There are 15 owner-reported speed control & cruise complaints for the 2010 Hyundai Santa Fein NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Driving approximately 70-75mph on highway with cruise control set. Car starts to make rattling sound & engine warning light goes on, car struggles to accelerate and hovers around 60mph. Upon inspection of engine oil in car, fresh oil has been burned up quickly! Added 1 quart. Drove 45mins at 70-75mph. Notice Engine light on again. Check engine oil. Had quickly burned through 1qt! Add new quart of oil. Let car rest overnight. Driving 70mph without use of cruise control. Then use cruise control. After a bit car engine sounds of rattling & struggling to accelerate. RPM gauge seen going up & down. Through rear view mirror I see lots of bluish smoke. Pull over to let engine rest. Check oil = still 3/4. Use engine dectection device. Indicates that cylinders 3 &4 misfiring. Reset car warning indicator with my detection device. Finish drive going 60mph to arrive at destination without car engine warning going back on.
ON 6/17/2018 @ APPROXIMATELY 5:00PM WHILE DRIVING MY SANTA FE, I BEGAN TO HAVE SURGING POWER. I ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT COULD NOT. I WOULD SLOW DOWN ONLY TO SPEED RIGHT BACK UP AS IF I HAD PUSHED THE RESUME BUTTON, I HAD NOT. I ATTEMPTED TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL HOWEVER MY GEER SHIFTER WAS LOCKED INTO DRIVE & I COULDN'T GET THE SHIFTER OUT OF DRIVE. AT TIMES THE CAR WOULD START TO SLOW DOWN AFTER PU MPING THE BREAKS ONLY TO HAVE A SURGE OF POWER AGAIN. AS I WAS DRIVING, I CAME UP TO A SHARP CURVE & WASN'T ABLE TO SLOW DOWN THEREFORE I ENDED UP ROLLING THE SUV & FURTHER SLAMMING TO A LARGE HILL. I WAS INJURED IN THIS ACCIDENT DUE TO ROLLING MY CAR! THIS HAPPENED BC I BELIEVE THE CRUISE CONTROL GOT STUCK & LOCKED UP MY TRANSMISSION!!! I ALSO COULDN'T TURN THE KEY OFF SINCE THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE.
ON MONDAY, JULY 14, 2014, MY WIFE RODE HER SANTA FE ON A STRAIGHT ROAD ACCELERATING SLIGHTLY UPHILL WHEN THE ENGINE STALLED. ON THURS. DEC. 5, 2013, I HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE, WHICH I REPORTED TO YOU AT THE TIME. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS CAR. AGAIN NOBODY TOUCHED THE IGNITION KEY WHICH HAS NOTHING HANGING ON IT EXCEPT THE ALARM AND DOOR LOCK DONGLE. MY WIFE ALSO SUDDENLY LOST POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES, AND LUCKILY THERE WAS NO OTHER TRAFFIC, WHICH COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. SHE WAS ABLE TO BRING THE CAR TO A SAFE STOP AND THEN WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND CONTINUE HER TRIP. THE 2010 CAR HAD A FULL TANK OF GAS AND HAS ABOUT 50000 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. IT'S AWD AND HAS A 6 CYL. ENGINE. COULD THIS BE RELATED TO THE IGNITION SWITCH PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED SO MANY GM CARS? NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ARE WORRIED DRIVING THE CAR BECAUSE IF THIS INCIDENT OCCURS AT HIGH SPEED, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD BE THE RESULT. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY SIMILAR EXPERIENCE? WHAT DO YOU ADVISE? [XXX] PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
I HAD JUST PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY OF A HOUSE I OWN THAT I RENT; I WAS THERE TO MEET MY TENANTS TO DISCUSS A COUPLE OF REPAIRS THAT NEEDED TO BE DONE IN THE HOUSE. I WAS SLOWING THE CAR WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS I APPROACHED THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY BY THE SIDE DOOR OF THE HOUSE. THEN I HEARD A SUDDEN, EXTREMELY LOUD ENGINE NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE REVVING VERY FAST AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED. I WAS PROPELLED FORWARD ABOUT 50 FEET INTO THE BACK YARD AND CRASHED INTO SOME LILAC BUSHES DIRECTLY AHEAD OF ME AND INTO THE STEEP DIRT BANK BEHIND THE BUSHES, WHICH STOPPED THE CAR. THERE IS NO GARAGE AND THE DRIVEWAY ENDS WHERE THE LAWN BEGINS. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR IS QUITE DAMAGED AND THE VEHICLE IS PRESENTLY IN THE DEALER'S REPAIR GARAGE. ON THE INTERNET, MY SON FOUND MANY REPORTS OF INCIDENTS OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION FOR THE HYUNDAI SANTA FE FOR MY MODEL YEAR AND FOR OTHER RECENT YEARS AND HE SUGGESTED I FILE THIS REPORT WITH THE NHTSA. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE UPHILL, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, SHIFTED OUT OF DRIVE AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE. AS THE CONTACT APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
DEC 16, 2011 AROUND 9:45AM MY HUSBAND AND I HAD JUST PICKED MY SISTER AND BROTHER IN LAW UP FROM THE AIRPORT AND HAD DECIDED ON GRABBING SOME BREAKFAST FROM WAFFLE HOUSE. I HAD COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO TURN RIGHT INTO THE RESTAURANT PARKING LOT; I THEN DROVE ABOUT 15 FEET GOING MAYBE 5 MPH TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO THEN TURN RIGHT TO GET READY TO ENTER INTO THE PARKING SPOT. ONCE I RELEASED MY FOOT FROM THE BREAK (NOT NEEDING TO APPLY THE GAS AS MY PARKING WAS MAYBE 20 FEET TO MY RIGHT AND THE CAR SHOULD ACCELERATE AT A LOW SPEED ON ITS OWN) THE 2010 SANTA FE TOOK OFF AT AN ALARMING SPEED I PRESSED MY FOOT ALL WAY BACK DOWN ON THE BRAKE BUT THE CAR DID NOT STOP. I THEN LOOKED DOWN TO SEE IF MY FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE IT WAS DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE SANTA FE WENT OVER THE PARKING SPOT AND INTO THE BUSHES THEN STOPPED ITSELF. THANK GOD BECAUSE THE ROAD WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BUSHES. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A VEHICLE DOING THIS? I THEN CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT HYUNDAI WHERE I PURCHASED MY CAR AND WAS TOLD THAT ONLY HAPPENS TO TOYOTA THAT THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF IT HAPPENING TO THEIR VEHICLES. MY HUSBAND AND I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE E-MAILED AND REVIEWED OF THE PHOTOS WITH MARK ODAT AND 2 OTHER MANAGERS SHOWING THE DAMAGE THAT ACCRUED WHILE GOING OVER THE CEMENT CURB. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY DAMAGES UNDER MY CAR, I NOTICED SCRATCHES TO THE PAINT AND A BENT LICENSE PLATE (WHICH I BENT BACK INTO PLACE). I HAD BROUGHT MY SANTA FE UP TO THE DEALERSHIP BACK IN LATE AUGUST OR EARLY SEPTEMBER 2011 WITH A COMPLAINT AND SPOKE DIRECTLY TO THE SERVICE MANAGER JR THAT TWICE WHEN I WAS ON MY TRIP FROM HOUSTON, TX TO ATLANTA, GA WHEN USING THE CRUISE CONTROL ONCE I TOUCHED THE BRAKE TO TURN THE CRUISE CONTROL OFF THE SANTA FE WOULD ACCELERATE INSTEAD OF DECELERATE AND THAT IT HAD A HARD TIME GOING UP HILLS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STOPPED, THE VEHICLE STALLED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE AT A STOP AND ATTEMPTING THE ACCELERATE, THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE ACCELERATING EXCESSIVELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SIX DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING FROM THE COMPLETE STOP THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOOR AND THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED FORCEFULLY WITH THE SOUND OF SCREECHING TIRES. THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY MOMENTS LATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOUR TIMES WHEN EACH FAILURE OCCURRED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE VEHICLE FUNCTIONED NORMALLY AND THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SMART PEDAL SYSTEM WHICH WAS A SAFETY FEATURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 24,000.
2001 HYUNDAI SANTA FE LURCHES WHEN GEAR IS PUT TO DRIVE, OR WHEN DRIVING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEEDS WHERE IT IS WORST (FEELING THAT WE JUST GOT REAR ENDED). STARTED ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO. THIS HAPPENED BEFORE, ABOUT 3 TO 4 YEARS AGO, AND WAS DIAGNOSED AND HAVE REPLACED THE INPUT/OUTPUT SPEED CONTROL BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS SEEMS TO BE A RAMPANT PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED SOON BECAUSE IT IS BIG SAFETY ISSUE. *TR
EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN JERKING OF SANTA FE 2010. DURING THE PAST MONTH OR SO, THIS PROBLEM HAD OCCURRED FEW TIMES WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED DURING THE WARM UP PERIOD. CAR WAS BROUGHT IN THE HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND IS BEING INVESTIGATED AND REPAIRED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS ENGAGED IT TOOK 3-4 SECONDS BEFORE THE VEHICLE WOULD RESPOND. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD ACCELERATE WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 7,500.
FROM STOP,MAKING LEFT TURN, LOST ALL POWER MOMENTARILY, RPM DROPPED TO IDLE. PRESSING ACCELERATOR DID NOTHING, FINALLY ENGINE CAME BACK AND ACCELERATED WILDLY. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE FROM A COMPLETE STOP AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL 4 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE RESPONDED. THE MALFUNCTION RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS, WHO WAS UNABLE TO GENERATE A TROUBLE CODE. THE DEALER PERFORMED AN UNKNOWN REPAIR HOWEVER, THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE PRESSURE WHEN TURNING FROM A RESTING STOP. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO RETRIEVE A CODE DESCRIPTION FROM THE VEHICLES OBDII TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THEY DEALER REPLACED THE AWD MODULE AND PERFORMED AN UPDATE FOR THE VEHICLES ACCELERATIONS RESPONSE
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