2012 Hyundai Sonata
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Engine is the leading concern among 1,557 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 3rd highest complaint count among 26 Sonata model years with reports.
Of the 2012 reports, 51 involved a crash and 95 involved a fire. 38 people were injured and 1 person died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
EngineDec 28, 2018
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles previously repaired under recall numbers 15V-568 and 17V-226. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned, or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak from the pipe.
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's recall number for this recall is 180.
Campaign 18V934000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, pretensionerFeb 27, 2018
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. On February 27, 2018, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that they were recalling 154,753 model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. On April 18, 2018, Hyundai expanded the recall to include an additional 425,305 model year 2012-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags from deploying.
If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install an external wire filter kit, free of charge. The recall began October 15, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 174.
Campaign 18V137000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, pretensionerOct 4, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles previously repaired under recall campaign 17V-152. The seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.
If the seat belt linkage detaches from the seat belt anchorage, it can not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will again verify the connection between the seat belt linkage and the pretensioner and additionally install a warning label to prevent future seat belt linkage detachment, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 169.
Campaign 17V617000 on NHTSA.gov
Seat belts, front, anchorageMar 8, 2017
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners.
In the event of a crash, if the seat belts detach from the anchor pretensioners, it can increase the risk of injury.
Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will inspect the connection between the seat belt linkages and the seat belt anchor pretensioners, repairing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for the recall is 160.
Campaign 17V152000 on NHTSA.gov
Exterior lighting, brake lights, switchNov 16, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model 2011-2012 Sonata vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released.
If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to rearward following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 136.
Campaign 15V759000 on NHTSA.gov
EngineSep 10, 2015
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to April 12, 2012 at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and equipped with either a 2.0 liter or 2.4 liter Gasoline Direct injection engine. In the affected vehicles, metallic debris may not have been fully removed during manufacturing of the engine crankshaft. If the debris was not completely removed, oil flow may be restricted through the connecting rod bearings, causing connecting rod damage. A worn connecting rod bearing will produce a metallic, cyclic knocking noise from the engine and possible engine failure.
Engine failure would result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the engine assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Additionally, Hyundai Motor America will increase the warranty for the engine sub-assembly (short block) to 10 years/120,000 miles for both original and subsequent owners of 2011 and 2012 Sonatas manufactured at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama equipped with 2.0 liter and 2.4 liter Gasoline Direct injection engines. Interim notifications were mailed to owners starting on October 8, 2015. A second notification will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059 or by visiting www.HyundaiUSA.com/Campaign132. Hyundai's number for this recall is 132.
Campaign 15V568000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionJul 18, 2014
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, through May 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from from the shift lever pin.
If the transmission shift cable detaches, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver parks the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle is not in the 'PARK' position and the parking brake is not applied, there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, repair the connection between the shift cable and shift lever, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 123.
Campaign 14V434000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, side/windowJul 24, 2012
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Hyundai Sonata passenger cars, manufactured from January 24, 2012, through June 21, 2012. The curtain side airbags on these vehicles may inflate without deployment command due to an error during manufacturing.
The curtain airbag may inflate without deployment command and increase the risk of injury to occupants of the vehicle. Additionally, an unexpected deployment would be a significant driver distraction and would limit the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Hyundai dealers will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain side airbags free of charge. This recall began on August 31, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 12V352000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: engine
577 reports, newest first. Show all
Steering, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Sep 22, 2022
I purchased my 2012 Hyundai Sonata on 4-7-22. The car has had no mechanical work, no accidents and has less than 1000 miles. On 9-16-22 i was driving my car home and was less than five minutes away on the highway. My car began to decelerate, I attempted to stop at a red light but my car would not give me control and the brake was rock solid and would not push down. I also could not turn the car off via the start button as the car would not let me. My engine ESC light came on the dashboard in red and the engine completely halted. To get to safety as i was on the highway with oncoming traffic i steered the car to the right on the ramp .I exited the vehicle as it began to smoke ,i thought it would catch fire so i moved far away and called my boyfriend for help and a tow truck to get the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to College park Hyundai 9500 Baltimore Ave., College park, MD 20740.I looked up my car and noticed there are recalls for this engine and a few other recalls as i told the dealership. The car is currently being inspected and the dealer said they would get back to me. Once the service department received the car they told me the recall most likely will not effect my vehicle. I don't believe that to be true and i was put in danger because of this engine issue with Hyundai.
Engine, Sep 18, 2022
My vehicle stopped in December 2020. The dealer, Hyundai of PR, did not issue a recall for this issue. I could have been driving on the highway and loss power. THIS IS DANGEROUS. The manufacturer should be Required to notify all affected Hyundai Sonata owners via all types of media. If I hadn't known about this recall I would have paid for an engine out of my pocket.
Engine, Sep 10, 2022
Car stalled several times for no reason then engine siezed
Engine, Aug 23, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled with the RPM increasing and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer; however, the dealer had not yet informed the contact of the diagnostic results. The dealer requested the oil change maintenance records. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Engine, Aug 22, 2022
Engine failed while driving, causing vehicle to stall and forced to the side of the road while transporting children. I had vehicle towed to dealership and learned that this was a known manufacturing defect, one that I had previously had recall service to repair and eventually a class action lawsuit. I had previously taken the vehicle to the dealership to perform recall repair. They claimed this repair was completed, even though the defect still remained and caused engine to fail. The mechanic advised that a rod from engine was discharged, which "could have killed someone". The dealership initially approved an engine replacement due to known defect and class action lawsuit settlement, but then denied repair due to unrelated branded title. Hyundai corporate refuses to take responsibility for this defect, due to title status, that could have seriously injured or killed someone. One Hyundai agent advised during a phone call on 8/22/22 that Hyundai is not responsible for remedying any manufacturing defects if the vehicle has branded title, which is in contradiction to federal law. This is a grave safety concern and should be investigated by the NHTSA. I would be glad to participate in such an investigation, providing call records, names of witnesses, statements and documents as needed.
Engine, Aug 5, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while her daughter was driving 60 MPH, her daughter heard a knocking sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle then lost motive power and stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where the oil was changed and the vehicle operated normally. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where metal shavings were found in the engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine). The manufacturer was contacted and stated they were waiting on the dealer for the diagnostic result to proceed. The failure mileage was 92,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 26, 2022
I was on the expressway and car hesitated and jerked while speed began to increase followed by hybrid warning system alert. (Pull over and stop the vehicle) with a flashing ready light. Could have caused a major accident with loss of life as there was no place to safely pull over. Warning lights came in immediately after the cat jerked.
Engine, Jul 20, 2022
I was on the highway during rush hour when the car was rattling during acceleration. I was going around 75mph. The car just died in the middle of traffic and I coasted to the berm. Once stopped, it smelled like something was burning and I had my 2 small children in the back in 5 point harnesses. They couldn't unbuckle themselves and I could not get the back door to unlock with the key fob to get into the back seat to help them. Once they were able to loosen their buckles, they had to crawl through the front seat to get out. Had the car actually caught on fire, I wouldn't have been able to get my children out in time. This was the absolute scariest ordeal I've ever been in. One shop has said the engine has seized. It's now sitting at Hyundai waiting for them to look at it. No warning lights came on until the car died.
Engine, Jul 20, 2022
I was making a Right turn when suddenly after making the turn my car shook and started slowing down by itself. The engine light, the oil light and the EPS and battery light all turned on. I was able to pull into a parking lot and the car just stopped. After trying to restart it, I noticed smoke under the hood. No prior warning lights came on.
Engine, Jul 20, 2022
When arriving at a stop and then making a turn on a street vehicle came to a halt. It would not turn on again. The vehicle was able to be pushed to the side, and started to have a knocking sound from the engine, after vehicle was started . Searching thru the internet found recall campaign 312, that has same issues I experienced. Vehicle is drivable but has loud knocking sound as the speed goes up. Also, vehicle was purchased with a rebuilt title and is road worthiness.
Engine, Jul 15, 2022, fire
2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE ENGINE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR REPAIRS PERFORMED AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR ENGINE STALLING, KNOCKING, FAILURE, FIRE AND OTHER SHORT BLOCK ASSEMBLY REPAIR.
Engine, Jul 11, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while his daughter was driving at an unknown speed, she heard an abnormal sound before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not able to restart and was towed to an independent mechanic. The failure was diagnosed as a seized engine. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V568000 (Engine) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 143,000.
Engine, Jul 9, 2022
I brought my engine in to be checked after the recall for engine failure. Hyundai told me it was fine/not affected. I brought my vehicle in twice after that because while driving, the engine suddenly stopped accelerating in the middle of driving. Both times, I was told that nothing was wrong with my car. They went so far as to accuse me of overfilling my gas tank (which I have never done). I trusted them instead of looking up this issue being part of the recall symptoms. Finally, while in the middle of driving, the engine locked up completely. I had it towed to Hyundai. They finally admitted it was covered under warranty, but I see no evidence of them recording it as a vehicle affected by recall. I am very concerned about this because there are probably thousands of other families at risk right now because of Hyundai's dishonesty and dodging responsibility and not including their VINs in the recall either. If their engines were to lock during a left turn for example, people are at risk of dying. In addition, Hyundai has still not reimbursed me for the towing and rental car costs of $2918.27 total which they are entitled to per the settlement. It has been over 3 months since I turned in the last of the paperwork. It has been over 7 months since the engine died. More importantly, they need to be fully investigated for withholding information, falsifying information, and putting people at risk of death and at a financial disadvantage.
Engine, Jul 7, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the engine overheated. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was smoke coming from the engine, and the vehicle was unable to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was then towed to the dealer and was diagnosed with engine failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.
Engine, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 7, 2022
Motor seized , powered off while driving down the highway at speeds of 55 miles of hour on a hill and would not start back , without warning other than a loud noise right before it shut off.
Engine, Jul 5, 2022
My 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA is experiencing knocking noises. I only have 125,674 miles on it. I have not received anything saying that the car has been recalled yet. I’m making monthly payments on this vehicle and needs to be fixed as soon as possible.
Engine, Jun 30, 2022
My 2012 Hyundai Sonata is experiencing what caused Hyundai to recall 129k similar cars, but I never received a recall notice: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a34874678/hyundai-engine-bearings-recall/#:~:text=Hyundai%20has%20issued%20a%20recall,and%20the%202015%E2%80%932016%20Veloster. My car is experiencing abnormal knocking noises from the engine, reduced power or hesitation, illumination of the "check engine" light and error code is coming across as "knock sensor"
Engine, Jun 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated upon pulling out of a parking space, the oil pressure warning light and the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle. The contact's husband test drove the vehicle and noticed that the vehicle went into limp mode and would only drive at slower speeds. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact to take the vehicle in to their location. The vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine was blown and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that assistance might be provided for the engine replacement. The contact was awaiting a call back from the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.
Engine, Jun 27, 2022
The knock sensor kept going off and check Engine light would be activated, we have taken to several auto places and check engine light and codes would be cleared, engine seized and no longer works we were stranded on side of road. Our understanding that this is part of the rod bearing inspection recall campaign. We purchased car for our daughter and it has a salvaged title, we were told by Hyundai dealer that due to it being a salvaged title they can't do anything. My understanding that any recall must be honored with or without salvaged title, is that correct?
Electrical system, Engine, Jun 22, 2022
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?: Vehicle went into LIMP mode on highway (June 7th 2022). The next day, the vehicle would not start, despite battery replacement. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? When in limp mode, car would not accelerate. My vehicle could have been hit by another vehicle due to the sudden, unexpected decline in speed; Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Vehicle was towed to the Hyundai dealership the evening of June 10, 2022. I was informed by Hyundai that it would take 2 to 3 weeks before they could even look at my vehicle. Vehicle has not been diagnosed yet. It is still at Hyundai as of today, June 22, 2022. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The vehicle is currently awaiting diagnosis by Hyundai. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? The vehicle went into limp mode. The next day it would not start.
Power train, Engine, Jun 21, 2022
I gave my son this car b/c I thought it was safe and reliable. My son was driving down the road and all of a sudden the lights started blinking and he pulled over. He had to have it towed and repair shop says the engine is locking up and would cost more to replace. This is a paid for car and now we are totally screwed. I really want the manufacturer to honor and fix their issues. I ensured I had this car serviced timely and took care of the car. Now, I am $12K in the whole and will probably go ahead and trade in my other 2017 Hyundai Sonata to avoid anymore of these issues that no one can honor to fix. This car has about 80K miles on it so not too bad, either!
Engine, Jun 21, 2022
Connecting rod broke and punctured engine. Vehicle is available for inspection. My son was driving vehicle and the vehicle shut off while driving which could have been very catostrophic. Service center is who advised what the problem was after the vehicle was towed to their facility. Not inspected by any others at this point. Vehicle was just in for maintenance a week prior. No warning lamps or symptoms until the moment it happened. Approaching stop sign heard knocking or clicking noise, proceeded to side street to pull over and before he could pull over, the vehicle completely shut down. He went to look under hood and oil was splattered on top of hood and leaking all under vehicle. Vehicle was then towed to service facility who advised the connecting rod broke off and blew hole in engine.
Engine, May 26, 2022
My car started making knocking noise while I was driving. I put my VIN on a website and it said my car was affected for recall engine connecting rod bearing and qualified to get fixed under campaign. On 4/04/22 I had my 2012 Hyundai Sonata towed to the dealership where few days later they denied it because of salvage title. I contacted Better Business Bureau for help and almost two months later denied me and closed my case for the same reason it has salvage title. My car does not have 100,000 mileage and only is not operating because of this mistake the Hyundai manufacturer made. The BBB auto line sent me the car fax and none of the previous owners ever got this recall fixed and now that I have the car it stopped working because of the rod bearings and the dealership has confirmed it. It is a safety concern and is not performing as it should because of manufacturer. I have the proof where it says my car is affected. It having salvage title isn’t valid reason to refuse recall coverage. Consumer is trying to get the car fix under the engine connecting rod bearing campaign.
Engine, May 26, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic however, the contact was referred to an authorized dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with a seized engine seize and oil drain plug failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
Engine, May 16, 2022, fire
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 MPH, the engine started smoking. The vehicle was overheated and the vehicle flap and cooling warning light message displayed. The contact was able to pull over safely and exit the family out. There were 4 passengers, the wife, and 3 children. The entire vehicle was destroyed and engulfed in flame. The fire department extinguished the fire. The vehicle was towed to the wrecking yard. There was a police report. There were minor injuries to the wife and 1 daughter. The contact related the fire to NHTSA Campaign Number 20V746000 (Engine). The approximate failure mileage was 2,000