I pulled up into my grandma's driveway, put the car in park. The car continued moving forward and when I depressed the brake pedal, the car accelerated for some unknown reason. So I put both feet on the brake and it still continued to accelerate. My car crashed into my grandparents garage door, then into their car, then pushed their car into their washer and dryer, causing those appliances to push against the wall, breaking the structure, busting water lines, smashing the washer and causing damage.
2011 Hyundai Santa Fe acceleration problems
24 complaints (13% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 26,000. 4 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 24
- of this car's complaints
- 13%
- typical mileage
- 26,000
- crashes
- 4
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Hyundai Santa Fe acceleration problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe acceleration
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Throttle control system vulnerabilities
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) of the federal safety agency received a petition letter dated October 10, 2021, requesting an investigation of possible defects in the electronic throttle control (ETC) system on certain Kia vehicles resulting in the opening of DP21-003. Accordingly, Model Year (MY) 2005-2016 Kia Optima/K5, MY 2006-2015 Kia Sorento, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Elantra, MY 2007-2016 Hyundai Santa Fe, MY 2006-2015 Hyundai Sonatas are all part of the subject population. The petition was originally filed as a Vehicle Owner Questionnaire that can be reviewed at under reference (ODI) number 11439675.On November 12, 2021, ODI opened Defect Petition DP21-003 to evaluate the petitioner?s request. ODI performed trend analyses of the VOQs related to vehicle speed control issues for all the subject vehicles and found that none of the 52 Model/Model Year Hyundai/Kia vehicles demonstrated any actionable trend that warranted an investigation.Petitioners submitted 1119 VOQs and non-VOQ cases in which sudden uncommanded acceleration (SUA) or loss of motive power (LOMP) incidents were alleged.For the 1119 reports, 220 were incidents involving crashes, from which 69 subject Hyundai-Kia vehicles were inspected by Hyundai/Kia dealer technicians, Hyundai/Kia engineers, and/or third-party representatives.ODI found the inspections identified no vehicle defects related to the ETC system.Of the 220 crash-involved reports, 13 Event Data Recorder (EDR) records were downloaded successfully and 11 of those indicated driver error: (i.e.) pedal misapplication.A condition where the accelerator pedal is mistakenly applied instead of the brake pedal when the driver wants to stop the vehicle.In addition, ODI reviewed a scientific journal paper published in Forensic Science International in 2016 by Mr. Park et al ., as well as related test videos. ODI does not believe there is any evidence of uncontrollable SUA occurrences in any of the tests reviewed. the federal safety agency's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance (OVSC) reviewed the allegations regarding the potential noncompliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 124.Based on the information provided, the Agency concludes there is insufficient information for us to determine if a possible non-compliance exists.Finally, both Hyundai and Kia informed ODI that all their vehicles manufactured after 2012 were equipped with an ETC management system, in which the engine speed will go to idle when the system sees signals from both the brake pedal and accelerator pedal at the same time; this is commonly known as the brake-throttle override system.After thoroughly assessing the material submitted by the petitioner, information already in the federal safety agency's possession, information submitted by Hyundai and Kia in response to an Information Request letter, and the potential risks to safety implicated by the petitioner's allegation, the federal safety agency does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. After full consideration of appropriate factors, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing the federal safety agency?s reasons for denial of the petition will be published.
DP21003
What 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
As I was driving my family home from a soccer match in denver to our home in breckenridge my car(hyundai, santa fe 2011) lost all power with out the engine dying. We were heading west and in the tunnel. It was extremely scary and put my family in danger. No warning lights have ever come up on my car before or after. This is the first time of many incidents that this has happened and not only when I have been driving but also my daughter, she has her permit! It doesn't just happen on the interstate but also around our community while driving. I have had it checked it out with my mechanic and they couldn't find the issue as the diagnostic came up with nothing. This is a serious safety hazard not only for myself but my family and others on the road.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 hyundai santa fe. While driving approximately 5 MPH and attempting to park, the engine suddenly revved very high, the rpms increased, and the vehicle attempted to accelerate. The driver immediately depressed the brake pedal and shut the engine off to prevent the vehicle from accelerating forward and crashing into a wall. The failure was not diagnosed or repaired. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The failure mileage was 123,279.
Traction control light comes on. Prevents shifter to go into park. Must rurn engine off on nuetral then turn car on to eliminate traction control error in order ro put shifter into park
2011 hyundai santa fe stalls, loses power, will not accelerate, gives no warning. This could cause a major accident and multiple deaths. This happens suddenly while driving along city streets and highways and while turning.
While driving at a rate of less than 5-10 mpg in heavy traffic on the 105 west freeway. The car suddenly lost power steering abilities and all power in the vehicle without notification lights or any other strange peculiarities. Both the check engine and oil lights went on. I managed to pull over with whatever residual power remaining as not to impede traffic but it was a terrifying struggle. The gears were also locked and unable to shift. I turned off the ignition and restarted the car. All the lights on the dashboard cleared and there are no diagnostics on the computer that reflect this problem. It is unknown what is causing the issue. Months prior (6 months) I was driving at a higher rate of speed (approx 30 MPH) on the same freeway, early morning, and the same problem also happened. This could have caused me to be rear ended badly or worse.
In october of this year, my 2011 hyundai santa fe lost all acceleration and the malfunction light came on while I was in the left lane of a major highway going the speed limit of 70 MPH. I was able to pull over to the right and get to safety, but it was a very dangerous situation and I and many others could have been killed. The same thing happened in 2012 and they supposedly fixed it. Since the first incident, there have been a couple of recalls dealing with this issue. I think it deals with the throttle body and the idle system. Obviously it is still a very dangerous car to drive. I believe you need to investigate this before someone dies.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 hyundai santa fe. The contact stated that after depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle experienced a period of unintended acceleration. As a result, the contact crashed into a brick wall. Prior to the failure, the vehicle was repaired under the federal safety agency campaign number: 13v113000 (exterior lighting, service brakes, hydraulic). The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained burns from the air bag and a neck injury which required medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000. The VIN was not available. Updated 01/12/16*lj updated 4/18/18*jb
Vehicle stalled when leaving stop light lost speed would not accelerate have read other complaints on line some are afraid to drive vehicles I agree saftey is an issue dealer or manufacture cannot find solution to problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 hyundai santa fe. While attempting to accelerate from a stationary position, the vehicle hesitated to move. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. The dealer was unable to duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 6,000.
Questions about the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe acceleration
Does the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe have acceleration problems?
Owners have filed 24 complaints about the acceleration of the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe, 13% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe acceleration problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 26,000 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe acceleration?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Hyundai Santa Fe have the most acceleration problems?
The Hyundai Santa Fe model years with the most acceleration complaints are 2007 (58 complaints), 2017 (54 complaints) and 2008 (52 complaints).
Other 2011 Hyundai Santa Fe problems
Engine 72Electrical 25Brakes 22Transmission 21Steering 20Suspension 16Lights 14Body 10Fuel system 8Airbags 7Driver assistance 7Visibility 6Wheels 4Locks 1Seat belts 1Tires 1
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