What 741 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Hyundai Sonata

As I was pulling up to a gas pump, my car suddenly accelerated. Applied the brakes to stop but it kept accelerating. My choices were to hit the car in front of me or a snow bank. I chose the snow bank. Tons of damage to my car. Don’t have that info yet, though.

NHTSA ODI 11642344

HAD A NEAR DEATH INCIDENT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IN HEAVY RAIN WHEN THE CAR LOST TOTAL CONTROL, HYDRO-PLANED FROM THE 2ND TO LEFT LANE AND HIT THE CEMENT BARRICADE ON THE LEFT AND IN THE PROCESS THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKED ALONG WITH THE BRAKES AND WITH THAT IMPACT, RICOCHETED ALL THE WAY TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER OF A 4-LANE FREEWAY BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. FREEWAY IS 280 S (SAN FRANCISCO TO SAN JOSE). LOCATION WAS PALO ALTO, JUST A FEW MILES AFTER SAND HILL RD EXIT (MENLO PARK) WHERE THE FREEWAY IS JUST STRAIGHT FOR MILES WITHOUT ANY STEEP CURVES. HAVE DRIVEN SO MANY OTHER BRANDS OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS IN HEAVY RAIN ON THE SAME FREEWAY WITHOUT AN INCIDENT. THE CAR CANNOT HANDLE FREEWAY SPEEDS AND BECAME VERY UNSTABLE. COULD BE DEFECTIVE TIRES, THEIR TECHNOLOGY CONTROLLING THE WET TRACTION WHICH CAUSED HYDROPLANING ETC FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS IN PROXIMITY ELSE COULD HAVE BEEN A BIGGER ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 10823293

AS RPTD TO HYUNDAI MOTOR AMER. (HMA) VIA CUST. CARE LINE & PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION RPT. VEHICLE: 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA SE 2.0T SEDAN DETAILS OF INCIDENT: INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT. PARKING SPOT: PERPENDICULAR PARKING (PARK BETWEEN PAINTED LINES) CURB, SHRUBBERY AND WALL IN FRONT OF SPOT (IN THAT ORDER). APPROACHED PARKING SPOT, TOWARD FRONT OF PARKING SPOT APPLIED BRAKE. UPON APPLICATION OF THE BRAKE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LURCHED FORWARD --- FELT LIKE IT WAS FLYING --- WENT FORWARD AND OVER THE CURB AND STOPPED IN THE SHRUBBERY BEFORE THE WALL (DID NOT HIT THE WALL). SEAT BELT PREVENTED INJURY (HEAD MOVEMENT ONLY). FYI, NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT (GIVEN SITUATION I WOULD NOT EXPECT DEPLOYMENT). AFTER LANDING IN SHRUBBERY, REVERSED VEHICLE OUT AND BACK INTO PARKING SPOT. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE APPEARS TO BE ALL FRONT END (BUMPER, FENDERS, HOOD, UNDER FRONT END, POSSIBLY ENGINE). THERE IS SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO FRONT OF VEHICLE. AUG 4, 2014: RPTD TO CUST. CARE. AUG 11, 2014: HMA RECEIVED COMPLETED PIR PACKET & VEHICLE TOWED TO LOCAL DEALER. AUG 18, 2014: TOLD (BY SERVICE ADVISOR) VEHICLE PICKED UP FROM DEALER ON AUG 14, 2014 FOR 3RD PARTY ENGINEERING INSPECTION. HOWEVER, OWNER'S INSURER CONDUCTED CLAIMS EVALUATION ON AUG 15, 2014 AT SAME DEALER. AUG 20, 2014: 3RD PARTY INSPECTOR CALLED OWNER TRYING TO LOCATE VEHICLE. HYUNDAI CASE WORKER AND LOCAL SERVICE ADVISOR UNABLE TO LOCATE VEHICLE. AUG 25, 2014: 3RD PARTY INSPECTOR COMMITTED TO FIND CAR (ESTIMATED INSPECTION AND RELEASE DATE AUG 27, 2014). AUG 27, 2014: 3RD PARTY INSPECTOR FOUND CAR IN LOCAL DEALER'S SERVICE LOT (VEHICLE WAS LOST' FOR 2 WEEKS). 3RD PARTY INSPECTION COMPLETED SEP 2, 2014 AND VEHICLE RELEASED FOR BODY WORK REPAIRS. 3RD PARTY INSPECTOR WAS NOT AUTHORIZED TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION ON FINDINGS OF INSPECTION, EXPECTED TURNAROUND OF HMA REVIEW IS AN ADDITIONAL 2 WEEKS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10630203