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Car · Hyundai problems

2012 Hyundai Elantra problems

654 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The most reported area is engine and engine cooling (22% of them). NHTSA also lists 67 service bulletins and 4 recall campaigns.

654owner complaints
47say a crash was involved
12say a fire was involved
44injuries and deaths reported

Counts are what owners told NHTSA, as filed. NHTSA does not confirm each report, and a complaint is not proof of a cause. Injuries: 44. Deaths: 0.

Complaints by area

Each bar is the share of this model year's 654 complaints that name that area. A complaint can name more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

14 smaller areas not shown (186 complaints in total).

Do not compare models by these numbers. NHTSA has no sales count for each model, so a model with more complaints may just have sold more cars. Use them to see which areas owners write about, not to rank cars.

Service bulletins

NHTSA's database lists 67 repair bulletins from Hyundai for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. A bulletin is a repair instruction sent to dealers. It is not a recall and does not mean your car is covered. The 8 newest:

  1. 26-GI-004HReceived October 28, 2026

    Backup camera and sensors

    Some Hyundai vehicles may be equipped with a parking distance warning (PDW) sensor(s) that may trigger various DTCs and display warning messages on the instrument cluster, resulting in the PDW...

  2. 26-EM-016HReceived October 14, 2026

    Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption.

  3. 26-BE-022HReceived September 9, 2026

    The warranty coverage for the clock spring has been extended to 15 years with unlimited mileage from the date of original retail delivery or date of first use.

  4. 25-BD-012HReceived November 12, 2025

    Information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp.

  5. 24-AT-002HReceived April 16, 2024

    Power train (transmission and drive)

    A procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with Incorrect Ratio DTC (transmission clutch slip in gear above limit) listed on Page 2.

  6. 24-01-009HReceived March 5, 2024

    Electrical system

    Hyundai has launched an anti-theft software upgrade and window decal campaign (Campaign 993), combined with an anti-theft steering wheel lock campaign (Campaign P32), and anti-theft ignition...

  7. 23-EM-005HReceived December 15, 2023

    Engine and engine cooling

    Important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.

  8. 23-01-086HReceived November 7, 2023

    Suspension

    In certain areas, a vehicle's underbody may exhibit corrosion due to road-salt usage.

Recalls

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. The 3 to look at first:

  1. 13V115000April 1, 2013

    Air bags

    A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

  2. 23V651000September 22, 2023Do not drive notice

    Service brakes, hydraulic

    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.

  3. 20V393000July 2, 2020

    Equipment

    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...

See all 4 recalls for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, or check your VIN below to see which are open on your car.

Common repairs in this area (not a diagnosis)

These are repair jobs that sit in the areas owners report most. A complaint may need a diagnosis first: the same symptom can come from many causes, and a serious one such as engine failure is not fixed by a cheap part. They are not a forecast of what your Elantra will need. Ranges are US estimates for all makes.

Start with a diagnosis

Engine and engine cooling 141 complaints · 22%

No repair price here: this area usually needs a diagnosis first. A diagnostic scan (check engine light) runs $55 to $250.

Electrical system 126 complaints · 19%

Air bags 124 complaints · 19%

Service brakes 99 complaints · 15%

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Check your VIN

Complaints and bulletins cover a whole model year. Only the VIN shows what is open on your car.

0 of 17 characters

Recall and complaint data comes from NHTSA, the US government's vehicle safety agency, and is cached for up to a day. Recall repairs at a dealer are free. A recall that is not listed may not apply to your car or may not be filed yet. Check nhtsa.gov/recalls too.

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2012 Hyundai Elantra: questions

What are the most common problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra?

Of the 654 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, 141 (22%) name engine and engine cooling, and 126 (19%) name electrical system. A complaint can list more than one area, so the shares add up to more than 100%. These are owner reports, not proven causes.

Is the 2012 Hyundai Elantra reliable?

These numbers cannot say. NHTSA complaints have no sales count to compare against, so a high number on one model does not mean it fails more than another. Use them to see which areas owners write about, then check your own VIN for open recalls.

Do these complaints include crashes or fires?

Owners marked 47 of the 654 complaints as involving a crash and 12 as involving a fire. They also reported 44 injuries and 0 deaths. NHTSA records these as the owner reports them and does not confirm each one.

How many recalls does the 2012 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Recall repairs are free at a Hyundai dealer. Enter your VIN to see which ones are open on your car.

What is a service bulletin?

A service bulletin is a repair instruction a maker sends to its dealers. It is not a recall, and it does not mean your car is covered. NHTSA lists 67 repair bulletins for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra.

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Sources

Complaint, bulletin and recall counts come from NHTSA as filed. Repair prices are estimates from our own ranges. Not a repair shop, estimates only.