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Vehicle speed controlPart report

2012 Hyundai Santa FE Vehicle speed control Problems

Complaints
40about this part
Share
11%of 355 total for the year
Median mileage
16,000miles
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 40 complaints about the vehicle speed control of the 2012 Hyundai Santa FE, 11% of the 355 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 16,000 miles. 11 of these say a crash was involved, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“February 20,2015 about 7:30 in the evening as I was going up a grade towards a red light , my car surged forward when I was braking. I applied more pressure but the car did not stop until I threw it into park and had hit the car in front of me. I called 911 to report the accident. The car in front had some gate crack. My car had cracked plastic under the bumper and marks on the plastic part of the bumper.”

NHTSA complaint #10689747, filed 2015-02, 26,967 miles

“My Santa Fe Hyundai 2012 accelerated unintentionally when I was turning into a parking spot. I was making a right turn into the parking spot when it lurched full throttle over two bushes and knocked down a black iron fence and I pressed on the brakes and I was on the side walk. I could have hit a pedestrian! It was very frightening.”

NHTSA complaint #10475468, filed 2012-09, 5,500 miles

“I was turning right into a parking space, applied the brakes and the vehicle surged/accelerated. It went over a curb and hit another vehicle. When it stopped I looked down and my foot was indeed on the brakes, to the floor. A similar thing happened twice before. I was turning onto another street and the car felt like it surged. Fortunately both times there was no one in the other lane or in front of me.”

NHTSA complaint #10595387, filed 2014-06, 65,000 miles

“While changing lanes, there was a sudden lack of response while I was pressing on the accelerator. This only lasted a millisecond but was enough that I started to press down to complete the change when throttle response returned. I have had this happen about a dozen times in the 3 months since purchasing this auto.”

NHTSA complaint #10460952, filed 2012-06, 250 miles

“My vehicle is a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe with 131,000 miles. I was driving on the highway traveling about 65 MPH and lost power steering, power breaks, and speed control. My car began to slow and would not accelerate and was difficult to steer. Fortunately I had enough power/speed still to get over into the breakdown lane. I was able to use my directionals and hazard lights once on the side of the road. I shut off the car and attempted to start it again several times without success. The check engine light was on, as was the oil light and battery light. …”

NHTSA complaint #11164542, filed 2019-01, 131,000 miles

Vehicle speed control: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202638%
202586%
202485%
2023157%
2022168%
202174%
202052%
201952%
201855%
2017546%
201652%
201573%
2014275%
2013213%
20124011%
20112413%
2010218%
20095114%
20085210%
2007588%
20062019%
20054420%
20043913%
2003248%
2002159%
2001147%

Other parts of the 2012 Hyundai Santa FE

Engine
228 complaints
Electrical system
43 complaints
Brakes
29 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
24 complaints
Other or unknown
17 complaints
Steering
16 complaints
Exterior lighting
14 complaints
Suspension
14 complaints
Fuel system
12 complaints
Body and structure
8 complaints
Wheels
7 complaints
Air bags
6 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2012 Hyundai Santa FE

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology