I have a 2010 Hyundai elantra. Two times in the last 3 months I was driving and for no reason at all my car would rev up and my speed would accelerate. In October this happened I was so scared that I quickly turned into a gas station and was hit by another vehicle. The next time it happened I was lucky on the road that wasn't busy and I was able to just take my foot off the gas until it returned…
2010 Hyundai Elantra cruise control problems
severe Owners of the 2010 Hyundai Elantra have filed 15 NHTSA complaints about the cruise control, typically surfacing around 42,000 miles at roughly $600 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See cruise control across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
15
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$600
| Model year | cruise control complaints |
|---|---|
| 2006 Elantra | 6 |
| 2007 Elantra | 8 |
| 2008 Elantra | 12 |
| 2009 Elantra | 18 |
| 2010 Elantra (this page) | 15 |
| 2011 Elantra | 15 |
| 2012 Elantra | 14 |
| 2013 Elantra | 29 |
| 2014 Elantra | 18 |
6crashes
1injury
What stands out
No new NHTSA cruise control complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners of this 2010 Elantra describe two overlapping categories of failure: unintended acceleration that overwhelms the brakes, and cruise control that either won't shut off or overshoots its set speed.
On unintended acceleration, multiple owners report sudden engine revs and forward lunge while their foot was on the brake or not on the throttle at all. Brake pedal input had no effect; shifting to neutral only caused the engine to redline. Two owners later found their OEM floor mats had come loose and wedged the accelerator pedal down—one dealer confirmed this and removed the mat. However, one of those owners reported the exact same problem recurring 24 months later with no floor mat in the car. Other owners' cases went undiagnosed at dealerships despite dealer attempts.
For cruise control, one owner set it between 40–50 mph but the vehicle climbed to 70 mph; only applying the brakes worked, and it happened roughly 5% of the time. Another owner engaged cruise at 65 mph, pressed the off button and brake pedal, but cruise would not disengage—the vehicle hit a guardrail. A third owner reported cruise control simply won't stay engaged. One complaint also mentions cruise control revving the engine when brakes are applied, then locking the transmission in gear so the driver had to use the shift lock override.
Crashes, injuries, and rollovers resulted. Dealers either found nothing or, in one case, recommended not using cruise control. Hyundai assigned a case number but offered no fix.
Same Hyundai Elantra cruise control reports on nearby years: 2008 · 2009 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013
Failure modes owners describe
Unintended Acceleration – Pedal Trap
Engine revs and vehicle accelerates unexpectedly; owners report foot not on gas or foot on brake, with brake pedal ineffective at slowing vehicle. Multiple owners identified floor mats wedged under accelerator pedal as cause; one owner had recurrence after mat was removed.
When: Various mileages reported: 6,000 miles, 42,000 miles, 50,000 miles, 103,000 miles. Incidents occur during normal driving, parking maneuvers, and emergency situations.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine rev-up without driver input; Rapid unintended acceleration; Brake pedal ineffective or unresponsive; Vehicle will not slow down when brake applied; Engine redlines when shifted to neutral; No warning lights or fault codes
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer identified and corrected floor mat entanglement in at least two cases by removing or repositioning mat. One owner used emergency brake to stop vehicle and damaged brake shoes. Multiple cases went undiagnosed at dealership.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai assigned case number to one owner but could find nothing wrong. Informed one owner vehicle not equipped with crash box. Advised one owner not to use speed control. No recalls or TSBs mentioned in narratives.
Cruise Control Won't Deactivate
Cruise control remains engaged when operator applies brake pedal and presses off button. Vehicle continues accelerating at set speed regardless of brake input, leading to loss of control and crash.
When: At approximately 65 mph with cruise control active and low vehicle mileage reported (9,700 miles).
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control will not turn off when off button pressed; Vehicle continues accelerating despite brake pedal pressure; No warning indicator lights
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle towed for body damage repairs after guardrail collision; repair details not provided.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer contacted; unable to provide assistance. Informed contact vehicle not equipped with crash box.
Cruise Control Overspeed
Cruise control set to one speed (40–50 mph) but vehicle accelerates beyond set speed (to 70 mph). Only brake pedal input slows vehicle. Occurs intermittently, roughly 5% of the time per owner report.
When: Occurred 5 times within one week at low mileage; pattern suggests intermittent failure not tied to specific mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control set speed ignored; vehicle accelerates beyond target; Brakes required to slow vehicle; Intermittent failure (approximately 5% of activations)
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealership advised owner not to use speed control; no other manufacturer response documented.
Cruise Control Engagement Loss
Cruise control will not stay engaged or activates intermittently. Owner reports feature does not function reliably.
When: No specific mileage or timing provided.
Symptoms owners cite: Cruise control will not stay on; Cruise control does not work reliably
Engine Shutdown While Driving
Engine shuts down while vehicle in motion at low speed (30 mph). Power remains but engine will not restart. Vehicle exhibits rapid ticking or clicking noise from electrical system before attempted restart.
When: Approximately 2 weeks after previous unintended acceleration incidents; mileage not specified.
Symptoms owners cite: Engine shuts down while driving at 30 mph; Power remains (lights, systems still on); Engine will not restart after shutdown; Rapid ticking or clicking noise from electrical system; Battery and terminals appear normal
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle required towing; owner unable to bring to mechanic and had no funds for repair.
Transmission Shift Lock Failure
After cruise control engages with brakes applied, owner cannot shift vehicle into reverse or park without using shift lock release override. Suggests electrical or mechanical interlock malfunction.
When: Timing and mileage not specified.
Symptoms owners cite: Cannot shift into reverse or park after cruise control engaged with brakes; Requires shift lock release override to move gear selector
Repairs/costs cited: Owner used shift lock release to manually override interlock.
Synthesized from 15 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had cruise control trouble with your 2010 Hyundai Elantra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the cruise control problem on the 2010 Hyundai Elantra?
It's a meaningful issue. 15 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $600.
At what mileage does the cruise control typically fail?
Across the 11 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most cruise control failures cluster between 9,700 and 54,000 miles, with the median around 42,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 9,700; a quarter make it past 54,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $600 for cruise control repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to cruise control?
No active recalls currently cover cruise control issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/Hyundai/Elantra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.