2026 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid

I was driving through a high school pick-up line where traffic was moving slowly. My vehicle was operating on adaptive cruise control, and I had my foot resting on the brake in case I needed to stop. A woman was about to cross the street, so I tapped the brakes. The vehicle did not slow down as it should have and instead began accelerating. I immediately pressed down on the brakes as hard as I could, but the vehicle continued accelerating and did not respond to my braking. There were vehicles stopped in front of me, so I attempted to steer around the vehicle directly in front of me to avoid a direct collision. The vehicle continued forward and collided with two other vehicles before coming to a stop after striking a wall. Based on what I experienced, both the adaptive/assistive cruise control and the vehicle’s braking response failed during this incident. Prior to the incident, the vehicle had been operating normally, with no warning lights, error messages, or other symptoms indicating a problem. Police and paramedics responded to the scene. I was not issued a citation. A police report was completed, and my insurance company, dealership, and lien holder have been notified. There were multiple witnesses to the incident. The vehicle remains available for inspection at the tow yard listed above.

The contact owns a 2026 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while the vehicle door was open, the vehicle shifted into reverse and accelerated in reverse at 30 MPH. The vehicle traveled into a wooded area and the rear of the vehicle struck a tree. The vehicle was towed to a certified collision center, where it was pending an official total loss determination by the insurance company. The contact, who was standing at the vehicle door at the time of the failure, sustained external injuries, including facial scratches, bruises, a headache, and back pain. The contact was transported by ambulance to a hospital for medical treatment. A police report was filed. The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that the vehicle should not have been able to change gears while the door was open. The failure mileage was approximately 80.