2012 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 675 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 49 involved a crash and 12 involved a fire. 47 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Service brakes, hydraulic, antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip, control unit/modulePark outsideSep 22, 2023
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
Campaign 23V651000 on NHTSA.gov
Equipment, electricalJul 2, 2020
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.
An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.
Campaign 20V393000 on NHTSA.gov
Electronic stability control (ESC)Dec 23, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Elantra vehicles manufactured October 29, 2010, to October 25, 2011. Due to an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor malfunction, the brakes for one or more wheels may be applied unexpectedly and the engine power may be reduced. These symptoms will be accompanied by illumination of the ESC indicator lamp in the instrument cluster.
If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will verify the proper operation of the ESC sensors, and update the ESC system's calibration, free of charge. The recall began June 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 137.
Campaign 15V871000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowApr 1, 2013
Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.
Campaign 13V115000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
675 reports, newest first.
Structure, Jun 23, 2023
Failure to provide campaign service Took car in for rust corrosion campaign and inspection on may 18th. I was told there was corrosion and they would send info to Hyundai for approval. Car was not inspected, and was denied loaner vehicle after being told on phone one would be provided. Forcing me to drive an uninspected corroded vehicle for well over a month. Multiple calls to the dealer have not been returned
Suspension, Jun 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact initially received a recall notification from Hyundai Motors of America for an underbody corrosion preventative service. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the contact was provided a list of repairs that needed to be performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic where pictures were taken to document the severity of the corrosion on the suspension. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where a second inspection of the corrosion was performed. Pictures of the suspension were taken by the dealer and submitted to the manufacturer; and the contact was provided a priority code number by the dealer. Despite the information that was submitted to the manufacturer, the manufacturer declined the repair. The contact was provided a case number by the manufacturer. The contact had the rear brakes replaced due to the severe corrosion; however, the issue remained. The failure mileage was approximately 29,586
Engine, Jun 13, 2023
Engine shuts off sporatically, sometimes 4 times in an hour of driving at low speeds. I could easily be rear ended in light traffic when the engine turns off. The problem has not been confirmed by anyone. I've Google the problem on different forums and many Elantra owners are experiencing the same problem. There are no warnings
Service brakes, May 27, 2023
Start out brake pedal is very stiff and have to push pedal to much to engage gear selector, then as you are driving when let off accelerator pedal vehicle slows down to fast like something is engaging the brakes on the rotor.
Air bags, May 18, 2023
Good day i hope this finds you well. While I'm driving my air bag light comes on and off around certain corners and such..I have been told it means my air bag won't work if I'm in an accident. It definitely freaks me out knowing I could or couldn't be ok in an accident. I'm not sure what to do about this..I bought my hyundai elantra from a personal sale so there probably isn't anything I can do but I just thought someone should know. I am grateful for your time..hope you have a great day
Engine, Apr 29, 2023
Piston slap not covered but known problem
Steering, Apr 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 30-40 MPH, the steering wheel made abnormal clunking sounds. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.
Engine, Apr 21, 2023
This report was submitted PREVIOUSLY on April 5, 2023 with no response received by me: My 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited engine began making a tapping/ticking noise a few years ago. The noise became louder and then I discovered that my car qualified for the EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY which was granted to any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra owner with 1.8L Nu Engine that a class action lawsuit brought against Hyundai Motor Corporation. I was never notified by Hyundai but rather a mechanic that I brought my car to that was aware of the campaign. I contacted Hyundai and was told to have the engine diagnosed by my local Hyundai Dealer. The results of the diagnosis were submitted to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and my claim was denied as I was told that my mileage and years were past the qualifying criteria. I had brought my 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited to the Hyundai dealership that I had purchased the car as certified used Hyundai in 2014 for the engine diagnosis to determine if the engine noise was related to the Extended Powertrain Warranty granted to owners of any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra with 1.8L Nu Engine. The borescope results and photos were sent to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and it was confirmed that my engine did indeed have the "piston slap" problem as outlined in the class action lawsuit and all four cylinders were severely scored. Upon contacting Hyundai to request the borescope video and photos that I had paid $200 to the Hyundai dealership service department for the diagnosis, I was told if i wanted the video and photos I would have to hire an attorney to obtain them from the Hyundai warranty Department! I was never notified of this "secret" campaign! Needless to say I am extremely unhappy about this. I deserve to have this engine fixed under the extended warranty that Hyundai failed to notify me about. This is UNREAL! Please tell me what can be done here. Thank you, Douglas E Stevens
Steering, Apr 11, 2023
Steering wheel clunks side to side, then at 40 mph it vibrates bad. This is a major driving hazard. from what I have read the manufacture is aware and is not recalling the motor driven power steering.
Power train, Engine, Apr 5, 2023
My 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited engine began making a tapping/ticking noise a few years ago. The noise became louder and then I discovered that my car qualified for the EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY which was granted to any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra owner with 1.8L Nu Engine that a class action lawsuit brought against Hyundai Motor Corporation. I was never notified by Hyundai but rather a mechanic that I brought my car to that was aware of the campaign. I contacted Hyundai and was told to have the engine diagnosed by my local Hyundai Dealer. The results of the diagnosis were submitted to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and my claim was denied as I was told that my mileage and years were past the qualifying criteria. I had brought my 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited to the Hyundai dealership that I had purchased the car as certified used Hyundai in 2014 for the engine diagnosis to determine if the engine noise was related to the Extended Powertrain Warranty granted to owners of any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra with 1.8L Nu Engine. The borescope results and photos were sent to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and it was confirmed that my engine did indeed have the "piston slap" problem as outlined in the class action lawsuit and all four cylinders were severely scored. Upon contacting Hyundai to request the borescope video and photos that I had paid $200 to the Hyundai dealership service department for the diagnosis, I was told if i wanted the video and photos I would have to hire an attorney to obtain them from the Hyundai warranty Department! I was never notified of this "secret" campaign! Needless to say I am extremely unhappy about this. I deserve to have this engine fixed under the extended warranty that Hyundai failed to notify me about. This is UNREAL! Please tell me what can be done here. Thank you, Douglas E Stevens
Suspension, Feb 20, 2023
On 10/30/2019 as I was driving down the highway at 75 mph, my front right coil spring broke and punctured my tire. Fortunately, I was able to get to the side of the road but was not in a safe area, putting others at risk. The faulty coil spring breaking and puncturing my tire could have caused a dangerous accident. Given my high rate of speed, I am very fortunate this did not cause an accident and injure myself or others. My car needed to be towed to a tire place, who discovered the broken coil spring, before again being towed to the dealership for repair. It was diagnosed that the spring broke and bent the seat on the strut assembly. Hyundai replaced my front right strut and spring under warranty but did not compensate for the destroyed tire to be replaced. On 2/6/2023 my other coil spring (left front) snapped as well. Fortunately it was where I park outside of my house so no tire was punctured and a potential accident was avoided. I just noticed it on the ground when I got out of my car. Hyundai has issued a front coil spring recall but only recalled a small window of manufacturer dates (11/12/10 to 3/31/11) and mine is not included as it was manufactured 8/23/11. It is very unlikely Hyundai changed their coil spring just before manufacturing my car less than 5 months later. There are several people on car forums that also say their car experienced the broken coil spring but their manufactured date is outside of the recall window. The recall is due to rust being in "Salt-Belt states" which my state of MN is included. Given that now both of my coil springs have now broken as well as the other horror stories online, I firmly believe Hyundai needs to expand the recall window to include more manufactured dates and fix their faulty part to avoid a public safety risk due to a tire blow out from the faulty spring breaking.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Feb 14, 2023
Please find below a description of the malfunction in my Hyundai Elantra, as this is the reason I'm requesting inclusion in a recall. Since the week of Thanksgiving 2022, I've had several instances of my vehicle stalling without warning before engaging the transmission; for example, my car once stopped moving completely on the freeway while entering the onramp at 55 mph. Since then, the problem has only gotten worse, stalling up to seven or nine times per week. Because of the severity of this issue, I’ve had it inspected multiple times and would gladly submit it to another one if requested. Obviously, a defect of this magnitude with no obvious cause not only puts me at risk as the driver, as I can’t prepare for a sudden stop, but all road travelers around me are also subject to this issue. As you know, a sudden halt could lead to collusion involving numerous people. To date, an independent service provider has not been able to identify the issue or recreate the problem, as it occurs randomly with no warning lights or signals to prepare me for what’s about to happen. Should you need further details, I may be reached at [XXX]. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Structure, Feb 2, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while her son was opening the rear passenger’s side door, the door handle detached. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an electrical failure. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 35,000. The VIN was not available.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Jan 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under an unknown recall for the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) System; however, the failure recurred, and the ESC warning light illuminated. Additionally, the brakes failed to stop the vehicle immediately. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Air bags, Jan 14, 2023
The airbag light came on and stays on no matter what. I have read this happens a lot with Hyundai Elantra’s made during this time frame. This is a major safety issue if the airbags are not functioning properly.
Steering, Dec 25, 2022
The issue is a thump in the steering column as you turn the steering wheel slightly from left to right and vice versa. Appears to be the steering column coupling. I have seen several videos on the issue and recalls for similar Hyundai vehicles. Unsure if this is a safety risk. The issue has not been confirmed by a dealer. There are no warning lights associated with this issue. The has not been inspected by anyone. Thank You.
Vehicle speed control, Nov 25, 2022
My 2012 Hyundai Elantra has been subject to various recalls – such as number 20V393000, "12V outlet may overheat" – but that seems trivial compared to a safety issue I've been experiencing. There are buttons on the Elantra steering wheel that control radio settings, cruise control, etc. For the past several years, these buttons have been malfunctioning (having effects as if you had pressed a button other than the one you actually pressed). This is a safety hazard if 1) a driver needs to cancel cruise control, and presses the appropriate button, but some other effect happens and cruise control is not cancelled. 2) a driver does not intend to engage cruise control, and presses a button that normally would not cause that to happen, but due to this malfunction, cruise control is engaged. ?? know that tapping the brake is an alternative way to cancel cruise control – but in an emergency driving situation, some drivers will not think of that quickly enough, and rely solely on the steering wheel buttons which are subject to frequent malfunctions. I am requesting a recall to fix this issue.
Electronic stability control (ESC), Nov 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while stopped for a traffic light and attempting to drive off after the light changed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the throttle body control, fuel injectors, fuel pump, starter, and accelerator pedal needed to be replaced. The vehicle had been repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was not able to be restarted. The vehicle had not been taken back to the mechanic. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V871000 (Electronic Stability Control). The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,825.
Steering, Oct 28, 2022
When driving/start my car, the steering making sound and loosen as if the steering wheel is not stable. I took the car to a mechanic shop, I was told that they have had lots of complain about the same issue, that I need to take it to Hyundai dealer, they are the only one that can fix the problem.
Suspension, Oct 28, 2022
My 2011 Hyundai Elantra with only 73,000 Miles on it was affected. Front Coil Suspension Springs cracked during winter month when road salt was being used for a big storm. I live in Northern KY almost on the Ohio border. It gets cold here and Road salt is used during the winter months which is why I believe the road salt has caused corrosion on the front coil springs .This defect has put my safety at risk as well as a passenger in my vehicle. I never received any type of recall notice ...... But see there is one. The repairs cost well over $1,000.00 . I have been doing alot of research on so many others with the same issue and according to many the recall is only for month specific manufacture date based on the date of manufacture. This is widespread far more than a few months that the vehicle was made. This is something that has slipped through the cracks and is very dangerous as I was told by the shop, In my case the edge of the broken coil spring was sharp and could have caused the tire the blow out. Could have been deadly. I am seeking a refund of the repair cost. I do have an invoice for repairs if needed as I had to repair immediately . This all happened with no warning .
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 24, 2022
While turning right at an intersection,sunvisor popped and dropped obstructing my view of the roadway. From initial view to sunvisor obstruction a motorcyclist turn across my intended direction ,due to sunvisor obstructing view,almost caused accident with motorcyclist.
Steering, Sep 24, 2022
Bought vehicle in 2020 and Power steering failure occurred in May 2021. Mechanic confirmed the problem and said it would be $1100 to repair. The EBS light is always on and it was not on prior to the power steering being lost. Having no power steering is putting everyone at risk. This vehicle is the only one we have for our family and commute to work takes a little over an hour.
Air bags, Sep 14, 2022, crash
A 2015 ford car hit me and the passenger airbags deployed, but did not inflate due to a hole in the airbag at the seam
Steering, Sep 2, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle experienced a steering delay after the steering wheel was turned with the TPMS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000.
Power train, Exterior lighting, Service brakes, Aug 30, 2022
The same issue that caused recall of these vehicles for several models years, such as this campaign: 2013-2014 Hyundai Elantra (MD/UD, JK, GD) Brake Pedal Stopper Replacement (Recall Campaign 170), is occurring in this 2012 vehicle, which does NOT yet have this recall. The Brake Pedal stopper Pad has deteriorated. I am reprinting the language of the above referenced recall as it exactly explains the safety issue with this vehicle. "The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature."