NHTSA Complaint #11217433 — 2014 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID

I WAS DRIVING 20 MPH STRAIGHT DOWN A FLAT RESIDENTAL STREET. A LOUD DASH ALARM SOUNDED IN MY 2014 HYUNDAI SONADA HYBRID. THE DASH DISPLAYED "HYBRID SYSTEM WARNING, SAFELY STOP AND DO NOT DRIVE" . BELOW THE WARNING A YELLOW CAUTION TRIANGLE DISPLAYED. I ATTEMPTED TO GIVE THE VEHICLE GAS, SO I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE ENGINE ACTED LIKE IT HAD NO POWER. A BLINKING GREEN "READY" LIGHT WAS DISPLAYED. THE ECO GUIDE DISPLAY WAS MOVING UP AND DOWN FROM THE TOP TO BOTTOM. I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND BEGAN BRAKING. THE BRAKES FELT MUSHY AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING. WITHIN A FEW SECONDS THE VEHICLE SHOOK AND WAS THE ENGINE WAS REVVING UP AND DOWN BUT LIKE IT WAS OUT OF GEAR. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 10-15 SECONDS, I LOST THE POWER STEERING AND THE IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. I AGAIN TRIED BRAKING BUT THE BRAKES JUST FELT MUSHY AND WERE NOT STOPPING THE VEHICLE. I CONTINUED COASTING DOWN THE ROAD AND EVENTUALLY USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED I SHUT IT OFF AND ATTEMPTED TO STARTED THE VEHICLE AGAIN. THE GREEN "READY" LIGHT DISPLAYED ON THE DASH AS WELL AS THE WARNING LIGHTS. THE VEHICLE WOULD TURN ON BUT NOT START AGAIN. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN NEUTRAL AND HAD SEVERAL PEOPLE PUSH ME TO THE CURBSIDE. THE BRAKES WERE VERY MUSHY AND ALMOST NON-EXISTENT. I AGAIN USED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP IT. I NOTIFIED MY LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER AND ADVISED I WOULD BE TOWING THE VEHICLE TO THEM. I HAD JUST CAME OFF THE FREEWAY AND HAD THIS HAPPENED A FEW MINUTES EARLIER, I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. I BELIEVE THIS ISSUE COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. IT WAS LITERALLY TERRIFYING TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE THE WAY THIS OCCURRED. THERE WAS NO PRIOR WARNING OF AN ISSUE AND NOT ENOUGH TIME TO REACT ONCE THE WARNING SYMBOL WAS DISPLAYED.