2011 Hyundai Sonata: sudden unintended acceleration

Filed Sep 12, 2025 · Engine · TX

I would like to file a complaint regarding a serious engine issue with my vehicle. At times, when I put the car in reverse, the engine suddenly accelerates on its own without pressing the gas pedal. This unexpected acceleration creates a dangerous situation and increases the risk of an accident. I request that this matter be investigated for potential safety defects to prevent harm to drivers and passengers.

Filed Jan 8, 2024 · Acceleration · NY

On 1/3/2024 the car was at a low speed - once when parking and once stopping at an intersection - when it suddenly accelerated without the accelerator being touched. The only way that the car stopped was that I was able to shift it into neutral. According to online forums, this has been a known issue with several Kia and Hyundai models.

Filed Sep 7, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · PA

The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V934000 (Engine, Fuel System, Gasoline) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the vehicle would accelerate whenever the volume for the radio is turned up. The vehicle would suddenly accelerate inadvertently when other functions of the vehicle were activated. The vehicle also suddenly stalled at various speeds, causing the contact to turn off and then restart the vehicle several times to regain normal functionality. The brakes also failed intermittently. The vehicle displayed a warning light however, the contact was unsure of the meaning. The failure mileage was unknown due to odometer fraud that was linked with the vehicle. Parts distribution disconnect.

Filed May 11, 2020 · Fuel system · 150,000 miles · AL · crash

I pulled into my driveway and as I put on the brake the car suddenly accelerated. There are skids marks on the cement showing the front wheels were locked from braking but the car continued to push me forward into the back of my ford ranger.. The engine was revving and since braking was not stopping the car I shoved it into park. The car came to a halt but the engine was still revving and did not stop until I turned off the motor. An article on autowise.com dated 10/26/2019 refers to this problem as "hyundai's secret acceleration problems" and there are a lot of comments from about 40 different people talking about this type of problem. This happened to me once before but not with no damage. This could have been fatal if I had been in any other situation. It is time for a federal recall.

Filed Sep 26, 2019 · Transmission · 83,300 miles · HI

When changing gears from park into reverse, the gear indicator symbol on the dash disappeared and the car stopped moving and appeared to slip into a neutral or a non-gear. After putting the car into park, shutting the car off, and restarting the car seemed to help however when putting the car into drive the car jumped forward.

Filed Jun 21, 2019 · Engine, Seat belts · 130,000 miles · NV

I was initiating to park my car and it accelerated on its own and took me and my daughter over a curb. As it took us over a curb , her seatbelt unbuckled and caused her car seat to flip over.

Filed Sep 21, 2018 · Fuel system · 102,381 miles · PA · crash

My wife was making a u-turn in a friends driveway when for an unknown reason the car accelerated on its own propelling her down over a steep embankment landing in the creek below. Fortunately she was not injured but the car was deemed beyond repair by the insurance company. We notified hyundai about this situation and they gave us a file # and requested more information by fax or email. Since emailing them we have not heard back and have not been able to contact them, only getting a message that the voice mail box is full. Our insurance company was holding the car for them so they could inspect it, of which hyundai said they wanted to do, but after ten attempts by the insurance company to reach the hyundai representatives they can no longer hold the car.

Filed Mar 22, 2018 · Acceleration, Airbags · PA · crash

2011 hyundai sonata. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle sudden acceleration. *smd the consumer stated the vehicle suddenly accelerated and caused an accident. The airbags did not deploy.

Filed Jan 6, 2017 · Acceleration, Engine · 60,000 miles · PA

Tl* the contact owns a 2011 hyundai sonata. While driving 25 MPH and making a left turn, the rpms increased independently and the vehicle lunged forward without warning. In addition, once the vehicle was placed in park, the rpms continued to increase and then decreased. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 60,000.

Filed Apr 8, 2016 · Acceleration · 90,000 miles · MI

Cruise control wont engage. Buttons for cruse control intermently work. When and if cruise control does engage buttons cancel,set, +/- speed may or may not operate. Setting cruise control and increasing or decreasing accelerator speed may or may not engage. May have no control if unintended acceleration hapens. No control of speed and settings. Numerous sonata ownwers are having this problem. Google problem and its well know. What is hyundai doing to prevent or fix the problem if and when unintended accleration occurs. Or is hyundai going to wait untill someone mentions class action lawsuit like in the replacement of sonata engines.....

Filed May 5, 2015 · Steering · 140,000 miles · CA

I believe my problem started since I purchased the car in aug-2010. On the third day of purchase I returned to the dealer cause I noticed that on the freeway it lend to the right, nothing was done. This continued for severe months along with different exam & testing nothing ever conform a problem. About july of 2014 driving 80mph (to avoid being hit) I noticed steering wheel vibrated violently, since I had never driven over 75mph this problem was unknown to me. I thought it was the road or the sudden acceleration. Recently on april 27,2015 driving to work I noticed that no matter what speed over 50mph I was going, it cause the steering wheel to shake violently like if I have a flat. When car was checked I was told that the issue is in the steering column something bent/cracked. My car was manufacture on july 2, 2010 in alabama, a friend told me about a recall on 2011 sonata's. But when I called dealer I was told my car was not one of the recall ones. I don't understand how or who decides which car should be on the list, if a problem occurs in a specific time period shouldn't all vehicles be given the same importance. Safety should always be first before $$ doesn't hydundai know that this is how you keep families coming back. I had planned to purchase one for my daughter who is graduating in june but will have to rethink that . I love my car but not if safety is a issue, hydundai really needs to re-look at this problem!

Filed Nov 4, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 50,000 miles · NJ

In may 2014, while driving at about 40 MPH, maybe 1200 RPM, my engine suddenly accelerated to 4500-5000 RPM, without a simultaneous rise in speed. A week or two later, the car did the same, under about the same conditions. The dealer could find no faults or codes, and could not duplicate the occurrence; not surprising since it was sporadic. The problem continued, with considerably more frequency; almost daily. Again I took it to the dealer in late july (mccafferty hyundai, langhorne, pa), and while a technician was driving with me, the engine raced again. They told me that there was a tech bulletin on this problem, and they would repair the car. The problem was in a module and needed recoding. At least that's what I thought they said. That repair seemed to cure the problem, until september, when a single occurrence happened. I though this was maybe a fluke, but the problem happened several more times in the following weeks. Today, 11/4/14, after several days in the dealer's shop, an insurance service tech said he could find no problem. I am now afraid to drive this car. While the car does not accelerate, maybe it's just a matter of time when the racing engine will cause severe acceleration and a subsequent accident.