2012 Hyundai ELANTRA

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Hyundai ELANTRA has 917 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 11.5x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is engine problems (15% of all complaints), specifically: this incident happened the night i bought the vehicle. the vehicle will suddenly buck/jolt/jerk as if hitting a speed bump in a very jarring manner. this also happened during a test drive of a vehicle of the same type and color (i'm not sure if they sold me the one during the test drive.). i was in. ⚠️ 12 fire reports filed.

12 fire reports 61 crash reports 50 injuries

917

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

11.5x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ENGINE

140 complaints

15%

• THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED THE NIGHT I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY BUCK/JOLT/JERK AS IF HITTING A SPEED BUMP IN A VERY JARRING MANNER. THIS ALSO HAPPENED DURING A TEST DRIVE OF A VEHICLE OF THE SAME TYPE AND COLOR (I'M NOT SURE IF THEY SOLD ME THE ONE DURING THE TEST DRIVE.). I WAS IN
• CAR LURCHED, ENGINE SHUT OFF. CAR BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP. EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD WHERE THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED INTO PLACE. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL BUT CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. OCCURRED AGAIN 800 MILES LATER AF
• WHEN I ACCELERATE AND EVERY TIME THE GEAR CHANGES, THE CAR WOULD JOLT AS IF I WENT OVER A SPEED BUMP. IT'S REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE WHEN THE CAR JOLTS WHILE I ACCELERATE, BUT THE REAL PROBLEM IS WHEN I'M APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE CAR WOULD JOLT AND THE SPEED WOULD INCREASE WHICH NEARLY CAUSED SEVERAL

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 7 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED THE NIGHT I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY BUCK/JOLT/JERK AS IF HITTING A SPEED BUMP IN A VERY JARRING MANNER. THIS ALSO HAPPENED DURING A TEST DRIVE OF A VEHICLE OF THE SAME TYPE AND COLOR (I'M NOT SURE IF THEY SOLD ME THE ONE DURING THE TEST DRIVE.). I WAS IN”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

125 complaints

14%

• THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2012 IS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT AND REAR SEAT WARMERS. THE SWITCH FOR THE FRONT SEATS RESETS TO OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE SWITCH FOR THE REAR SEATS, HOWEVER, REMAINS IN THE ON POSITION. THE NEXT TIME THE CAR IS TURNED ON, THE REAR SEAT WARMERS WILL BE ACTIVATED AGAIN UNTIL
• TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE, VEHICLE SUDDENLY JERKED (AS IF I HIT SOMETHING ON THE ROAD) COMPLETE ELECTRICAL FAILURE. DASH, RADIO, NAVIGATION, POWER STEERING WENT DEAD. A FEW SECONDS LATER POWER CAME BACK WHILE VEHICLE WAS STILL ROLLING AND WAS ABLE TO RESTART BY DEPRESSING BRAKE AND "START/STOP" BUTTO
• WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CUT OF COMPLETELY. ELECTRICAL, ENGINE, POWER STEERING, WINDOWS, EVERYTHING WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE AND SHUTDOWN. I WAS FORCED TO MANUALLY FORCE THE VEHICLE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AWAY FROM TRAFFIC/INTO SAFETY. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 2 WEEKS! THE D

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2012 IS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT AND REAR SEAT WARMERS. THE SWITCH FOR THE FRONT SEATS RESETS TO OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE SWITCH FOR THE REAR SEATS, HOWEVER, REMAINS IN THE ON POSITION. THE NEXT TIME THE CAR IS TURNED ON, THE REAR SEAT WARMERS WILL BE ACTIVATED AGAIN UNTIL”

— NHTSA complaint filing

AIR BAGS

124 complaints

14%

• STATED HYUNDAI WAS HIT ON DRIVER SIDE REAR BY AN SUV. REAR DOOR CURLED AROUND CENTER POST BUT SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED SLIGHT CONCUSSION AND NECK STRAIN. REAR DOOR WAS DESTROYED ALONG WITH REAR FENDER & ROCKER PANEL. ESTIMATED SPEED OF OFFENDING SUV WAS 25. *TR
• DRIVERS SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND METAL BRACKET DEPLOYED WITH AIR BAG FROM HEADLINER AREA ALSO AND SLICED MY EAR IN HALF... COULD HAVE BEEN NECK... I HAVE PICTURES OF THE WRECKAGE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE... *TR
• 2012 ELANTRA WAS STRUCK IN CENTER OF HOOD BY JEEP SUV AT APPROXIMATELY 45* ANGLE. JEEP WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. ELANTRA WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH. ELANTRA BUMPER CAVED IN ALL THE WAY TO THE ENGINE BLOCK IN THE CENTER. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. INVESTIGATING OFFICER QUESTIONED WHY A

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 25 crashes

“STATED HYUNDAI WAS HIT ON DRIVER SIDE REAR BY AN SUV. REAR DOOR CURLED AROUND CENTER POST BUT SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED SLIGHT CONCUSSION AND NECK STRAIN. REAR DOOR WAS DESTROYED ALONG WITH REAR FENDER & ROCKER PANEL. ESTIMATED SPEED OF OFFENDING SUV WAS 25. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

98 complaints

11%

• CAR LURCHED, ENGINE SHUT OFF. CAR BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP. EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD WHERE THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED INTO PLACE. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL BUT CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. OCCURRED AGAIN 800 MILES LATER AF
• I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA ON FEB. 10, 2012. WITHIN SEVERAL WEEKS I NOTICED THE GAS DISAPPEARING SO QUICKLY SO I BEGAN FILLING THE TANK AND TAKING PICTURES. I BOUGHT THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE DUE TO THE FACT IT ADVERTISED 40 MI. GAL ON HIGHWAY AND 29 CITY. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP
• DRIVER ATTEMPTING TO BRAKE BUT THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND HIT ANOTHER CAR, ALSO UPON IMPACT THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOYED TO PROTECT THE DRIVER CONSIDERING HOW SEVERELY THE FRONT AREA OF THE CAR WERE DAMAGED. 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, CAR WAS NOT STARTING, WAS JUMPED- START AND VEHICLE WAS BROUG

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 3 fire reports💥 8 crashes

“CAR LURCHED, ENGINE SHUT OFF. CAR BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP. EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD WHERE THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED INTO PLACE. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL BUT CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. OCCURRED AGAIN 800 MILES LATER AF”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

88 complaints

10%

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIFT ABNORMALLY INTO THE LEFT LANE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CO
• WHILE DRIVING ON STRAIGHT ROADS THE VEHICLE VEERS HARD TOWARDS THE RIGHT. WE HAVE TO FIGHT TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE DRIVING ON A SLIPPERY ICY ROAD, ALWAYS STEERING THE CAR BACK AND FORTH IN ORDER TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. IT IS PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING DRIVING THIS CAR, HANGING ON
• PURCHASED ELANTRA 3 DAYS AGO AND NOTICED CAR PULLING TO LEFT. ON HIGHWAY ESPECIALLY NEARLY WENT OFF ROAD, VEERED INTO OTHER LANES. MUST KEEP CONSTANT PRESSURE ON WHEEL WANTS TO PULL AWAY IF HAND PRESSURE RELEASES. CAR AT 200 MILES WENT TO DEALER AFTER 2 DAYS, THEY ACTED SURPRISED AS IF THEY NEVER HE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 9 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHIFT ABNORMALLY INTO THE LEFT LANE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED WHEN DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 917 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ENGINE: THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED THE NIGHT I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY BUCK/JOLT/JERK AS IF HITTING A SPEED BUMP IN A VERY JARRING MANNER. THIS ALSO HAPPENED DURING A TEST DRIVE OF A VEHICLE OF THE SAME TYPE AND COLOR (I'M NOT SURE IF THEY SOLD ME THE ONE DURING THE TEST DRIVE.). I WAS IN
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRICAL: THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2012 IS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT AND REAR SEAT WARMERS. THE SWITCH FOR THE FRONT SEATS RESETS TO OFF WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE SWITCH FOR THE REAR SEATS, HOWEVER, REMAINS IN THE ON POSITION. THE NEXT TIME THE CAR IS TURNED ON, THE REAR SEAT WARMERS WILL BE ACTIVATED AGAIN UNTIL
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
AIR BAGS: STATED HYUNDAI WAS HIT ON DRIVER SIDE REAR BY AN SUV. REAR DOOR CURLED AROUND CENTER POST BUT SIDE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUFFERED SLIGHT CONCUSSION AND NECK STRAIN. REAR DOOR WAS DESTROYED ALONG WITH REAR FENDER & ROCKER PANEL. ESTIMATED SPEED OF OFFENDING SUV WAS 25. *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: CAR LURCHED, ENGINE SHUT OFF. CAR BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE DASH LIT UP. EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO GET TO SIDE OF ROAD WHERE THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED INTO PLACE. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS STILL FUNCTIONAL BUT CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. OCCURRED AGAIN 800 MILES LATER AF
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)