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: other or unspecified
122 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Nov 8, 2022
Received a warning message saying pull over safely do not drive this vehicle in the middle of the road as I'm driving all the warning lights on the dash came on . The car jerked Then the car died
Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Sep 30, 2022
My "Hyundai system warning safely stop and don't drive". light went off with my brake light on also, we were driving on the freeway going around 60 mph I was I'm the middle lane causing me to have to hurry and pull over as Car came to complete stop.i went to brake check to see if the breaks needed to be replaced and after inspection they said everything was fine, brakes, rotors and brake fluid was fine it's been doing this more often now..
Other or unspecified, Sep 2, 2022
When driving at higher speeds 50+mph, hybrid battery warning flashes, alarm beeps, warning states to safely pull over and stop. Warning goes away after turning the car on and off a few times. Dealer states they can not duplicate problem and can not diagnose. Have visited Dealer twice now with she results
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.
Other or unspecified, Jul 1, 2022
After recall repairs at Hyundai dealer in Danbury CT during the past few years, the engine light remains on or comes back on the next time the car is driven. Never had issue before these recall repairs. The car has been returned countless times to dealer to correct repairs and never successful. After multiple incidents of losing engine power and having to pull off highway i retuned to dealer again where they claimed fuel tank and fuel pump needed replacement for nearly $3,000 but never said if this was related to the ongoing recall repair issues or the engine coming on. I had another garage smoke test system and confirm gas tank didn’t need replacement. Error codes are related to recall parts in Hyundai TSBs for recall and other issues. Hyundai dealer and corporate HQ level consumer affairs remain unable or unwillingly ensure repairs are done correctly. All I want is the vehicle to be safe for family use.
Other or unspecified, Jun 30, 2022, fire
There were no warnings or indicators of a problem. My husband was driving down the highway when he noticed smoke coming from under the hood. He pulled over, but the car was already on fire. The fire department put out the fire, and the car is likely to be totaled by insurance. The car is currently available for inspection but will be taken into possession by insurance soon.
Other or unspecified, May 27, 2022
The car was running and just stopped working in the middle of the highway the warning lights came out and i couldn't be able to start the car since that day .
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 8, 2022
It all started with the electronic system. Both of my brake lights burned, leaving huge holes in the back of my brake light bracket. Replace the whole brake assembly on both brake light fixtures, then now my horn is not working—nothing to do with the relay or fuse.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 27, 2022, fire
As I was driving on the highway, my car engine stalled and all the interior dashboard lights came on. I was unable to accelerate although all other features of my car worked (steering, brakes, radio, bluetooth, etc...). I was barely able to get off the highway safely as the highway I was on had no shoulder that was safely accessible. Luckily, I was in the far right lane already which allowed me to exit the highway. I was just barely able to exit the highway and move to the middle and far right lane of the service road before my car came to a complete stop. I attempted to turn my car off and back on without success. At this point, I could start to smell burning of something and knew I needed to exit the car immediately, however, I was unable to do so due to traffic on the driver side of my car. I noticed smoke coming from my engine which prompted to me to jump out of the car without continuing to pay attention to the traffic that was passing me. I called 911 to alert them of my car impeding traffic, potentially causing another wreck, and the potential that my car may be on fire. After making those statements to dispatch, flames shot forward from my hood and I was able to move away from my car. The fire department arrived on scene but not before the flames had reached 12+ feet as they were taller than the fire truck. The firefighters were able to put out the flames. My car engine was completely melted from the fire. At this point, the dealership, insurance agent or any other representative has determined a cause of the fire or has looked at my car. No warning lights to indicate a malfunction was visible prior to the incident. No noises or engine malfunctions were noted prior to the incident.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 20, 2022
Limp mode on the 16th of march, no symptoms prior to entering limp mode. Check engine light was illuminated and blinking & a knocking sound came from under the hood, along with not being able to get over 1800 rpms before having to shift. Drove back home until the next day on march 17th went to try to take it to a manufacturing company and did not make it. While in the middle of driving it had a loud bang under hood and left me on side the road. Could not crank it again.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Mar 7, 2022
I keep getting this error message Hybrid System Warning! Safely Stop and Do not Drive with the caution symbol. I have take it to the dealership 5 times and they do not see anything wrong. Usually the message flash for a few seconds and then go away. Today it did something different. The display keep alternating with Check charging system and Hybrid System Warning! Safely Stop and Do not Drive along with a beeping sound. I had to pull over and restart the car. I travel in rural areas for work, and I am so afraid my car is going to stop in the middle on nowhere. When I googled the error message it appears so many other Sonata owners from 2011-2014 are experiencing the same problem. I have reported this to Hyundai warranty, but when they contact the dealership, they tell them nothing is wrong with my car. Please advise of what to do.
Other or unspecified, Jan 19, 2022
About a year ago, my 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid had an error with an alarm that would pop up on the screen but was too fast to catch what it said. It would happen a couple of times a month. One day, I was driving about 60 mph and the alarm came on, the car stalled and it said to not drive the car. I was able to roll to a stop on the side of the road. I turned off the car and had it towed to my house. In looking at it, I turned it on and everything seemed fine. This happened another time about a month later. The second time, I just turned off the car, let it sit for a minute and turned it back on. I took it into a dealer and they said they couldn't figure it out and to bring it back if it kept happening. It hasn't had a problem since then until this morning. Here, nearly a year later, I was in the middle of a busy intersection and it gave the error and alarm and the car stalled. I turned it off, let it sit for a few seconds and then turned it back on and backed up. Fortunately, the cars coming at me noticed I couldn't move and stopped! I would pay to have this fixed if they knew what was going on! Everything I see online about this issue, no one knows what is causing it. I wouldn't feel comfortable selling it to someone else knowing this is such a safety issue. It's just a pile of metal at this point.
Other or unspecified, Jan 11, 2022
Loss of power, while trying to accelerate, troubleshot and it was caused by a worn brake stopper after replacing the brake stopper vehicle retained the loss of power and unable to drive past 37 mph. Possible ECM problem as vehicle is not throwing any DTC.
Other or unspecified, Dec 17, 2021
It began in 2020; the 2012 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid I've been driving started having issues with the hybrid system. At the time, the car was still under warranty. I took it in multiple times to AutoNation Hyundai in North Richland Hills, TX, because I kept getting the error message "Hybrid System Warning! Safely Stop and Do Not Drive", the car battery would become depleted, and the car would stop. My husband and I would take the vehicle multiple times to the service center at AutoNation Hyundai in North Richland Hills, TX, and nothing was done because, according to their staff, the error could not be duplicated. At one point, they kept it for almost a month, barely driven (we looked at the mileage on the car) before it was returned with no work done on the vehicle. Last June 2021, on a drive to Dallas to take my daughter to her volunteer program at the Dallas Zoo, the car stopped in the middle of the highway for the same problem. I called AutoNation Hyundai in North Richland Hills, and they could not see the vehicle in a timely manner and would not give me a loaner while they had the car in the shop. At that time, I wanted them to check the vehicle's issue and the recall issue that seemed like we were experiencing with the car; it was the only car I had to use to get to and from work and drive my daughter to her obligations, and they could not see it promptly and would not issue me a loaner vehicle. I ended up taking the car to Hiley Hyundai of Fort Worth; they supposedly found a faulty sensor and repaired it, checked it for a recall, and couldn't find the issue at that time. Last night, my car flashed the same error and lost all power. I was on I-35W North with my daughter at the time. I had the vehicle towed after hours to AutoNation Hyundai and called this morning to follow up. I spoke with someone at service, and they told me they could not look at the car until about mid-January and would not be able to give me a loaner in the interim. I tried to explain to the
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Oct 28, 2021
This morning when i drove the car to Bart station, just before i parked in the parking lot. the showboard showed "Hybrid System Warning, Safely Stop and Do Not Drive". So i stopped and parked the car in the parking space. i'm not sure what the issue is and if i still can drive it after i came back from my work. After i checked the website and found there're a lot of people have this same issue as this case. I did not see any of them have solution for it. So I believed that this is a big issue since it will cuase death if it happens in the high speed high way. please do the investigation and recall for it to save lives! appreciated in advance.
Other or unspecified, Sep 28, 2021
I am a 74-year-old widowed, retired Federal Government worker. I purchased a 2012 Hyundai Sonata in October 2011. This was supposed to be my retirement car. I bought it new from Torrance Hyundai. This car has been a problem from day one. I have a lengthy list of problems. It has only 54,000 miles and will be 10 years old next year. Some of the problems are the gas meter does not work (I don't how much gas I have in my car. For a senior citizen that is not good. My windows button does not work, and my voice control and Bluetooth does not work (it was replaced once) I have a ticking when I turn my car. (Dealer said it would cost $2000. to fix. (it was fixed once) I have an oil leak that a Mechanic told me to take it back to the dealer, it should be covered. (It is not) My dashboard is cracked. (not cover). I have had two Hyundais. The hatchback (one of the first in the USA) and worked fine, and another Sonata in the '90s. I loved them both. Before my favorite was the Toyota, now since this car has all these problems and is paid off. I will never buy a Hyundai again. I looking to buy a small SUV and it will not be a Hyundai. I am ready to tell the media and everyone that would listen about this car and the problems I have had from day one. I have a list of service orders on some of these problems. I was once a loyal Hyundai owner, but now I cannot give my praise to this car or this company. I have a limited income and now I must go back into debt because of your piece of junk. Thank you for making my senior years enjoyable. I like to put this out to the media for all to know of how you treat your customers that have been loyal. I complained about this with Hyundai customer service and received a case number and told to make appointment for them to check the car. But, they didn't tell me it would cost $169.00. It is unsafe to drive cracks in your dashboard where the airbags are located and for a senior to worry about the amount of gas she has.
Other or unspecified, Sep 10, 2021
Bluetooth cuts out on vehicle and volume shuts off completely on stereo. Without the bluetooth and volume functioning on the vehicle, I no longer have handsfree capability. It endangers my safety (and others) and then becomes a legal violation for me to answer my phone while driving. I have taken it to a dealership and they have been able to reproduce the problem. The only solution they provided me was to replace the whole head unit for the exact same system that has this known bluetooth/volume issue. On forums that I've read it's stated that this is a software/firmware update that resolves this issue, but the dealership says they know nothing about it nor does Hyundai national. Other dealerships in the country have installed the software update to fix the issue.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Sep 4, 2021
While I was driving, an error stating "Hybrid System Warning! Safely Stop and Do not Drive" popped up on my dash.
Other or unspecified, Engine, Aug 5, 2021
UNKNOWN: On July 14th, 2021, I was driving approx. 45mph on the Expressway when I felt the car losing a little power, I looked at the speedometer and noticed (no warning lights where on) the speed was going down slowly as I was attempting to accelerate, the car would not go past 20mph. Then all the sudden I lost all controls of the car (the car stalled) I was not able to steer or brake, the car had stalled in the middle of the parkway, it was a very dangerous situation, so many cars came within inches of hitting me. I was able to finally restart the car and get it to the side of the road and then it stalled again. This time when I attempted to restart the car I noticed there was smoke coming from under the hood and the would not start, at that point I called for help. The car was towed to my mechanic and he determined the engine was seized. (see attached pdf) Car is available for inspection.
Other or unspecified, Jul 28, 2021
Brake and tail light continues to burn out. I have replaced bulbs and entire assembly every couple weeks and t melts thei units as well as my engine stalls out and will not accelerate and does this intermittently. This puts me at risk of one of my lights catching fire or a crash due to my engine losing power on the freeway when I turn my lights on
Other or unspecified, Jul 21, 2021
Rear brake lights stay on even when the engine has been turned off
Other or unspecified, Jul 10, 2021
UNKNOWN. I purchased this vehicle and found it had an open recall and would like it checked out.
Other or unspecified, Jul 5, 2021
Brake lights stay illuminated when car is off. Loses speed while in motion. ESC lights come on.
Other or unspecified, Jul 2, 2021
This safety issue affects Hyundai Sonatas with a turbo. The vehicle loses acceleration. The engine will rev with the tachometer functioning properly, but the vehicle speed does not increase accordingly. This is a safety issue because drivers could cause accidents when merging into traffic, changing lanes, or clearing an intersection. This issue may be related to my engine being replaced by Hyundai as part of a recall since it happened within a week of receiving the new engine. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -- The problem is related to the wastegate actuator and/or sensor. The ECU/ECM seems to disable the turbo in the vehicle. Stopping and restarting the vehicle (rebooting) eliminates the problem until the vehicle is parked/off for at least nine (9) hours. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? - See introduction above. When accelerating from a stop, the vehicle's acceleration stalls at about 20-23 MPH, even with the tachometer reaching 7,000 RPMs. While driving above 30 MPH, the vehicle is very slow to accelerate so merging onto any highways or changing lanes is a high-risk maneuver. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? -- Yes. They first tried to replace the turbo boost sensor but that did not eliminate the problem. Hyundai Sonata owners have reported this problem since 2012. "Wastegate actuator sensor". Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? -- Yes, the vehicle has been inspected by a manufacturer dealer service center. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? -- No. The warning lamp does not activate on a regular basis with this issue. The warning lamp does appear approximately 10% of the time but again, rebooting the vehicle removes the warning lamp.
Other or unspecified, Jun 25, 2021
While driving on 285 @ 60 mph the car begins alarming with a hazard light indicating emergency braking system failure then the car looses complete braking capabilities and power to drive, all while I am in front of an 18 wheeler. I have practically no control over the stirring wheel as the car has completely lost all power all I could do is throw on my hazard lights and pray that the truck sees me then I begin to coast off to the side of the highway. In 2019 the engine seized up and did the exact same thing lost total power on the highway, the engine was replaced in 2019. In 2020 the transmission was causing problems and was replaced as well, this vehicle is a death trap and I truly fear for mines and my child’s life when driving it. I have never ever really feel safe in this car after my engine failure it left with in total paranoia with it loosing total power and leaving me without control to get out the way of on coming traffic thank goodness the trucker behind me noticed I was in distress and I was able to coast off to the side. I have googled and seen that there has been many others who have had this exact same problem with the braking system. Hyundai needs to recall these vehicles for this braking problems so no has to loose there lives behind it. Please please, please help me and the others that have these issues to get this matter resolved. Every since I have gotten this car it has had nothing but major issues in my eyes it should be deemed a lemon. Please advise