2012 Hyundai VELOSTER

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Hyundai VELOSTER has 407 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 5.1x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is visibility problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: there is one serious safety defect with this car, the side mirror adjustments (in particular the passenger's side). the dealership has not been able to properly adjust the mirror and they stated that the limited adjustable was "just how it was designed." therefore, i would like this researched furt. ⚠️ 17 fire reports filed.

17 fire reports 11 crash reports 27 injuries

407

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

5.1x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

VISIBILITY

71 complaints

17%

• THERE IS ONE SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT WITH THIS CAR, THE SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENTS (IN PARTICULAR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE). THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROPERLY ADJUST THE MIRROR AND THEY STATED THAT THE LIMITED ADJUSTABLE WAS "JUST HOW IT WAS DESIGNED." THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE THIS RESEARCHED FURT
• THE SUNROOF SHATTERED VIOLENTLY IN AN UPWARDS DIRECTION, SENDING SOME GLASS DOWN INSIDE THE CAR AND THE REST ALL OVER THE EXTERIOR. AFTER GOOGLING I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD IDENTICAL INSTANCES WHERE THEIR SUNROOFS SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY.THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED
• NEW VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE STREET. AT 8:00 AM I WAS INFORMED BY A FELLOW WORKER THAT IT APPEARED MY VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED AND THERE WAS GLASS ALL OVER IT. I FOUND THAT THE SKYLIGHT HAD BURST UPWARD AND OUTWARD. IT WAS ABOUT 80 DEGREES AT THE TIME. THE DAY BEFORE WAS ABOVE 90 DEGREES AND THE VEHI

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“THERE IS ONE SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT WITH THIS CAR, THE SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENTS (IN PARTICULAR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE). THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROPERLY ADJUST THE MIRROR AND THEY STATED THAT THE LIMITED ADJUSTABLE WAS "JUST HOW IT WAS DESIGNED." THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE THIS RESEARCHED FURT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

64 complaints

16%

• ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT TO HYUNDAI MOTORS USA "DEAR HYUNDAI MOTORS USA, I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY NEW VELOSTER FOR TWO ISSUES ON THE CAR. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT YOU TO OPEN A CASE AS THE DEALER WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUES AS THERE IS NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. HERE ARE
• VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTS TO FIFTH GEAR WHEN PASSING BUT DOES NOT RETURN TO SIXTH GEAR UPON RELEASING ACCELERATOR. VEHICLE CONTINUES AT SAME RATE OF SPEED WHEN RELEASING ACCELERATOR AS IF IT WERE ON CRUISE CONTROL. WHILE PASSING AN 18 WHEELER ON HWY 169 NORTH, I NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER 18 WHEELER
• THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. WHEN AT A FULL STOP AND I PRESS ON THE GAS THE CAR DOES NOT MOVE HOWEVER, THE RPMS ARE HIGH BUT THE CAR TAKES 5-6 SECONDS TO GO AND IT DOESN'T GO VERY FAST AND THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES I WAS ALMOST HIT. MY CAR JERKS WHEN I TRY TO ACCELERATE FROM A SLOW SPEED, IT

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

“ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT TO HYUNDAI MOTORS USA "DEAR HYUNDAI MOTORS USA, I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY NEW VELOSTER FOR TWO ISSUES ON THE CAR. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT YOU TO OPEN A CASE AS THE DEALER WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUES AS THERE IS NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. HERE ARE”

— NHTSA complaint filing

STEERING

42 complaints

10%

• EPS INDICATER LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST POWER STEERING. PULLED OVER, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTER AFTER A FEW SECONDS. STEERING BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY THE FIRST START OF THE DAY. CAR GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ONLY HAD THE CAR THREE WEEKS. *TT
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL HAD RESISTANCE AND WAS VERY HARD TO TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THEY
• I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY ,STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO BE STICKING ,TAKES EFFORT TO KEEP STRAIGHT ON ROAD.IT SEEMS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A STICKY SPOT IN CENTER IT'S BEEN GETTING WORSE ,TOOK TO DEALER THEY SAY THEY CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM BUT AS SOON AS I LEFT IT CAME RIGHT BACK,THERE IS A PROB

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

“EPS INDICATER LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST POWER STEERING. PULLED OVER, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTER AFTER A FEW SECONDS. STEERING BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY THE FIRST START OF THE DAY. CAR GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ONLY HAD THE CAR THREE WEEKS. *TT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

41 complaints

10%

• THE SUNROOF SHATTERED VIOLENTLY IN AN UPWARDS DIRECTION, SENDING SOME GLASS DOWN INSIDE THE CAR AND THE REST ALL OVER THE EXTERIOR. AFTER GOOGLING I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD IDENTICAL INSTANCES WHERE THEIR SUNROOFS SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY.THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED
• ON SATURDAY, 9/8, I NOTICED THE PARKING BRAKE LEVER HAD LOST TENSION WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE CAR, AND AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS AND PARKING AFTERWARD, NOTICED A STRONG, "OZONE-Y" ODOR COMING FROM THE CAR, BUT WASN'T SURE FROM WHERE. I DROVE MORE A LITTLE MORE OVER THE WEEKEND AND NOTICED THE SMELL AGAI
• BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW IN JAN OF 2012, STARTED HAVING "ISSUES" WITH THE DUEL CLUTCH WITHIN A FEW MONTHS OF DRIVING. AFTER GETTING USE TO THE NEW CAR AND HOW IT DROVE, PUTTING A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON THE CAR, SOMETHING WAS STILL NOT RIGHT WITH HOW IT DROVE. NOT GETTING THE SPEED IT NEEDED AND TACK

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 5 fire reports💥 3 crashes

“THE SUNROOF SHATTERED VIOLENTLY IN AN UPWARDS DIRECTION, SENDING SOME GLASS DOWN INSIDE THE CAR AND THE REST ALL OVER THE EXTERIOR. AFTER GOOGLING I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD IDENTICAL INSTANCES WHERE THEIR SUNROOFS SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY.THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRICAL

38 complaints

• THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT TELL YOU THE SPEED YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING IT IS OFF 4 MILES AN HOUR AT 20 THEN 5 MILES AT 40 AND 6 MILES AT 60 AND 7 MILES AT75 MPH AND SO ON UP TO 15 OFF AT 140 MPH YOU HAVE TO DRIVE FASTER THAN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO GO THE ACTUAL SPEED LIMIT THIS IS VERY DIFFICULTY TO KEEP T
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED. THE REAR SEAT BELTS COULD NOT BE RELEASE FROM THE SEAT OR RETRACTED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE ANTI-THEFT UNIT ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICL
• GLASS AND VISIBILITY PROBLEM: IN FEB. 2012 THE LARGE BACK GLASS (HORIZONTAL GLASS IN THE BACK DOOR) IN THE CAR BROKE WITHOUT ANY APPARENT REASON. TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL AT THE TIME AND NO OUTSIDE OBJECT WAS FOUND IN THE CAR. IT WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND VERY EXPENSIVE FIX. HYUNDAI COMPANY DID

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

“THE SPEEDOMETER DOES NOT TELL YOU THE SPEED YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING IT IS OFF 4 MILES AN HOUR AT 20 THEN 5 MILES AT 40 AND 6 MILES AT 60 AND 7 MILES AT75 MPH AND SO ON UP TO 15 OFF AT 140 MPH YOU HAVE TO DRIVE FASTER THAN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO GO THE ACTUAL SPEED LIMIT THIS IS VERY DIFFICULTY TO KEEP T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

VISIBILITY(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

STEERING(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

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

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 407 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
VISIBILITY: THERE IS ONE SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT WITH THIS CAR, THE SIDE MIRROR ADJUSTMENTS (IN PARTICULAR THE PASSENGER'S SIDE). THE DEALERSHIP HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO PROPERLY ADJUST THE MIRROR AND THEY STATED THAT THE LIMITED ADJUSTABLE WAS "JUST HOW IT WAS DESIGNED." THEREFORE, I WOULD LIKE THIS RESEARCHED FURT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: ORIGINAL EMAIL SENT TO HYUNDAI MOTORS USA "DEAR HYUNDAI MOTORS USA, I HAVE VISITED THE DEALERSHIP WITH MY NEW VELOSTER FOR TWO ISSUES ON THE CAR. I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT YOU TO OPEN A CASE AS THE DEALER WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX THE ISSUES AS THERE IS NO RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS. HERE ARE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
STEERING: EPS INDICATER LIGHT CAME ON AND LOST POWER STEERING. PULLED OVER, TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTER AFTER A FEW SECONDS. STEERING BACK TO NORMAL. THIS HAPPENS USUALLY THE FIRST START OF THE DAY. CAR GOING TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. ONLY HAD THE CAR THREE WEEKS. *TT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
OTHER: THE SUNROOF SHATTERED VIOLENTLY IN AN UPWARDS DIRECTION, SENDING SOME GLASS DOWN INSIDE THE CAR AND THE REST ALL OVER THE EXTERIOR. AFTER GOOGLING I FOUND OUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER VELOSTER OWNERS THAT HAVE HAD IDENTICAL INSTANCES WHERE THEIR SUNROOFS SHATTERED SPONTANEOUSLY.THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)