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2012 Hyundai ElantraProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 654 owner complaints about the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, most often about the engine. It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-651 the manufacturer reports only 25% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Hyundai Elantra
30
CarFlaw IndexUse caution2.3× the Elantra median · #3 of 31 years by complaints
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 25%Owner complaints65489 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage69kEngine, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 16, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Mr.choppers, CC BY-SA 3.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Hyundai Elantra has problems

654 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Engine13911
Electrical system1265
Air bags12426
Steering889
Service brakes608
Suspension450
Electronic stability control (ESC)448
Service brakes, hydraulic414
Power train401
16 other systems14817

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

4 recalls

2012 Hyundai Elantra recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

25%repaired · 2026 Q2

Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module

Park outside

Recall 23V-651 · Sep 22, 2023 · 1,649,478 vehicles · 411,914 repaired

Risk. An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

56%repaired · 2017 Q3

Electronic stability control (ESC)

Recall 15V-871 · Dec 23, 2015 · 155,000 vehicles · 87,326 repaired

Risk. If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

–no report yet

Air bags: side/window

Recall 13V-115 · Apr 1, 2013 · 186,250 vehicles

Risk. If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.

Mileage at failure

When do engine problems start?

69kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 106 engine complaints. 76% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
15under 30k miles81under 100k miles25100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs

What owners say repairs cost

Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.

Air bags

16 owners mentioned a cost

$1,000median

Middle half: $400 – $2,200

Engine

8 owners mentioned a cost

$3,450median

Middle half: $200 – $6,875

If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.

Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other Elantra year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Elantra median. How we score

'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2012 Hyundai Elantra safety ratings

2012 Hyundai Elantra 4 DR FWD Later Release in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

★★★★★Overall rating
2012 Hyundai Elantra frontal crash test, NHTSA
Frontal crash★★★★★
2012 Hyundai Elantra side barrier test, NHTSA
Side barrier★★★★★
2012 Hyundai Elantra side pole test, NHTSA
Side pole★★★★★
  • Rollover: 4 stars (10.9% risk)
  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Hyundai and Kia ABS Module FiresAQ23002 · still open
    Open
  2. Throttle control system vulnerabilitiesDP21003 · closed Jun 20, 2023
    No recall
  3. Headliner Bracket DetachmentEA12008 · closed Dec 9, 2013
    Led to recall 13V-115
  4. Side Curtain Air Bag Improper DeploymentPE12012 · closed Sep 17, 2012
    No recall
In owners' words

What Elantra owners report

Recent engine complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a…
Complaint 11758279 · Aug 20, 2026 · 151,000 miles
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that around 4:00 o'clock in the morning, she was awoken by the sound of her dogs barking; she then discovered that her vehicle had caught fire and had burned to the ground. The fire spread, which caught fire to a nearby mobile home and a…
Complaint 11734107 · Apr 27, 2026
The contact’s son owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while the contact’s son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the rear of the vehicle caught fire. The contact’s son pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, and the fire extinguished…
Complaint 11729506 · Apr 6, 2026 · 80,000 miles

Own a 2012 Elantra?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.