANTA FE

    Year: 2008
    Complaint Number: 10286003
    Summary:
    TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST WITH CAUTION INTO A PARKING LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE THROTTLE SENSOR ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 8,452.
  • hawryszhawrysz Member Posts: 1
    As noted earlier my wife had an unexpected acceleration incident on Jan 17 with our 2008 Santa Fe. After researching this problem on Edmunds (here) I took it into a local hyundai dealer and explained to them what hapened... They tok it for a test drive and the problem did not re occur; however, I told them about the possibility of it being in the ACM. they kept it overnight and then researched the part and the dealer found that there was an updated ACM part.They replaced it free of charge and I now have some piece of mind. They were skeptical at first but did change out the part but it did take pointing them to the items discussed on this post. Thanks to all...
  • kevin95630kevin95630 Member Posts: 1
    I have had this exact same problem with my 2005 XG350. It occurs randomly, and not very often, when accelerating from a stop. It is very disorienting when it happens, as at first I don't realize that it is the car's error and try to correct. Given the big problems with Toyota, I suspect it is only the relatively fewer number of Hyundai products being sold that have kept this from being in a similar recall.

    While I agree that the dealer is likely to want to fix it, corporate is going to be very reluctant to acknowledge the problem, as it represents a huge liability potential whether they issue a recall or just fix those cars that are presented with the problem.

    As it is an intermittent problem (just as it is with Toyota), it is next to impossible to document. Your only real hope is that it will miraculously happen at the time the Hyundai tech test drives it.

    I had unhooked my battery on many occasions for other reasons, and that did NOT manage to cure the problem. Worth a try, I suppose, but it didn't work for me.

    I would like to encourage all Hyundai owners with this problem to document it with the dealer and with the government. Intermittent, non-replicable issues like this will only get attention if there is sufficient volume of complaints.
  • dlg771dlg771 Member Posts: 1
    I experienced sudden unintended acceleration with my Santa Fe while driving on the freeway in San Diego. Like you, I put the car in neutral to pull over and stop. I left the car with North County Hyundai in Carlsbad, California and told them to keep the car until they fix the problem. The first time they took the car for a test drive, nothing happened. Fortunately, the service manager decided to take the car for a test drive, and he experienced the unintended acceleration. They kept the car for a week and replaced the main computer along with the complete throttle assembly. I kept the car for a few months before buying another car. I did not have any problems with the car after it was fixed.
  • atengateng Member Posts: 1
    Does anybody know if there is a recall for a defective batch of TPS. A month after getting my Santa Fe I had a problem with the TPS. The engine seems to the reving up and down. They replace the TPS but the same problem occured after about eight monts where they changed the sensor and then happened again after a couple of weeks which almost killed me and my two boys. I lost accelerating power on a left turn which almost T-forked me with an incoming truck. They replaced the whole assembly again. But it does not remove my worries now with the TPS, especially when the dealer is giving me all sorts of excuses (even with a loaner ...I have extended warranty). I though I let the consumers know what they are getting into.
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    Yes yes yes, and you will find others if you look at Allworldauto.com Our experience is as follows. Last April our 2005 low mileage Hyundai Santa Fe automatic suddenly took off like a Formula One car from a near standstill whilst being parked, and we had witnesses to the occurrence who can verify this. It shot through a closed garage door, ripping it off its very substantial mechanism and crashed into the rear wall of our garage, causing extensive damage to both vehicle and property, and some personal injury. Luckily no-one was in front of the vehicle - as they might well have been in order to open the garage - otherwise they would have been killed. Hyundai denied all knowledge of anything like this having occurred elsewhere, despite the fact that we found other examples. It is only now that the Toyota debacle is getting so much publicity that we have been able to find out just how widespread the problem is, with a whole range of vehicles - if only we had heard the expression SUA sooner our searches would have been easier. Hyundai are a bunch of liars who should be held to account - it is lucky for them that there have been no fatalities YET with their cars.
  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    Did your insurance pay for the cars' repair? Don't you think, if there was even a remote possibility that it was Hyundais' fault, that your insurance co. would go after them?
  • lucky15lucky15 Member Posts: 72
    I had the same problem with my XG350, mine was a 2004, the first time the dealer said there was a TSB on it and he disconnected the battery, it didn`t do again until a year later, took it in and they said there is nothing they can do since disconnecting the battery to solve the problem only works one time, my solution, I sold it at a loss, not worth getting someone killed or badly injured over. Ever since I sold mine in 2009 I have seen fewer and fewer 350`s on the road which leads me to believe others like yourself are having the problems as well. These manufacturers need to get the act together, the lawsuits are starting to roll in. I really miss the car, other than the problem I had with sudden accelaration, it was really nice, I especially liked the drivers seat that would adjust automatically for you when you got in or out.
  • espo35espo35 Member Posts: 144
    There is and never was any TSB which said anything about disconnecting the battery of ANY Hyundai for ANYTHING.....least of all to make a warning light go off.
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    The insurers don't work like that - they seem uninterested in the cause of the accident as there was no other vehicle involved, and in the scheme of things the amounts involved are small to them. However, the uninsured costs and knock-on effects are very significant for us. More to the point though, this is far from an isolated incident, we have an independent engineer's opinion regarding the fault with the car - which Hyundai refused to take into account because it was not their engineer, and they very clearly lied in denying knowledge of this type of occurrence. The internet is absolutely littered with incidents of SUA involving a range of vehicles over decades, and pretty much without exception the manufacturers have denied responsibility. There is even a book on the subject. It is only the power of a huge number of disgruntled Toyota owners and the media that is getting this subject investigated, and this is long long overdue
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    Second reply - having identified that you are a Hyundai Service Manager it would be in your interests to make this sort of comment. The documented history of SUA is sufficient for every motor industry employee to be aware of it, and to be aware that it is not something they can expect to duplicate at will, so how come everyone in the industry just denies responsibility? Truth is they just don't know enough about either designing complex systems or diagnostics.
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    I urge you and anyone else who has experienced Sudden Unintended Acceleration or any other safety issues on their Hyundai Santa Fe (or ANY Hyundai model for that matter since parts are likely shared between models) to PLEASE LOG A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) EITHER VIA THEIR WEBSITE:

    Direct link to the online complaint form:
    http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/index.cfm


    OR BY CALLING THEM BY PHONE:
    Call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at
    (888) 327-4236 , TTY: (800) 424-9153.


    If a problem isn't documented with them, it doesn't really help the rest of us to force the manufacturer to take responsiblity... so speak up and ensure you get the problem in their database!
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Some Additional excerpts from allworldauto.com (thanks stannards!) Including them here for additional reference:

    2007-06-01 00:00:00 Neenah, WI

    Fast acceleration from a stop sign. not all the time but every so often. it snaps your head and neck back. have had it in to dealership and they told me i didn't know how to drive a censor accelerator vehicle. all new hyundai's are supposed to have this but no one else seems to have a problem.
    ==================
    2009-07-06 11:31:58 UK/South Africa

    The exact same thing happened to us in April 2009, with our low mileage Santa Fe 2.7 automatic, with serious consequences - the vehicle slammed through a closed garage door doing major damage to vehicle and property and causing some injuries, but had someone been in front opening the garage door they would have been killed. An independent engineer has identified a design and/or manufacturing fault with the accelerator and automatic choke cables, but Hyundai don't want to know and claim this is not something that has happened before - what a bunch of liars!! We are gathering evidence to take legal action and want all Hyundai drivers to demand checks on their vehicles. Look at Youtube for video evidence.
    =================

    2007-03-17 00:00:00 Allen, TX

    I am the owner of a 2005 santa fe w/a 3.5l engine. i've recently taken my vehicle in to have some warranty items taken care of. i asked that my car also be fixed in regards to an acceleration concern. for example: 1. while departing from a stopped position, the car will violently jerk your head back. this occurs while barely touching the accelerator. 2. when the car is in motion i can feel it surging forward and back. i have had several people drive the car to make sure it wasn't me, and they all experienced the same results. when the service manager at a hyundai dealership drove the car, he at first said he didn't feel anything. then, after further complaint by me, he admitted that, "well, there was a little bit of surge, but that's just because it's the type of engine". i asked what could be done about it and he told me, "nothing, that's just the way it is. they've had several complaints and now they don't use that engine anymore." i said it felt like it was getting worse over time and he said, "it probably is, but there is still nothing they can do about it". hyundai was apparently aware that there is a concern of safety with this engine since they no longer use the engine and are manufacturing their santa fe's with an improved, safer engine. i am at the point where i no longer feel as if i am driving a safe vehicle and i am getting tired of people asking me why my car jerks forward. (the car snaps your head back and i do not want to be held accountable if someone gets hurt.) there are numerous complaints to the nhtsa and i do not want to be killed or kill someone on the road because my car concerns were not addressed by the appropriate administration of hyundai. if the nhtsa has yet to formally force hyundai into fixing this issue, i am requesting that now is the time to do so. hyundai's lack of interest in the safety of their customers and the general public is unacceptable.

    ================
    2006-09-13 00:00:00 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

    Dt: the contact stated while stopped at a red light, the vehicle lurched forward without warning. the vehicle stopped after applying brake pressure, placing the vehicle in park, and turning off the ignition. the vehicle was towed to a dealer who was unable to duplicate the problem, but suggested that the contact should not use floor gear shift of the automatic transmission as though it were a manual transmission while driving. the manufacturer was alerted.

    ================
    2005-12-27 00:00:00 Winston Salem, NC

    Dt: while the contact was pulling into a parking place the vehicle surged, causing the engine to rev above 6500 rpms. the vehicle accelerated and took off on its own. he reported having no problems with the vehicle prior to the above incident. he has not taken the vehicle to a dealer.

    ================
    2005-11-25 00:00:00 Narragansett, RI

    When put into reverse 2005 santa fe engine roared. the consumer had no control over the vehicle. with the vehicle still in reverse, the consumer crashed into a neighbors deck causing a considerable amount of damage to the vehicle and the deck. the consumer had a left foot accelerator installed on the vehicle and wondered if that was the cause of the sudden acceleration.

    ================
  • turtle100turtle100 Member Posts: 3
    Same problem here, how was your problem resolved, and where is your dealer?
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    We don't know for sure that it is permanently fixed, but an independent engineer attributed the immediate cause of the fault in our vehicle to cable positioning and fixed that - given Hyundai's non-reaction to the severity of the problem we didn't trust them to do it and given the extent of damage our insurers insisted on it going to a specialist repair shop anyway Virtually every panel on the vehicle was damaged in some way, quite a few had to be replaced completely, the radiator was gone, the steering rack was bent etc etc, never mind that the garage wall could have collapsed, and there is absolutely not a chance in hell that this incident was driver error. We are loading some photos in a Facebook group if this helps. We have an ongoing claim with Hyundai and at the moment we expect to have to take legal action against them, but we are not in the US so don't know if the safety authorities there will add this case to their statistics. We don't understand either why their published statistics don't show a significant number of cases for Hyundai, when web searches identify so many. Getting the media to take notice as with Toyota is probably the most powerful tool.
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    Hi - I have lodged this, but as we are outside the US I'm not sure how they will add it to their statistics. You are right though that it is only by creating awareness of the extent of the problem that the manufacturers can be made to listen - media exposure alongside Toyota is clearly a powerful weapon to create public pressure before someone gets killed by a Hyundai SUA incident.
  • ergsumergsum Member Posts: 146
    This article gives the statistics for the 2008 model year. Most manufacturers' product designs will overlap a few years previous and/or post to this year and the results for those years should be similar. I don't see most manufacturers having large scale acceleration issues like Toyota's current situation (maybe Ford), especially not Hyundai. Does it happen to Hyundai, sure; everything mechanical or electrical can fail, but not the extent some are claiming.

    http://blogs.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/12/sudden-unintended-acceleration-sua- -analysis-2008-toyota-lexus-ford-gm.html
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    The published stats clearly only take their information from limited sources - the famed description lies, damn lies and statistics springs to mind - as it doesn't take much internet research to find higher numbers. More importantly though, it doesn't really matter how widespread this problem is in Hyundai or any other manufacturer - and we are interested in your suggestion that others are claiming it is more widespread - because surely any problem which can have such catastrophic consequences for life and property should be taken seriously by any manufacturer whether it affects one of their vehicles a year or one thousand. It seems to us that failure of something so fundamental as throttle or acceleration control should be to safety not to danger - clearly override systems are possible so why is it that rev limiters do not cut in when something like this happens? Surely the right thing for every manufacturer to do is to take responsibility for proven SUA events, even if they do not believe that the cause is a widespread problem that requires recall of an entire range or production batch? Perhaps then consumers could have some confidence rather than feeling they are the victims of an industry conspiracy to cover these things up.
  • ronan3ronan3 Member Posts: 1
    I purchased this car new from a dealer in 2005. Off and on I would experience unintended accelleration maybe once a month. I took it to the dealer that sold me the car. They told me I would have to leave the car with them so that they could experience the problem. I said that would be a waste since there is no way to control when it would happen.
    About six months later I took it to another dealer and I explained it to them. They said it is most likely the computer and they would re-program it. They did that and it appeared to work but about six months later it occured again. I didn't anything more about it because it happened so little I learned to live with it. When it did happen I would put it in neutual and put on the hand break. It last for about15 seconds then stopped.
  • snappedsnapped Member Posts: 1
    This morning I pulled into a parking space and suddenly my car accelerated forward. I hit the brake yanked the emergency brake up and it stopped. I then backed it up since it was way overshot in the space. Luckily no one was in front of me.
    I called the dealer and they said to bring it in but explained in great length that Hyundai's have a different throttle control system than Toyota's and BMWs. I don't really care that my system is configured differently. The fact that my problem occured during their crisis is circumstantial. My problem DID occur though. And someone could've been hurt.
    I'm having my husband drive it to the dealer. We'll see what they can find.
  • tinxtinx Member Posts: 1
    My 2007 Santa Fe did a smiliar thing in December 2009. I drove it just fine to a meeting, then on my way home as I was backing out of my parking spot the car starting shaking and rattling, I also noticed the 'check engine' light. I immediately put it in park, waited a few moments and tried it again. Any time I had it in drive or reverse it would shudder, if it was in neutral or park it was ok. As I drove home, I noticed it would only go about 10-15mph up a hill. I immediately parked it and called the dealership where I purchased it. They advised me to try to shut the car off for 3 minutes to see if the car would reset. It did not. The service manager said that my car was in 'limp home mode' and as I was about 20 miles from my house, it would be best for me to call Hyundai Assurance and get my car towed to the local dealership, which was closer than the one I purchased my car from. Well, it got towed in, took about 3 hours for them to call it 'fixed'. So I get in my car start it up and 'check engine' is on again, and the car rattles when i put it in gear. I immediately go back inside, put my keys on the desk and tell them to try again, that my car isn't fixed. Mind you this was the second time in 2 weeks my car had been in for service. The first time was for the air bag idiot light on my dash panel.
    Well, it took about 5 days for them to fix my issue. They had to call Hyundai engineering to figure out the issue and my Throttle Positioning Sensor had to be replaced. I keep waiting for this issue to reappear. It's very frustrating. My car only had about 30,000 miles on it. Plus the service department I took it to sucked. They had horrible customer service. :cry:
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Only referencing this, because topic is also posted on another source:
    http://www.hyundai-forums.com/t44931-sudden-unintended-acceleration-in-santa-fe.- htm
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Our analysts went through the NHTSA database and did find complaints having to do with surges: from a dead stop if the driver put their foot on the gas it would take a while to get going, then have a surge (so hesitation then surge). It isn't the same as the unintended acceleration in the Toyota where it goes to 90+ miles per hour but still a danger if there is a car in front of you etc.

    In thinking about the type of acceleration problem with your Santa Fe would you describe your problem as

    a) more like the hesitation-to-surge

    or

    b) true unintended acceleration where you cannot get the accelerator to back off?

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    Hi - it was definitely in category (b) - true unintended acceleration, almost from a standstill whilst parking, and without any contact with the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was stopped (after being stopped by a brick wall) by putting it into neutral then park, but remained in maximum revs - witnessed by neighbours. It was also locked in maximum revs when restarted 36 hours later, and this was witnessed and videoed as evidence by another set of neighbours. It was still in this state when towed for repair. Hyundai declined our invitation to come and look at it. On a couple of previous occasions the vehicle had gone to maximum revs on starting, but this was in park mode and the engine had reset to normal revs when switched off and re-started. This had been reported to the dealership on service, and they had recorded that they could not replicate it. We do not know for certain what was the immediate cause of the SUA, but after Hyundai declined to inspect the vehicle an independent engineer identified that the accelerator cable had come out of its casing and jammed, which was the cause of the vehicle remaining at maximum revs. It may be that this was the cause of the SUA, although it is equally possible that it was a throttle control sensor problem as suggested in other incidents, and that the cable became jammed as a result of the SUA.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Thank you for that detail. It sheds important light on a serious issue. I can only imagine how frightening it must have been. The information about the accelerator cable is intriguing.

    We would like to hear from others, as well, who might provide answers to the questions we posed in my earlier posting.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • glucoseglucose Member Posts: 10
    edited March 2010
    I have a 2010 AWD Santa Fe and both my husband and I have noticed at times the vehicle does accelerate on its own. I'll ease up on the gas pedal then it speeds up but I've also noticed hesitation , I'll be driving on the highway and give some gas to speed up but it takes a few seconds before it accelerates so I have both problems.
    I asked one dealership he replied "we have not had any complaints about surges" and he ignored me. I asked a 2nd dealership service manager and he suggested possibly the way I put my foot on the gas pedal, as if there are different methods of pressing the gas pedal. Give me a break, I've been driving for 25 years , I think something is going on here but very hard to prove it if it cannot be duplicated by the mechanics.
    Is it true that Hyundai uses the same parts for gas pedals as Toyota?
  • creightontompacreightontompa Member Posts: 1
    On March 24, 2010, my co-worker and I were in my 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe when it suddenly accelerated. I pushed the brake to the floor and it would not slow down. I then put on the emergency brake. Both feet were extended to the floor holding these brakes down. The car did slow down but would not stop. I had to take a left turn across the highway (there was fortunately a break in the traffic), I put the car in park and turned off the engine. It made a very loud noise that lasted about 10 seconds or so. We jumped out of the car as if it were on fire. It's currently at the Sheehy Dealership in Waldorf, MD. We are awaiting their diagnosis.
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Please let us know what you find out.

    tidester, host
    SUVs and Smart Shopper
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    Creighton:
    PLEASE ensure that you log a complaint with NHTSA. I have posted the website and phone information in a previous message. Go back up a few messages to find it and don't delay in filing a formal complaint!
  • bryancosbryancos Member Posts: 282
    STANNARDS: Please provide a link to the facebook page/photos...
  • rick167rick167 Member Posts: 1
    Early this year I experienced sudden unintended acceleration with my Hyundai Santa Fe while coming to a stop at a traffic light. The vehicle was moving less than 5 mph when the accelerator went to 100%. My foot was already on the brake pedal and the vehicle almost stopped. With the sudden acceleration, I pushed harder on the brake pedal to get the vehicle to stop. The vehicle was still moving forward slowly with the brakes applied at full pressure. I then shifted the vehicle to park and switched off the ignition as the engine was screeming at a high RMP. After restarting the engine, everything was working normal again. I did have a similar problem about a year earlier. The vehicle was travelling on the highway about 40pmh when the accelerator went to 100%. I had to put the vehicle in neutral, turn off the ignition and then restart the vehicle.
    I have not been able to duplicate this problem.
    The vehicle does surge under normal acceleration, which the dealer says is normal.
  • stannardsstannards Member Posts: 16
    Hi - I have just loaded a few photos onto a Facebook group - Don't buy Hyundai - not sure how to link it. You can also find a video on YouTube if you search for Hyundai Santa Fe this could save your life. Again I am not sure how to do the link. It is interesting to find that there are new reports with this vehicle coming through regularly now, so let's hope someone starts to take it seriously.
  • help33help33 Member Posts: 1
    I have experienced the samething,I brought it to the dealer,they said they could not find anything on it. He tried to tell me it was the computer trying to detect between my husband and myself. I told him I did not beleive that,I drive the car most of the time,my husband only drive it once. I called Hyundai to let them know what was going on,they said they would call the dealer and work with them. Well since then I had an awful smell of smog that filled up inside the car that lasted a minute,since then I had not had that problem. The dealer and the company said it correctived it self by the computer.
    I still do not feel safe.
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