NHTSA Complaint #10478211 — 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

ON FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2012 AT APPROXIMATELY 9:30AM I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT AT THE HEB GROCERY STORE ON I45 AT 646 IN LEAGUE CITY, TX WHEN THE ENGINE ON MY 2001 HYUNDAI ELANTRA REVVED AND ROARED VERY LOUDLY AND SURGED INTO THE PICKUP TRUCK PARKED IN THE OPPOSITE SPOT. AT THE TIME I DID NOT HAVE MY FOOT ON EITHER THE GAS PEDAL OR BRAKE. I STOMPED ON THE BRAKE BUT NOTHING HAPPENED-IT JUST KEPT REVVING AND SURGING FORWARD. I SHOVED THE STICK INTO PARK AND LUCKILY IT STOPPED. MY CAR WAS NOW IN THE SPACE THE PICKUP TRUCK HAD BEEN PARKED IN, AND THE PICKUP TRUCK WAS SHOVED OUT INTO THE DRIVING LANE BETWEEN PARKING SECTIONS. I AM EXTREMELY THANKFUL THAT NO ONE WAS IN THE PICKUP OR WALKING BY OR LOADING GROCERIES NEARBY AND NO ONE WAS HURT. I WAS SO FRIGHTENED I WAS SHAKING AND COULD BARELY DIAL 911 ON MY CELL PHONE. THE PICKUP HAD MINOR DAMAGE TO ITS REAR BUMPER, AND MY CAR HAD CRUSHING DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END (HOOD AND BUMPER CRUMPLED, GRILLE CRACKED, 1 HEADLIGHT BROKEN) AND A LARGE PUFF OF WHITE SMOKE POURED OUT BRIEFLY (NO FIRE). THE POLICE CASE# IS 12-4584 AND THE STATE FARM INSURANCE CLAIM# IS 53-195C-229. THE CAR WAS TOWED BY AAA TO STAR TOYOTA COLLISION CENTER AT 2112 GULF FREEWAY IN LEAGUE CITY, TX. I AM AWAITING THEIR EVALUATION ON THE DAMAGE AND HAVE BEEN TOLD IT MAY BE TOTALED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR, ALTHOUGH IT ONLY HAS 55,000 MILES ON IT. EVEN IF THE CAR CAN BE REPAIRED, I AM WORRIED THAT THE REVVING COULD HAPPEN AGAIN. THE INTERNET HAS NUMEROUS SITES LISTING THE SAME TYPE OF REVVING/SURGING PROBLEMS WITH HYUNDAI ELANTRAS BUT DOESN'T LIST A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM. WHAT CAN I DO IN REGARDS TO THIS SCARY EVENT? IS THIS A MAJOR VEHICLE PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL ? I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED AND WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AS TO WHAT THE NEXT STEP SHOULD BE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR