Owner-reported complaints naming the driver-assistance system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 41 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 41, in the owner's own words
VEHICLE WAS SOLD WITHOUT TITLE OR DISCLOSURE DEALERSHIP TOOK MONEY REFUSE TO HEAR COMPLAINTS. CONTACT ME AS I AM HANDICAPPED AND HAVE NO TITTLE TRYING TO RETURN VEHICLE IT VEERED TOWARD DITCH AS THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND DANGEROUS PER DMV
ABS TCS TRACKING SYSTEM TURNS OUT WHILE DRIVING
2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2.7 LITER ENGINE, HIGH IDLES AT 3,000 RPM ON START UP AND NEVER GOES DOWN EVEN WHEN ENGINE REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NOT EVEN ACTING RIGHT SINCE THIS PROBLEM STARTED, THIS IS A HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR SHOWS NO ENGINE CODES, OR TRANSMISSION CODES, IT HAS HAD LOWER INTAKE, UPPER INTAKE GASKETS CHANGED, IAC MOTOR CHANGED, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CHANGED, TEMPERATURE SENSOR CHANGED, CLEANED THROTTLE BODY BORE WHERE THROTTLE PLATE CLOSES, CHANGED VACUUM HOSES, MADE SURE THROTTLE CABLE AND CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WERE BINDING OR HOLDING THROTTLE OPEN, AND NONE OFF THESE THINGS HAVE HELPED. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM, MANY ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE READ A FORUM THAT SAID HYUNDAI DOES NOT HAVE A FAIL SAFE MODE BUILT INTO THERE COMPUTERS LIKE MOST CARS DO SO THIS KIND OF SITUATION DOES NOT OCCUR. VEHICLE STILL NOT FIXED, AND HYUNDAI NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THERE ARE ANY FATALITIES FROM NEGLECT OF A KNOWN PROBLEM.
CATALYST CONVERTER CALIFORNIA
RECENTLY THE ENGINE THROTTLE STARTED TO REV UP AND WANTING TO ACCELERATEWHEN I AM GOIN VERY VERY SLOW STUCK IN TRAFFIC OR JUST DEIVING UNDER 30 MPH. I WOULD HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY HARD AND THAT WOULDN'T WORK SO I WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND WAIT FOR THE THROTTLE TO CALM DOWN. I WENT TO MY MECHANICS AND THEY PUT THE COMPUTER MONITOR ON MY SANTA FE BUT NO CODES CAME UP SHOWING ANY PROBLEMS. THEY CHECKED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND IT WAS FINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO KEEP HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO AVOID CRASHING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF, AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 02/12/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*JS
WHEN I PUT GAS IN MY CAR IT WILL NOT START AFTERWARD. FIRST IT STARTED ONLY WHEN MY CAR WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN I LEFT MY CAR RUNNING IT WAS OK. NOW IT TURNS OFF WHEN MY CAR IS RUNNING ALSO. THE MECHANIC SAID, IT MAY BE A BAD FUEL PUMP, COST $350 TO REPLACE, BUT CAN'T GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX THE ISSUE. I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?? I GOOGLE IT AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. ALSO WITH THE CAR ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY. I SEE NOW THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. EVERYONE SAID I IMAGINED IT. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?
THE VEHICLE TRIES TO SLOW DOWN OR ACCELERATE WHILE DRIVING ON CITY STREETS
THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN JUST TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. THE BRAKE MUST IMMEDIATELY BE ENGAGED TO SLOW THE CAR. ONCE THE CAR IS MOVING THE ACCELERATOR WORKS. WHILE CRUISING THE ENGINE RPM SURGES FORCING THE BRAKES TO BE ENGAGED.THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND SHE JUST LIVED WITH IT. IT IS UNSETTLING TO HAVE A VEHICLE SURGE WHENEVER IT WANTS. *TR
AFTER PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, I LIFTED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR WHEN I REACHED MY DESIRED SPEED. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. I APPLIED THE BRAKE, AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV FOR 1 OR 2 SECONDS. THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT ON THIS OCCASION, BUT IT WAS TERRIFYING, AND I HAD MY CHILD IN THE VEHICLE. *TR
DEAR NHTSA - MY SANTA FE HAD A MALFUNCTION AT 65 MPH THAT CAUSES THE CAR TO ABRUPTLY SLOW DOWN AND RUN IN ONLY THIRD GEAR. THIS IS A HUGE DISTRACTION TO THE DRIVER AND COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CODES ARE P0121 AND P0733 WHICH HAVE TO DO WITH A THROTTLE/ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR AND A THIRD GEAR RATIO MISMATCH. I BELIEVE THE WAY THIS WORKS IS THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR SENDS A SIGNAL TO THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE SYSTEM MODULE WHICH ACTIVATES AN ETS MOTOR ON THE THROTTLE BODY WHICH OPENS/CLOSES THE THROTTLE BUTTERFLY DAMPER BASED ON A COMPUTED ERROR SIGNAL. UPON RESEARCHING THIS ON HYUNDAI FORUMS IT WAS VERY APPARENT THAT THIS MALFUNCTION IS VERY COMMON AND VERY DANGEROUS. I SEARCHED THE CURRENT RECALLS AND THIS IS NOT ONE OF THE TWO RECALLS I COULD FIND FOR THIS VEHICLE. BUT IN 50% OF THE CASES I READ ABOUT IT APPEARED THAT EITHER THE ACCELERATOR SENSOR OR THROTTLE SENSOR IS A COMMON FAILURE. I REALLY THINK THIS SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED. THERE ARE ALSO SOME OTHER ITEMS THAT CAN CAUSE THESE SENSORS TO SEE THIS MISMATCH AND GIVE THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION THE FAULT CODE WHICH CAUSES THE CAR TO EITHER GO INTO "LIMP" MODE OR SINGLE GEAR MODE. ALTHOUGH BOTH ARE AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS IT BASICALLY LIMITS THE CAR TO A MAXIMUM RPM AND CAUSES IT TO EITHER RUN IN ONE GEAR OR NOT SHIFT ABOVE A GEAR, FOR EXAMPLE 3RD GEAR INTO OVERDRIVE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON FAULT THAT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS WHEN RUNNING AT OR NEAR HIGHWAY SPEEDS DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED NATURE OF THE EVENT AND THE SPEED CHANGE AND NOISE IT CAN CAUSE THUS SURPRISING THE DRIVER WHICH MAY CAUSE THEM TO STOP OR PULL OVER UNEXPECTEDLY. OTHER MALFUNCTIONS THAT CAN CAUSE THIS ARE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, FUEL INJECTOR O-RING FAULTY AND LEAKY INTAKE MANIFOLDS AMONG OTHERS. THIS SERIOUS ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND REDESIGNED OR REPAIRED ON THESE VEHICLES. *TR
PULLING INTO PARKING SPACE WHEN CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND WENT UP ONTO A 6 INCH SIDEWALK BARRIER. DRIVERS FOOT WAS FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE BUT CAR ACCELERATED ANYWAY . DRIVER PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL TO KEEP FROM GOING FORWARD AND STOP. VERY VERY SCARY AND THANKFUL NO ONE WAS WALKING IN FRONT OF US. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO GREATER SPEEDS. THE CONTACT SHIFTED INTO DRIVE AS THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS APPLYING THE BRAKE. THE CONTACT IMMEDIATELY SHUT THE ENGINE OFF TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED BY A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED WHILE IN DRIVE OR REVERSE. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT MOST TIMES THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BUT TWICE HAD MINOR ACCIDENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES AND EACH TIME EITHER THERE WERE NO CODES OR THEY WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 133,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE SEPARATE TIMES. AS A RESULT OF THE FAILURE, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHILE IN REVERSE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
UNINITIATED ACCELERATION WHILE DRIVING, TRYING TO STOP AND IDLING. *TR
ON 9/13/2011, IN SAN JUAN, PR, AT APPROXIMATELY 4:00 P.M., MY MOTHER (74 YEARS OLD) WAS DRIVING HER 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE AT A VERY SLOW RATE OF SPEED ON A WET CONCRETE ROAD. WHILE APPROACHING A RED LIGHT, AND WHILE STILL FAR AWAY FROM IT, SHE APPLIED HER VEHICLE'S BRAKES WITH NO AVAIL. THE VEHICLE CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD AND STOP ONLY AFTER HITTING A CAR WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE GREEN. THAT IMPACT CAUSED THIS VEHICLE (V-1) TO MOVE FORWARD AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE (V-2) WHICH WAS ALSO WAITING FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGED. MY MOTHER RECEIVED A HEAVY IMPACT FORCE TO HER CHEST, SHOULDERS, AND NECK AREA PRODUCED NOT ONLY BY IMPACTING THE VEHICLES IN FRONT OF HER BUT ALSO BECAUSE HER VEHICLE'S AIR BAGS WERE DEPLOYED. HER SANTA FE WAS ALSO BADLY DAMAGED. *TR
WHILE SITTING IN TRAFFIC AT A LOCAL GAS STATION, MY 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SURGED TO THE POINT WHERE I COULD BARELY CONTROL THE VEHICLE FROM CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I IMMEDIATELY PLACED THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE SPEED SURGED TO NEARLY 6000 RPM. I TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO BE STARTED AGAIN WITHOUT INCIDENT. THERE WAS NO COLLISION, BUT IT WAS A VERY SCARY AND UNCONTROLLED MANNER FOR THE VEHICLE TO BE OPERATED IN. *TT
2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND SURGING NO TROUBLE LIGHTS ON. DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE THROTTLE SENSOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, SO WE DID THAT. ABOUT A MONTH LATER, SAME THING HAPPENED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED THROTTLE SENSOR AGAIN, AT NO CHARGE. SAID IF IT HAPPENS AGAIN WE WOULD NEED A NEW THROTTLE BODY. HAPPENED AGAIN, SO HAD THE THROTTLE BODY REPLACED. HAPPENED AGAIN AND WAS TOLD IT WAS WIRING THAT HAD TO DO WITH CRUISE CONTROL. WHICH I NEVER USE. HAPPENED AGAIN TODAY 3/16/2011. NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP THAT I WAS DROPPING OFF TONIGHT IN THE NIGHT DROP. I HAVE ALREADY PAID OVER $1000.00 FOR SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN FIXED. WE WILL SEE WHAT HAPPENS TOMORROW. WE MAXED OUT OUR TOWING WITH AAA, SO MY HUSBAND, WHO WORKS SECOND SHIFT AND HOUR AND HALF AWAY FROM WHERE WE LIVE HAS TO DRIVE IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TONIGHT. IT STARTED TODAY WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 15 MINUTES AWAY FROM WORK. ALSO THIS IS OUR ONLY CAR, AND DEALERSHIP ALWAYS SAYS THEIR LOANER CARS ARE ALL OUT. JUST WANTED THIS DOCUMENTED AND AM PRAYING MY HUSBAND GETS BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP OK. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED AS SOON AS IT WAS STARTED. SHE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING DAY YET THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITH AN UNUSUAL INCREASE IN ENGINE RPM AS SHE DEPRESSED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND SHE THEN SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED AT THE THROTTLE BODY ASSEMBLY WHICH THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO HAVE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 76,000.
I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE MY HYUNDAI SANTE FE. WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK (ABOUT 30 MILES FROM HOME) MY VEHICLE STARTED ACCELERATING RAPIDLY AND SURGING WHEN I WAS TRYING TO KEEP IT FROM LUNGING FORWARD. I HAD TO USE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE BRAKES TO STOP IT AND THAT STILL DID NOT STOP THE ACCELERATION FROM CONTINUING. I DROVE IT DIRECTLY TO THE SHOP WHERE I WANTED TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT COST OVER $500 TO HAVE A THROTTLE SENSOR REPLACED AND NOW IT'S DOING IT AGAIN? I HAD IT TOWED LAST NIGHT BECAUSE I COULD NOT STOP IT AGAIN WITHOUT ALMOST PUTTING IT IN A DITCH. WHEN IT STOPPED IT THEN STARTED NOT WANTING TO GO AT ALL. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION FOR SURE WITH THIS VEHICLE. SINCE LAST MONTH WHEN THIS HAPPENED, I HAVE BEE READING LOTS OF INFO FROM OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. HYUNDAI DOES NOT WANT TO GIVE ME ANYTHING FOR THIS DANGEROUS REPAIR AS THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT ANY FAULT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH SHE APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP UNTIL CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. AFTER CRASHING, SHE SHIFTED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK THE ENGINE BEGAN TO EXHIBIT AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN RPMS AND THE ENGINE ROARED EXTREMELY LOUDLY UNTIL SHE REMOVED THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. THE POLICE APPEARED ON THE SCENE BUT NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,600.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT ANY SPEED, IT ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. OCCASIONALLY WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED MORE RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY EXTREME PRESSURE TO THE BRAKES MULTIPLE TIMES IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM ACCELERATING. THE FAILURE BEGAN WHEN THE HEAT OR THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED ON. THE DEALER REPLACED ONE OF THE SENSORS; HOWEVER, THE ACCELERATION CONTINUED TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER WHO WAS ALSO UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000. UPDATED 05/10/10 *BF UPDATED 05/12/10.*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHENEVER THE CONTACT ACCELERATES FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE SURGES FORWARD RAPIDLY. HE MUST IMMEDIATELY APPLY THE BRAKES. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED EVER SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,963 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000.
2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WITH BRAKE FAILURE. CONSUMER STATES THAT HYUNDAI HAS NOT COME UP WITH A REASON WHY THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. CONSUMER BARELY MISSED AN ACCIDENT BY APPLYING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND SLIDING TO A STOP. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL HAD BEEN ISSUED FOR THE ABS, HOWEVER HIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED THE RECALL. THE DEALER SUGGESTED ALL TYPES OF SCENARIO'S FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE CONSUMER SUSPECTED THERE MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE ABS. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND SLOWING THE VEHICLE NORMALLY WHEN THEY SUDDENLY DISENGAGED. THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS UNABLE TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE. THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS MANUALLY DISENGAGED BY PRESSING THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF BUTTON AFTER PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL SEVERAL TIMES FAILED TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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