What 194 owners told NHTSA about the 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe Phev

I was at a standstill waiting for oncoming traffic to pass with my foot on the brake and all of a sudden the car accelerated and the forward collision warning fail to come on and I hit a trailer because of it

NHTSA ODI 11731625

I parked my 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe in a hospital parking garage on the morning of July 30, 2024. I was getting ready to leave after my doctor’s appointment. I slowly reversed my car and hit a pillar behind me. As I put the car into drive to come forward slowly, the car accelerated forward at a very fast speed. I took my foot off of the gas and kept pressing the brake pedal, but the car kept speeding forward on its own and I crashed headfirst into a concrete wall. The impact cracked the concrete barrier on the outside of the parking garage. The air bags deployed, causing fractures in my sternum and L1 vertebrae. This accident occurred near the elevators/stairs and cars were all around. IF a person had been walking in my path to get to their car, he/she would have been severely hurt or killed. I was able to frantically steer the accelerating car into a handicap parking space and crash into the concrete wall, thus avoiding other cars. If that space was not available, my car could have crashed into another car with people inside. We were just told that the car is going to be totaled. If necessary, it could be inspected before that happens. I thought that I was going to die… the car was out of control. I do not want this to happen to others with this type of car…or put others in its path at risk.

NHTSA ODI 11605859

On Thursday, May 11, 11:45 am, I experienced a distressing incident at Moulton Elementary School in Laguna Niguel, CA, 92677. my car was parked near the school building, with the engine turned off and the gear set to park. I was there to pick up my children, and at that time, nobody was inside the vehicle. Unexpectedly, my car started moving backward as if in neutral gear, despite being in park mode. I estimate I was approximately 10 feet from the vehicle in front of the school building. The situation was alarming because numerous children were nearby, which could have resulted in a tragedy. Thankfully, no one was injured or hit by the moving vehicle. Instinctively, I attempted to stop the car by using my entire body to push against it. Unfortunately, my efforts were unsuccessful, and as a result, I sustained severe back pain. I have been on bed rest for the past five days due to the discomfort caused by the incident. Subsequently, the vehicle collided with another car, which belonged to a teacher. The incident shocked everyone, and the reason behind the car's unexpected movement remains unclear. Later, I discovered through online research that my car was actually on the recall list, but I had not been informed of this beforehand. As a result of the incident, we contacted the police, and they arrived at the scene can confirm that the car was indeed in park gear during the incident. It is vital to investigate this matter thoroughly to determine the cause of the vehicle's accidental movement and prevent future accidents. I hope that this statement provides a clear account of the accident that occurred at Moulton Elementary School. I strongly urge authorities and the involved parties to take immediate action to address the issues surrounding my car's movement and prevent any similar incidents from happening again.

NHTSA ODI 11522585

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was not able to stop immediately while the brake pedal was depressed, causing his vehicle to rear-end another vehicle. The failure recurred on a separate occasion while the contact's husband was driving, and the brakes failed to stop the vehicle from crashing into their daughter's residence. The air bags did not deploy in either collision. No injuries were sustained and no medical attention was received for either collision. No police report was filed for either collision. The contact's husband was able to drive the vehicle away from both the scenes of the collisions. The vehicle's front end was damaged; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.

NHTSA ODI 11463518