NHTSA Complaint #10507395 — 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

THIS COMPLAINT INVOLVES THE INTERMITTENT TOTAL LACK OF ENGINE POWER WITH NO THROTTLE RESPONSE. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE ENGINE DOES NOT STALL NOR DO ANY INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS COME ON. FOR TWO TO FOUR SECONDS, THERE IS ABSOLUTE SILENCE AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE ENGINE SPRINGS TO LIFE AND, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU HAVE YOUR FOOT ON THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE PROCEEDS OR LURCHES FORWARD. ALL THREE INCIDENTS WERE WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY IN GROCERY STORE PARKING LOTS, INVOLVING SEVERAL STOP AND GO INCIDENTS THROUGH SLOW MOVING TRAFFIC. THE FIRST INCIDENT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE AND I THOUGHT THE ENGINE STALLED. I WAS GOING TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL FOR A RESTART, BUT BEFORE I COULD, THE ENGINE CAME BACK TO LIFE AND I NEARLY REAR-ENDED THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE SECOND INCIDENT WAS WHEN LEAVING THIS SAME PARKING LOT, EXCEPT I WAS ENTERING A DIVIDED HIGHWAY, EXPECTING TO MERGE INTO 55+MPH TRAFFIC, WHEN THE LOSS OF ENGINE OCCURRED AGAIN. LUCKILY I AVOIDED BEING HIT BY ONCOMING VEHICLES AND WAS ABLE TO GET IN TO THE NEXT OPENING AFTER THE ENGINE AGAIN CAME BACK TO LIFE ON IT'S OWN. THE LATEST INCIDENT TOOK PLACE IN A DIFFERENT MARKET PARKING LOT. I WAS IN A LINE OF VEHICLES STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE MARKET WHERE PEDESTRIANS CROSS. THE TRUCK AHEAD OF ME PROCEEDED THROUGH AND WHEN I STARTED TO COME UP TO THE STOP SIGN, THE ENGINE DIED, BUT RESTARTED IT SELF AS BEFORE. MY FOOT WAS APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY DOWN ON THE ACCELERATOR AND WHEN EVERYTHING ENGAGED, THE FRONT TIRES SCREECHED AND STARTLED SEVERAL PEOPLE IN THE CROSS WALK, ALONG WITH MYSELF. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO BRAKE QUICKLY AND AVERT A POSSIBLE DISASTER. THIS SITUATION IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I CAN FORESEE THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS MANY MORE OF THESE SAME VEHICLES ARE PRONE TO THIS SAME DEFECT. THANK YOU. *TR