Problems · by component
2004 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicle speed control problems
39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe cite vehicle speed control, 13% of all 303 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
39
13% of all complaints
Crashes
5
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
What owners say about the vehicle speed control
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“VEHICLE WAS SOLD WITHOUT TITLE OR DISCLOSURE DEALERSHIP TOOK MONEY REFUSE TO HEAR COMPLAINTS. CONTACT ME AS I AM HANDICAPPED AND HAVE NO TITTLE TRYING TO RETURN VEHICLE IT VEERED TOWARD DITCH AS THE VEHICLE IS INOPERABLE AND DANGEROUS PER DMV”
“2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 2.7 LITER ENGINE, HIGH IDLES AT 3,000 RPM ON START UP AND NEVER GOES DOWN EVEN WHEN ENGINE REACHES NORMAL OPERATING TEMPERATURE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NOT EVEN ACTING RIGHT SINCE THIS PROBLEM STARTED, THIS IS A HAZARD AND CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THE CAR SHOWS NO ENGINE CODES, OR TRANSMISSION CODES, IT HAS HAD LOWER INTAKE, UPPER INTAKE GASKETS CHANGED, IAC MOTOR CHANGED, THROTTLE POSITION SENSOR CHANGED, TEMPERATURE SENSOR CHANGED, CLEANED THROTTLE BODY BORE WHERE THROTTLE PLATE CLOSES, CHANGED VACUUM HOSES, MADE SURE THROTTLE CABLE AND CRUISE CONTROL CABLE WERE BINDING OR HOLDING THROTTLE OPEN, AND NONE OFF THESE THINGS HAVE HELPED. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS PROBLEM, MANY ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM, AND HAVE READ A FORUM THAT SAID HYUNDAI DOES NOT HAVE A FAIL SAFE MODE BUILT INTO THERE COMPUTERS LIKE MOST CARS DO SO THIS KIND OF SITUATION DOES NOT OCCUR. VEHICLE STILL NOT FIXED, AND HYUNDAI NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THERE ARE ANY FATALITIES FROM NEGLECT OF A KNOWN PROBLEM.”
“RECENTLY THE ENGINE THROTTLE STARTED TO REV UP AND WANTING TO ACCELERATEWHEN I AM GOIN VERY VERY SLOW STUCK IN TRAFFIC OR JUST DEIVING UNDER 30 MPH. I WOULD HAVE TO APPLY THE BRAKES VERY HARD AND THAT WOULDN'T WORK SO I WOULD HAVE TO PUT IT INTO NEUTRAL AND WAIT FOR THE THROTTLE TO CALM DOWN. I WENT TO MY MECHANICS AND THEY PUT THE COMPUTER MONITOR ON MY SANTA FE BUT NO CODES CAME UP SHOWING ANY PROBLEMS. THEY CHECKED THE THROTTLE CABLE AND IT WAS FINE. THEY TOLD ME THAT OTHER SANTA FE OWNERS EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM.”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO KEEP HER FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL IN ORDER TO AVOID CRASHING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED OFF, AND RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 02/12/16*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED.*JS”
“WHEN I PUT GAS IN MY CAR IT WILL NOT START AFTERWARD. FIRST IT STARTED ONLY WHEN MY CAR WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN I LEFT MY CAR RUNNING IT WAS OK. NOW IT TURNS OFF WHEN MY CAR IS RUNNING ALSO. THE MECHANIC SAID, IT MAY BE A BAD FUEL PUMP, COST $350 TO REPLACE, BUT CAN'T GUARANTEE THIS WILL FIX THE ISSUE. I SEE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS ISSUE. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?? I GOOGLE IT AND THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WITH SAME PROBLEM. ALSO WITH THE CAR ACCELERATING BY ITSELF. I THOUGHT I WAS CRAZY. I SEE NOW THAT OTHERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM AS WELL. EVERYONE SAID I IMAGINED IT. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?”
“THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RATE OF SPEED WHEN JUST TOUCHING THE GAS PEDAL. THE BRAKE MUST IMMEDIATELY BE ENGAGED TO SLOW THE CAR. ONCE THE CAR IS MOVING THE ACCELERATOR WORKS. WHILE CRUISING THE ENGINE RPM SURGES FORCING THE BRAKES TO BE ENGAGED.THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN TRAFFIC. THE PREVIOUS OWNER SAID THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS AND SHE JUST LIVED WITH IT. IT IS UNSETTLING TO HAVE A VEHICLE SURGE WHENEVER IT WANTS. *TR”
Showing 6 of 39 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.