2004 Hyundai Santa Fe Cruise Control Problems

You purchased this vehicle from a dealership without receiving a title or any disclosure about its condition. The dealership has taken your money and refused to address your concerns. The vehicle is inoperable and dangerous — it veered toward a ditch, and your state's DMV has confirmed it's unsafe to drive. You're seeking to return the vehicle but are having difficulty due to the missing title.

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.

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

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

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 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.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE IDLING, THE VEHICLE KEPT MOVING ALMOST HITTING A PEDESTRIAN. THE FAILURE OCCURS INTERMITTENTLY WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC OR AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 11,600. THE CONSUMER EXPERICED SUDDEN ACCELERATION WHILE HER FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE. UPDATED 11/06/07. *JB

THERE IS A SAFETY DEFECT (THE VEHICLE LUNGES FORWARD WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS LIGHTLY DEPRESSED) WITH OUR 2004 HYUNDAI SANTE FE WHICH WE HAVE REPORTED TO POHANKA, 5200 JEFFERSON DAVIS HIGHWAY, FREDERICKSBURG, VA 22408 ON MORE THAN THREE OCCASIONS: DATEINVOICE NO.DEALER COMMENT OCTOBER 6, 2005353592CAUSE: C40, 39106F00 PCM REPROGRAMMING (04-36-012) MARCH 6, 2006364047OPERATING PER SPECIFICATIONS APRIL 20, 2006367165COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CONCERN THE REPROGRAMMING DONE IN 2005 SEEMED TO HELP FOR ABOUT A MONTH. SINCE THAT TIME THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. WE THINK THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE BECAUSE IT CAN RAPIDLY ACCELERATE WITHOUT WARNING. *NM UPDATED 12/15/06. *JB

LAST WEEK, MY HUSBAND WAS SLOWLY PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND WAS APPLYING THE BRAKES AS A GROUP OF PEOPLE PASSED IN FRONT OF HIM. THE VEHICLE SPONTANEOUSLY LURCHED FORWARD AND REVVED TO 4-5,000 RPM. MY HUSBAND WAS STANDING ON THE BRAKES BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE FORWARD; THE PASSENGER TURNED THE CAR OFF AT WHICH POINT THE VEHICLE STOPPED GOING FORWARD--THE PEOPLE IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE BARELY ESCAPED BEING RUN OVER BY OUR SANTA FE. NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS IS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE FOR ALL INVOLVED--DRIVER, PASSENGERS, OTHER CARS, PEDESTRIANS, ETC. WE WERE 100 MILES AWAY FROM HOME ON VACATION AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THAT DEALERSHIP (PORTER CHEVROLET/HYUNDAI, NEWARK, DELAWARE) HAS HAD THE VEHICLE FOR OVER A WEEK AND IS TELLING US THAT NO CODES ARE APPEARING AND THEY CAN DO NOTHING TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE AND/OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATED 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE WAS EXPERIENCING SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE DRIVER WAS AT A RED LIGHT, WITH ONE FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND THE CAR ACCELERATED. THIS HAPPENED ON TWO OTHER OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP THREE TIMES. THEY ADJUSTED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND FLUSHED THE COMPUTER. THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE CONTACT HAS NOT BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HYUNDAI AS OF NOW. THIS HAPPENED WHEN STOPPING OR SLOWLY MOVING AS INCHING UP TO A STOP SIGN.*AK

2004 HYUNDAI - SANTA FE, CAR SURGES TO FULL THROTTLE AND GOES THROUGH RED LIGHTS OR STOPS SIGNS, SURGE IS SO GREAT IT TAKES ACROSS 4 LANES OF TRAFFIC, DRIVER IS STANDING ON THE BRAKE AT THE TIME HAS HAPPENED X3, VIN IS[XXX]. *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

PUT FOOT ON BRAKE AT LOW SPEED, VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELLERATED. HELD FOOT ON BRAKE TO KEEP FROM COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLE IN FRONT. JAMMED LEVER IN NEUTRAL, TAC WENT TO 3000 RPM FOR 5 SECONDS, THEN BACK TO NORMAL IDLE. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON BEFORE THAT AND WENT OFF NEXT DAY. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 4 TIMES OVER 3 MONTHS. VEHICLE HAS HAD ECM REPROGRAMMED AT DEALER FOR 3 "BUMP FROM BEHIND" INCIDENTS PREVIOUSLY.*AK

IN JANUARY OF 2005, I WAS DRIVING MY 2005 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 3.5L GLS. I STOPPED AT A LIGHT AND REMAINED STOPPED FOR A WHILE. SUDDENLY, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND DESPITE DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, I COULD NOT STOP IT FROM LUNGING FORWARD. I HAD TO QUICKLY GET IT OUT OF GEAR TO MAKE IT STOP, AND FORTUNATELY DID NOT HIT ANYONE. I TOOK IT TO ROWE HYUNDAI IN WESTBROOK, MAINE (WHERE I BOUGHT IT) AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT NOR COULD THEY IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM. ON 2-22-05, I WAS STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, WHEN SUDDENTLY THE ENGINE ACCELERATED QUICKLY AND LOUDLY. I DEPRESSED THE BRAKE HARDER YET COULD NOT STOP THE VEHICLE FROM LUNGING FORWARD. BEFORE I COULD GET IT OUT OF GEAR, IT REAR-ENDED THE PERSON PARKED IN FRONT OF ME. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO BOTH VEHICLES. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER AND HAVE CONTACTED HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA ABOUT THIS.

WHILE ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. NO IMPACT REPORTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE - NEW - SUDDEN ACCELERATION/ LOSS OF BRAKING POWER--DEALER CLAIMS NO CONDITION FOUND - CAR IS NEW - 200 MILES ON IT. *NM

HYUNDAI SANTA FE SUDDEN ACCELERATION, ENGING RACING WHILE BRAKING. *BF *TT

FEBRUARY WE PURCHASED A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE FOR OUR SOON TO BE 16 YEAR OLD SON TO DRIVE. MOST IMMEDIATELY WE NOTICED AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE WILL STUTTER 3 TIMES AS IF IT WERE GOING TO DIE AND THEN IT RECOVERS. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO THE DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 6 TIMES, THE MOST RECENT THIS MORNING. TODAY THEY WOULD NOT EVEN TAKE THE CAR IN AS THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAD NO IDEA WHAT TO REPAIR. I TOOK COPIES OF OTHER NHTSA COMPLAINTS AND SERVICE BULLETINS WITH ME IN AN EFFORT TO HELP THEM WITH IDEAS, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THEY MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR US TO COME BACK ON OCTOBER 20, 2004 TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY UPDATES FROM HYUNDAI THAT MIGHT FIX THE PROBLEM THEN. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP, THE VEHICLE EXHIBITED THE PROBLEM AND MY SON WAS ALMOST IN AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR HAS ONLY 3800 MILES ON IT!*AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHEN APPLYING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL FROM A STOP POSITION VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO DEALER ON 10 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE AT A STOP VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD . DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION AND LUNCHED FORWARD. VEHICLE ALMOST HIT A CONCRETE WALL AND PEDESTRIANS. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED 3 TIMES, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK