What 1,551 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hev

B pillar separated from the frame during collision causing catastrophic intrusion into the cabin upon impact leading to death of the driver. No other occupants in the vehicle. Multiple investigators noted the B pillar failure upon inspection. Independent, certified crash reconstruction expert also noticed immediately that the B pillar had failed which caused cabin intrusion to an extraordinary degree considering the 2 vehicles involved were going less than 40mph. Vehicle is available for inspection. In addition, edr data reveals that although throttle was engaged, rpm's remained at idle up to the time of impact. Driver pushing on the gas and vehicle not responding.

NHTSA ODI 11494128

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO A CURB AND A HANDICAP SIGN. AFTERWARDS, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN REVERSE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. FAIRFAX HYUNDAI (10925 FAIRFAX BLVD, FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA 22030, (703) 352-0444) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH AND REQUESTED THAT A TEST DRIVE BE CONDUCTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A BODY REPAIR SHOP TO BE EVALUATED FOR THE DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 57,000.

NHTSA ODI 11141846

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER THE CONTACT'S FOOT WAS REMOVED FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED UNINTENDED ACCELERATION THAT RESULTED IN A FRONT END COLLISION. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,656.

NHTSA ODI 10948916

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED OR DIAGNOSED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE SIDESWIPED A TREE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES IN EITHER CRASH NOR WERE POLICE REPORTS FILED. THE UNINTENDED ACCELERATION RECURRED SPORADICALLY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 04/29/16*LJ *TR

NHTSA ODI 10840227

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE LUNGED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING, CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE, AND CRASHED INTO A POWER POLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING UP TO SPECIFICATIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000. UPDATED 04/13/16*LJ UPDATED CONSUMER STATED ON 1/31/16 DROVE TO CHURCH PULLED INTO PARKING SPOT WHILE BRAKING SLOWLY AND STOPPING WHEN CAT LURCHED OVER CURB AND SPED ACROSS CHURCH LOT HITTING 2 SIGNS AND ELECTRIC POLE BEFORE STOPPING- IN SEPT 2015- IT LUNGED AND TOOK IT TO DEALER TO HAVE OIL CHANGED AND HAD THEM OK THE PROBLEM- DEALER SAID NOTHING WAS ON WRONG. ON 10/15 WHEN PARKING CAR LUNGED AGAIN AND HIT A TREE- CONSUMER DID NOTHING, CONSUMER FIXED THE CAR HERSELF BECAUSE DEALER WOULD NOT ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. UPDATED 06/05/18*JB

NHTSA ODI 10837681

EMAIL LETTER FROM CONSUMER TO THE ADMINISTRATOR RE HYUNDAI'S FLOUTING OF THEIR AGREEMENT WITH NHTSA BY REFUSING TO HONOR THE SONATA RECALL FOR SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER HAD PLACED THE VEHICLE INTO PARK, WITH HER FOOT FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE VIOLENTLY LURCHED FORWARD AT SIGNIFICANT SPEED AND HIT AND BROKE A SPLIT-RAIL FENCE AND POST. *JB

NHTSA ODI 10838282

CAR ACCELERATED SUDDENLY AND COULD NOT BE STOPPED. I WAS IN A PARKING LOT AND BACKED UP TO LEAVE, ACCIDENTALLY HITTING A STORAGE CONTAINER WITH MY REAR BUMPER. I PUT CAR IN DRIVE TO MOVE FORWARD AND THE CAR ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL BY ITSELF TRAVELING FAST ABOUT 30 FEET. I TRIED TO BRAKE BUT COULD NOT STOP THE CAR. WE HIT A FENCE, MOVING THE FENCE ABOUT 5 FEET AND HIT THE CAR PARKED ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FENCE, SMASHING IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. WE HAD OUR SEAT BELTS ON AND WERE NOT INJURED BUT WITHOUT SEAT BELTS WE WOULD HAVE BEEN THROWN THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR ANYMORE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10630662

I HAD JUST PULLED INTO A SMALL RURAL PARKING LOT AND PARKED FACING A WOOD FENCE IN THE AFTERNOON. I HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AND PUT THE CAR INTO PARK. THE CAR SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD ABOUT TEN FEET, KNOCKING OVER A WOOD FENCE POST AND INCURRING $3,000 DAMAGE TO THE CAR. I STILL HAD MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, AND SLAMMED IT INSTANTLY AS THE CAR LURCHED. FORTUNATELY, NO PERSON WAS WALKING ALONG THE SIDEWALK, AND I HAD MY SEAT BELT IN PLACE. I INSISTED THE CAR BE TOWED TO THE NEAREST HYUNDAI DEALER RATHER THAN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP, SINCE I WANTED TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THIS ACCELERATION MALFUNCTION. THE DEALER SAID THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, OTHER THAN THE FRONT END DAMAGE. I INSISTED THAT HYUNDAI NATIONAL SEND OUT AN ENGINEER TO CHECK THE CAR. I HAVE ALSO FOUND A REPORT ON THE INTERNET FROM KMOV.COM NEWS IN ST. LOUIS 2/28/13, THAT THREE LOCAL OWNERS THERE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CASE DETAILED IN THE NEWS REPORT WAS EXACTLY LIKE MY EXPERIENCE OF SUDDEN LURCHING ACCELERATION FROM A PARKED POSITION, BUT THE HYUNDAI ENGINEER REPORTED NOTHING WAS WRONG. HOWEVER, OUR EXPERIENCE DOCUMENTS AN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION PROBLEM UNRELATED TO DRIVER ERROR. I HAVE TOLD HYUNDAI THAT I WILL ABSOLUTELY NOT CONTINUE TO DRIVE THIS CAR.

NHTSA ODI 10560988

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, HE APPLIED SLIGHT PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE SURGED FORWARD. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE WALL OF A GARAGE AS A RESULT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP FOR INSPECTION BUT THE FAILURE WAS UNKNOWN AT THE MOMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,500. UPDATED 07/13/12 *BF

NHTSA ODI 10458935

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, HIS FOOT WOULD SWELL, CAUSING HIM TO PAY LESS ATTENTION TO THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT ONLY EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING HIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10444386