NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
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.
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
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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
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.
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."
2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO PERFORM TIRE MOBILITY KIT (TMK) SAFETY RECALL. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN APPOINTMENT SET TO HAVE THE RECALL PERFORMED. ONCE THE CONSUMER ARRIVED, THE DEALER ADVISED THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.
Car accelerated/surged when foot released from the gas pedal. Happened three separate instances. Last instance smashed into wall and damaged front bumper. Car so scary to drive we towed it to dealer. Replaced throttle sensor for $400. Related to NTSA OID 11439675
The steering coupler is damaged and is causing unstable steering while driving. It’s causing the wheel to be wobbly with uncontrolled pulling which causes the car to suddenly pull to either side of the lane abruptly when driving. It is causing issues with the stabilizer bar and severe uneven wear of the tires; the right front passenger wheel feels like it will fly off at any time. The car isn’t safe to drive right now because it has progressively gotten worse with time. I’ve been advised by our mechanic that it is a wide range problem that is known about and should have been classified as a recall because it’s not safe. I am on a fixed income and cannot afford to get this fixed fight now so my car is sitting inoperable.
My steering column makes a clicking noise and the cruise control comes on when it wants to also the horn won't work on the steering wheel, and I was in an accident where I got hit in the front and the airbag didn't even deploy
I received notice of Safety Recall Number 193 from Hyundai Motor America. I contacted the service department at 2 local dealerships - Hyundai Fairfax and Hyundai Springfield - about a month ago to try to schedule this preventive maintenance but neither location replied to my inquiry. I don't know if recalls are optional for dealerships but I don't know what else to do. I was informed in an online chat that I could submit this dealership complaint through your website. I hope you can advise on my options/next steps. Thank you.
Airbag light stays on all the time. Many people online are complaining about the same problem. This is a major safety issue and there should definitely be a recall on these airbags.
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel made clicking sounds while turning the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,000.
The component that failed was the front driver's side spring, and the piece that broke off is available for inspection upon request. The part failed while trying to leave my driveway to go to work on the morning of Fri, 3/18/22. Had the part failed while driving on the highway, I could have had an accident and worse. The vehicle was serviced by an independent service station, and verified that the spring fractured and had replaced the struts/springs on both front sides. The part has not been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance reps or others. There were no warning lights, but I only heard a very loud scraping noise as I tried to exit my driveway. There were no other symptoms or warnings. Side note: There is Safety Recall on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra for the exact same issue on cars in the NorthEast US States that salt their roads in the winter. That Safety Recall is NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V629000.
Airbag light came on for no reason. Took the car to the dealership. Diagnostics test revealed faulty airbag control module. Dealership recommended replacement of the airbag control module. The cost of replacement is $1,042. Hyundai warranty does not cover the airbag control module after 5 years / 60,000 miles. I am concerned about this as this is the basic safety feature of the car and the cost of replacing the unit is prohibitive. I'm also concerned about the fact that the essential feature such as airbag control unit can fail for no apparent reason.
My motor has a knocking noise, it has not been inspected by anyone, oil has been changed, engine light is on, also my tail lights an brake lights go out an I have changed them 3 different time in the last 2 months, it could cause a accident, I have called dealership an I have no recalls. But when I look it up I see other people who own same car has the same issues.
My engine has failed- I started with the piston slap one day when it started up engine light came on drove it right to dealership and almost didn’t even make it this is very scary and to know I only have a little over 114000 miles and not being covered being a second owner
The sterring wheel makes a noise and sounds crazy every time you tuen it back and fourth the windows wont go down on there own and i replaced the fuse so that electric the gas goes down everytime i fill up its goes down to half tank like its eating the gas
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 .
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.
Car has been properly maintained for years. No accidents or known major issues. Suddenly the car would not start one workday morning. The tow truck driver was unable to start the car; towed car to repair location. Nationally known major service station said the car was low on oil, they filled with 2 quarts. No prior oil problems, no oil or engine idiot light on dashboard was lit, no oil puddles/stains. Car returned to owner, on short drive home, the engine trouble idiot light turned on. Used code reader to find P0014 - cam shaft positioning error code. Brought to local service station, was told car needs a new engine. No outstanding recalls. Recent newspaper article stated there have been problems with 2012 Hyundai Elantra engines. Maybe locked engine is related to other known issues?
My car was parked in front of my house on street. I found rear hatch glass shattered from the inside. There was glass several feet away from car on road. There are no rocks etc. inside or outside of car. This is the second time this has happened. The first time was June 2021 at an event I was attending. Same thing, glass exploded everywhere. We assumed it was due to the heat (it was in the high 80's that day). The flying glass could have hurt someone nearby. The technician who looked at the car could not explain how it happened.
Airbag light on on. DTC code B1346 , Driver airbag resistance too high ( 1st stage)
Going down a hill breaks completely failed and had to go off road to avoid increased speed. Resulted in Hitting tree. By failed I mean no pressure on break pedal and with pedal pushed to floor it did nothing to slow or stop vehicle. Now breaks seem to be working again but worried this will reoccur while at faster speeds.
CASE # [XXX]Oct. 7, 2021 HYUNDAI RECALL RESOLUTION TEAM CONTACTING ME ON A SAFTY RECALL ON MY HYUNDAI VEHICLE (on phone answering machine) NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS SETLEMENT FOR HYUNDAI ELANTRA (Brown et al. v. Hyundai Motor America et al.) (Received booklet in mail) Description of adverse performance of 2012 Hyundai Elantra– VIN [XXX]: All of these issues occur in any weather or if the car is warmed up or not. They don’t occur all the time but about half the time. -From a standing stop (like when entering an intersection or turning on to a road) lightly pressing on gas pedal will get car moving then in 2-3 seconds it will stall out for 2 or 3 seconds, almost to the point of the engine stopping. At that point, moderately pressing on the gas again will cause the car to accelerate suddenly & forcefully. It is terrifying when a car is coming at you & you don’t know if it’s going to start accelerating or just die. -Driving and maneuvering in a parking lot is quite a risky adventure. At these slow speeds the car will randomly stall, lurch, hesitate & accelerate suddenly & forcefully with just a light touch on the gas pedal. Not the best performance when trying to park or maneuver around closely packed cars. -I have taken the car to the dealership at least 5 times to remedy this problem & they either said this behavior was not detectable or it was operating as designed. I have documentation consisting of service invoices. They obviously weren’t being truthful, considering the Recall & Class Action Lawsuit that has subsequently been issued dealing with this issue, revealing that HYUNDAI knew about this problem. Can I finally get my car to operate properly & SAFELY? [XXX] THIS IS THE TRANSCIPT FOR THE PHONE CALL FROM HYUNDAI ON OR AROUND 9-14-21 ON ANSWERING MACHINE (It didn’t identify which recall it was referring to): This is the HYUNDAI Recall Resolution Team contacting INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. He stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds, the vehicle would independently brake with the ESC warning light illuminated. The contact's wife drove at a slower speed once the failure occurred. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where they were unable to diagnose the vehicle failure. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V871000 (Electronic Stability Control) which he linked to the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.
Engine- drive chain and running tough pet Firestone there’s a engine recall on 2012 Elantra
A pickup pulled in front of me causing my car to impact it. Despite significant frontal damage to my car the steering wheel airbag did not deploy.
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.
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the air bag warning light was illuminated and turned off after 6 seconds. The contact also stated that the tire pressure system warning lights were illuminated prior to the failure. The contact stated on August 26, 2021, while starting the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated and remained illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
As with many people have reported my 2012 airbag light has come on. It appears to be the clock spring as other's have mentioned and airbag won't deploy unless fixed.
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the mechanic could not diagnose the failure. The mechanic replaced the battery, tires, and performed a tune up however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 111,000.
Charging port. Doesn’t connect to phone. Unstable power source
Initially it stalled while idling in my driveway on 2 different occasions. Several days later on a short errand 8/2/21, it stalled at a red light, the engine puttered, and it failed to shift gears at 20-25 mph and 40-50 mph unless I alternated between letting off and then reapplying the accelerator. Just continuing to press the accelerator made it slow down. No warning lights came on, but I took it to a local repair shop. They couldn't replicate the problem on several attempts, so I picked it up and drove it home slowly. I was afraid to use it - trying to accelerate on an entrance ramp and having it slow down would be dangerous. After it sat 2 months, my husband went to drive it a little. It stalled at a stop sign and had trouble shifting gears again. When I went to drive it to the repair shop, the Check Engine light came on immediately. I drove it carefully, and it was OK. The shop called the next day. They replaced the crankshaft position sensor because of a code, and it was ready. On the way home, it shook violently and flashed the Check Engine light the 2 times it tried to go to second gear. I had it towed to the repair shop. They couldn't replicate the problem, so they replaced the crankshaft position sensor again. As soon as I started home, it acted up again. I went back and had a mechanic ride with me. It acted up. He said he hadn't pressed the accelerator as hard as I did, he'd never seen anything like it, and to take it to a Hyundai dealer. I had it towed to a Hyundai dealer. They replaced a switch inhibitor, valve solenoid, harness, and gasket valve body cover - all in the transmission. As soon as I started home, it acted up again. I turned around and took it back. That was 11/18/21. I called on 11/23/21 and told my service writer about the NHTSA investigation opened 11/12/21 for speed control problems and said I thought my car might be having this throttle problem. He said he hadn't heard about it, and he's going to call me back tomorrow.
We purchased the four (4) weeks ago. On July 25, 2021 about 5:53 P.M. My step daughter was driving about 10 miles per hour making a left turn and the driver and passenger airbags deployed without a collision or impact of any kind. I contacted Hillsborough County Sheriff and we after inspection, the airbags deployed and the seat belts were locked. Therefore, we had to park the car at the Hillsborough Sheriff Office, located at 7202 Gunn Hwy, Tampa, FL 33625, Phone number (813) 247-0330. As per the officer advise we could not drive the car. The dealer has been notified of the incident. We can be reached at [XXX] [XXX]
The steering wheel became stiff and car was undrivable and I almost crashed.
For no reason, the driver-side airbag light has come on (and stays on) in our 2-door 2012 Hyundai Elantra. It puts our daughter and son at risk, as the two drivers of the car, because the airbag may be defective and not deploy in the event of an accident. That is unacceptable. This is an auto-maker safety issue, and the consumer should NOT be responsible for having to get this repaired on their dime. Yet everything I read online is other Hyundai drivers have gotten this and the dealers are gouging them on the repairs. We will take it into the dealer, but in no way, shape or form should we have to pay for this repair! Please pay attention - many Hyundai drivers are reporting this same issue online, even if they are not reporting it directly to you at NHTSA!
I WAS DRIVING HEARD A LOUD BANG THEN I GOT HOME AND LOOKED THE STRUT COIL FRACTURED AND SNAPPED OFF AND WAS HANGING THERE
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.
My car need fixed
LOSS OF POWER WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 80MPH. VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND TO INPUT ON GAS PEDAL, AND ENGINE PRODUCED MINIMAL POWER. NO LOSS OF ELECTRONICS OR STEERING. FROM A STOP, VEHICLE PRODUCED LIMITED POWER AND SPEED REACHED MAXIMUM SPEED OF 15-20MPH. AFTER 30MIN, VEHICLE RESPONDED NORMALLY. NO WARNING LIGHTS APPEARED DURING OR AFTER INCIDENT. REASON FOR FAILURE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.
STEERING IN THIS CAR INTERMITTENTLY GOES IN AND OUT MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE CAR
JUST BOUGHT THE CAR A COUPLE WEEKS AGO FOR MY DAUGHTER. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT AND WOULD NOT START. TRIED JUMPING IT. CHANGED BATTERY IN KEY. GAS TANK WAS FULL. FINALLY LOOKED ON INTERNET AND FINALLY LOOKED ON LINE AND FOUND A LOT OF OTHERS HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY SAID TO PUSH THE CAR FROM THE REAR. WE DID AND IT STARTED. AFRAID MY DAUGHTER WILL BE STUCK AT NIGHT LEAVING WORK.
AIRBAG LIGHT WARNING STAYING ON
2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNINTENDED ACCELERATION. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD WHILE BEING DRIVEN 1-2 MPH OUT OF A PARKING LOT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED, BUT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WENT OVER A PARKING SPOT BARRICADE, INTO A FEILD, AND CRASHED INTO A BOLDER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER WENT INTO SHOCK. SUFFERED A CUT ON THE HAND REQUIRING STITCHES. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED AN AUTO IMMUNE DISEASE, SEVERE BODY PAINS, AND DEVELOPED INFLAMMATION REQUIRING TREATMENT WITH PREDNISONE.
THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME POWER STEERING DEFECT AS OTHER HYUNDAI VEHICLES COVERED UNDER HYUNDAI RECALLS. THE STEERING WHEEL DECOUPLES WITH THE POWER STEERING DUE TO A DISINTEGRATING RUBBER COMPONENT. LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND DEATH OF THE OCCUPANTS IS POSSIBLE. PROBLEM MANIFESTS AS A 'CLICKING' OR 'CLINKING' IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNED, WITH WORSENING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026