2006 Hyundai Santa Fe Cruise Control Problems

Your car suddenly accelerated on its own while you were driving at 70 mph, even though you weren't pressing the gas pedal. You noticed smoke coming from under the hood, but no warning lights appeared on your dashboard. A mechanic was unable to diagnose or fix the problem. The issue may involve a stuck throttle or cruise control malfunction that needs inspection and repair.

Your car suddenly accelerated to 80-90 mph on two separate occasions while driving on a mountain road at night, and your brake pedal would not respond — even though you weren't pressing the gas pedal. The dashboard lights partially went out during these incidents. You were able to regain control by shifting to low gear, and the acceleration stopped as suddenly as it started. A mechanic and Hyundai dealership diagnostic could not find a cause or reproduce the problem.

Your vehicle unexpectedly accelerated on its own when shifted into reverse, causing it to crash into a brick wall. When shifted into drive afterward, the same problem occurred again, and your vehicle drove through a neighbor's fence before hitting a parked car. You reported that your brakes were not working during both incidents. The issue has not been diagnosed or repaired.

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.

TL* 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 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER PERFORMED TWO ECM UPDATES. UPDATED 01/25/16.*JB

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. *TR

TL*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.

TL*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. *TR

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. *TR

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. *TR

I HAVE COMPLAINED TO MFG. OF THE PROBLEM I HAVE WITH ACCELERATION. WHEN GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED FROM A STOPPED POSITION THE SUV POWER SURGES, THERE IS NO SMOOTH ACCELERATION. NO MATTER HOW YOU TRY TO CONTROL THE PRESSURE ON THE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE JUST TAKES OFF. I HAD THIS CHECKED OUT 2X SINCE BUYING VEHICLE IN DEC. O7. AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IS THE WAY THE COMPUTER WORKS WITH THE VEHICLE. I FIND THIS TO BE VERY UN-NERVING AND DANGEROUS. THIS IS A CONTINUOUS PROBLEM, AND I HAVE HAD A FRIEND DRIVE VEHICLE AND HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR