There are 15 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2010 Hyundai Elantrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I have a 2010 Hyundai elantra. Two times in the last 3 months I was driving and for no reason at all my car would rev up and my speed would accelerate. In October this happened I was so scared that I quickly turned into a gas station and was hit by another vehicle. The next time it happened I was lucky on the road that wasn't busy and I was able to just take my foot off the gas until it returned to normal. After that I had no more issues until about 2 weeks ago. I was driving around 30 miles an hour when the engine just shuts down. But the power was still there. I honestly don't know how to explain it. first I tried pressing the gas pedal nothing happened no movement, no sound, nothing. So I put the car and park because it was still in drive. After that I tried restarting car and it sounded like it wanted to start but it wouldn't. Try it again nothing. thinking it was a bad connection to the battery I got out and checked battery and terminals. It looked fine and I had no way of testing so I had to push my vehicle out of the street. Luckily Two Gentlemen came over and help me push. Thinking still it was just the battery I called roadside assistance and someone from the company came and tried jump starting my car with no luck. I ended up having to get my car towed. Next day I tried starting with no luck. Try it again yesterday and it makes this fast ticking or clicking noise automatically before I even try to start it and it doesn't stop until I turn off the key. And the worst part about all this is I'm not even in the town I live I'm at a friend's house sitting an hour and a half away from my apartment. I can't bring to a mechanic because it doesn't drive and I don't have the money to fix it. I won't be able to have Christmas with my family because of this issue. I'm honestly just dumbfounded I don't have a clue of what to do or what happened. Please file a report so no one else ends up in my situation if you could provide any help in this matter I would be grateful
The contact owned a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 mph, the accelerator pedal and brake pedal failed to respond. The vehicle began spinning and crashed into an embankment. There were no warning indicator lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to her residence. There were no reported injuries: air bag deployment, police report or fire. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company.
While driving uphill, I let my foot off the gas pedal to make an upcoming turn. The car continued to accelerate, the brake pedal wouldn’t stop the car. Neutral made engine race to red-line. Turned ignition off and used hand brake, damaging handbrake shoes. Had car towed to dealership in Debuque, Iowa. After a few days was told that the floor mat had come loose and wedged accelerator down. Removed mat. 24 months later car accelerated the same way, unwanted, with brake pedal not stopping the car. There is no car mat to get stuck. Turned ignition off and used handbrake. Will be bringing car to a mechanic.
AS THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED WHEN SLOWLY (<10 MILES/HR) TURNING INTO A PARKING PLACE IN A PARKING LOT OF A STRIP MALL PERPENDICULAR TO THE SIDE WALKS (DOUBLE SIDEWALK SEPARATED BY A RAILING) IN FRONT OF THE STORES, THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED THRU THE PARKING SPACE AND UP ON THE FIRST SIDEWALK (IT DID NOT RESPOND TO THE BRAKE PEDAL PRESSURE TO SLOW) AND KNOCKED DOWN THE RAILING SEPARATING THE FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALKS. THE DRIVER PULLED UP ON THE HANDBRAKE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE IT CROSSED THE SECOND SIDE WALK AND CRASHED INTO THE BARBERSHOP THUS PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE AND NO INJURY.
WHILE MY WIFE, LINDA, WAS DRIVING LESS THAN 1-2 MPH, TURNING INTO A PARKING SPACE, ALL OF A SUDDEN, THE ENGINE STARTED RACING AND LEAPED FORWARD. HITTING THE BRAKES HAD NO EFFECT ON STOPPING THE VEHICLE. SHE DESPERATELY TURNED THE WHEEL TO MISS PARKED CARS, A STEEL POLE WAS HIT AND TORN OUT OF THE GROUND BY THE RUNAWAY VEHICLE. FINALLY THE CAR CAME TO REST AFTER HITTING A LARGE CONCRETE LIGHT POLE, WHICH MUST HAVE STALLED OUT THE ENGINE. MY WIFE WAS IN A STATE OF SHOCK AND HAD TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL FOR TESTS / XRAYS. EVEN WITH THE SEAT BELT ON, SHE RECEIVED MAJOR IMPACT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL TO HER CHEST.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE STOPPED EVEN WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE STOPPED AND PARKED WHEN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE FAILURE HAD OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 42,000.
WHILE MAKING A TURN ONTO A BYPASS, VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD FASTER THAN SPEED APPLIED AND THEN RESUMED NORMAL. HAS HAPPENED INTERMITTENLY WHILE DRIVING 30 TO 40 MILES AN HOUR OTHER TIMES. DOES NOT HAPPEN OFTEN. *TR
APRIL 1ST 2014 AT APROX. 9:15AM WHILE PERFORMING AN EMERGENCY ACCELERATION IN A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA SE WITH APROX.103000 MILES CAR BECAME STUCK ACCELERATING AND CONTINUED TO DO ONCE FOOT WAS LIFTED FROM BOTH PEDALS. BRAKES WERE EFFECTIVE AT SLOWING VEHICLE BUT ENGINE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE AT FULL THROTTLE. TAPPING ACCELERATOR WAS TRIED AND WAS INEFFECTIVE. CAR WAS SHIFTED BY OPERATOR INTO NEUTRAL AND RED-LINED ON RPM. OPERATOR SLAMMED ACCELERATOR PEDDLE TO FLOOR AGAIN AND UNINTENDED ACCELERATION STOPPED AND CAR RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTION. NO CRUISE CONTROL WAS BEING USED, NO HAZARD WARNING SYMBOLS CAME ON. CAR WAS SHIFTED BACK TO DRIVE AND NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY OCCURRED. CAR ACCELERATED TO APROX 70MPH UNDER THESE CONDITIONS. CAR WAS BROUGHT TO A HYUNDAI DEALER FOR SERVICE A FEW HRS LATER WHO NOTED AND SHOWED CUSTOMER HOW OEM FLOOR MATS WHEN PROPERLY INSTALLED CAN POP UP AND TRAP ACCELERATOR PEDDLE DOWN IF ACCELERATOR PEDDLE IS FORCED TO FLOOR RAPIDLY. DEALER WAS ABLE TO DUPLICATE ISSUE AND REMOVED FLOOR MAT FROM MOUNTING ON FLOOR AND LEFT LOOSE IN DRIVER'S FOOT AREA. CUSTOMER PUT FLOOR MAT IN BACK SEAT TO AVOID ISSUES. *TR
HORN DOESN'T WORK IF HUMID OR RAINING ON LOCAL STREETS OR HIGHWAY. WHEN ON HIGHWAY USING SPEED CONTROL HAVE FELT SPEED PICKUP AFTER SETTING SPEED LIMIT. REPORTED TO COCONUT CREEK DEALERSHIP REPAIR COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG. TOLD ME NOT TO USE SPEED CONTROL.
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, I SUDDENLY HAD A UNINTENDED AND VERY RAPID ACCELERATION. WITH MY FOOT MASHING THE BRAKE PEDAL I WAS ABLE TO SLOW THE CAR ENOUGH TO COMPLETE THE PARK (IT DID NOT COMPLETELY STOP). I IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED THE TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND THE ENGINE REALLY REVVED UP. ONCE I WAS SURE THE CAR WAS NOT GOING ANYWHERE, I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE I WAS STEPPING ON THE BRAKE (AND NOT ON THE GAS PEDAL). I THEN TOUCHED THE GAS PEDAL (OR SHIFTED IN PARK) AND THE ENGINE WENT BACK TO NORMAL. I CHECKED THE FLOOR MAT AND IT WAS IN NORMAL POSITION. I HAD A SIMILAR BUT WAY LESS DRAMATIC (MUCH LOWER RPMS) A MONTH PREVIOUS. THE CAR ACTED FINE AFTER THIS. I REPORTED THIS TO HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA AND THEY ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER TO ME. I BROUGHT IT TO A HYUNDAI DEALER AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG. THIS EVENT WAS VERY TERRIFYING AND I AM NOT SURE I WANT TO DRIVE THIS CAR. *TR
THE CAR REVVING WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ON AND PUSHING ON THE BREAKS THEN NOT BEING ABLE TO PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE OR PARK. I HAD TO USE THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE TO JUST BE ABLE TO GET IT INTO PARK AFTER THAT. *TR
THE CRUISE CONTROL WILL NOT STAY ON. I'M NOT SURE WHY BUT IT DOESN'T WORK. THIS CAN SEEMS TO HAVE AS MANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES AS SOME OF THE WORST CARS I HAVE SEEN! ESC AND OTHER ISSUES ARE ENOUGH THAT I DON'T WANT ANOTHER HYUNDAI. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED WITH THE BRAKES APPLIED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A PORT-A-POTTY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED AT APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL AND PRESSED THE OFF BUTTON FOR THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DEACTIVATE YET THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT DEACTIVATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A METAL GUARDRAIL AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED FIFTY FEET FROM THE GUARD RAIL. THE CONTACT WAS UNINJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR BODY DAMAGE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A COMPLAINT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE FURTHER ASSISTANCE BUT INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A CRASH BOX. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,700.
WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS SET BETWEEN 40 AND 50MPH INSTEAD OF BEING SET AT THAT SPEED/MPH THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING TO 70MPH, ONLY WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES DID IT SLOW DOWN. THIS HAPPENED 5 TIMES IN THE PAST WEEK, AND I TESTED IT OUT AND IT HAPPENS MAYBE 5% OF THE TIME BUT NOT IN ANY RANDOM INCREMENT. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026