2012 Hyundai Sonata Reliability
The 2012 Hyundai Sonata has 1,559 owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and steering. Compared with other Sonata model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sonata's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
By CarWhere Research · Updated 2026-11-04 · Source: NHTSA
1,559
NHTSA owner complaints
8
Recall campaigns
51
Complaints citing a crash
95
Complaints citing a fire
2012 Hyundai Sonata complaints by component
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 model year, filed between 2011 and 2026. A complaint can name more than one component.
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 568 | 36% |
| Steering | 301 | 19% |
| Electrical system | 235 | 15% |
| Air bags | 170 | 11% |
| Service brakes | 158 | 10% |
| Exterior lighting | 141 | 9% |
| Unknown or other | 122 | 8% |
| Fuel / propulsion system | 99 | 6% |
2012 Hyundai Sonata recalls
8 recall campaigns on NHTSA record for the 2012 model year, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer's report. Recall repairs are free at a dealer.
| NHTSA campaign | Date | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12V352000 | Jul 24, 2012 | Air bags — side/window | Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Hyundai Sonata passenger cars, manufactured from January 24, 2012, through June 21, 2012. The curtain side airbags on these vehicles may inflate without deployment command due to an error during manufacturing. |
| 14V434000 | Jul 18, 2014 | Powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission | Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, through May 29, 2014. In the affected vehicles, the transmission shift cable may detach from from the shift lever pin. |
| 15V568000 | Sep 10, 2015 | Engine | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Sonata vehicles manufactured December 11, 2009, to April 12, 2012 at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama and equipped with either a 2.0 liter or 2.4 liter Gasoline Direct injection… |
| 15V759000 | Nov 16, 2015 | Exterior lighting — brake lights / switch | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model 2011-2012 Sonata vehicles. The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. |
| 17V152000 | Mar 8, 2017 | Seat belts — front / anchorage | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. In the affected vehicles, the seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners. |
| 17V617000 | Oct 4, 2017 | Seat belts — pretensioner | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles previously repaired under recall campaign 17V-152. The seat belt linkages for both front seat belts may detach from the seat belt anchor pretensioners. |
| 18V137000 | Feb 27, 2018 | Seat belts — pretensioner | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Sonata and 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. On February 27, 2018, Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) notified NHTSA that they were recalling 154,753 model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. On April 18,… |
| 18V934000 | Dec 28, 2018 | Engine | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Sonata and 2013-2014 Santa Fe Sport vehicles previously repaired under recall numbers 15V-568 and 17V-226. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged,… |
How the 2012 compares with nearby Sonata years
Verdicts come from CarWhere's year-by-year Sonata analysis where it covers the year, otherwise from the years shown here.
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls | Most-reported area | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 345 | 2 | Body structure | Solid |
| 2011 | 3,380 | 14 | Steering | Avoid |
| 2012 (this page) | 1,559 | 8 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2013 | 1,917 | 9 | Engine | Avoid |
| 2014 | 751 | 7 | Engine | Avoid |
Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA and are not adjusted for how many of each year were sold, so they compare years of the same model rather than different models.
The 2012 Hyundai Sonata on the used market
- 34 of 413 2012 Hyundai Sonata listings in CarWhere's lifespan study showed 200,000 miles or more.
What to check on a used 2012 Hyundai Sonata
- Engine: cold-start it yourself, listen for ticking or knocking, check for oil leaks and oil consumption, and ask for oil-change records.
- Steering: check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering and clunks over bumps; power-steering faults show up at low speed.
- Electrical: test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system; scan for stored fault codes.
- Air bags: make sure the air bag warning light goes out after start-up and that any air bag recall was completed on this VIN.
- Recalls: confirm each of the 8 campaigns above was completed on this VIN; open recalls are repaired free at a dealer.
- History: run the VIN for salvage, theft and odometer records, and have an independent mechanic inspect the car before you pay.
Check this exact car
Any 2012 Hyundai Sonata can be better or worse than its model year. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015. Free preview first; the full report is $12.99, one time.
2012 Hyundai Sonata reliability FAQ
Is the 2012 Hyundai Sonata reliable?
The 2012 Hyundai Sonata has 1,559 owner complaints and 8 recall campaigns on file with NHTSA, most often about engine and steering. Compared with other Sonata model years, it rates as a year to avoid: its complaint rate runs well above the Sonata's typical year, while the 2010 has a cleaner record.
What are the most common 2012 Hyundai Sonata problems?
The most-reported problem areas in NHTSA owner complaints for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata are engine (568), steering (301), electrical system (235), air bags (170). One complaint can name more than one component.
Does the 2012 Hyundai Sonata have recalls?
NHTSA lists 8 recall campaigns for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata, including 12V352000 (air bags — side/window) and 14V434000 (powertrain / transmission — automatic transmission). Recall repairs are free at a dealer, and whether one was done is tracked by VIN.
How does the 2012 Hyundai Sonata compare with the 2011 and 2013 models?
By NHTSA records, the 2011 has 3,380 complaints and 14 recalls (avoid); the 2013 has 1,917 complaints and 9 recalls (avoid). The 2012 has 1,559 complaints and 8 recalls.
How do I check a specific used 2012 Hyundai Sonata?
Run its VIN. The CarWhere Used Car Report checks one VIN for salvage records, salvage-auction records (with damage photos when the auction published them), stolen-vehicle records, the odometer trail and its listing and price history since 2015, with a free preview first and the full report at $12.99, one time. Pair it with an independent pre-purchase inspection.
More Hyundai Sonata research
Other Hyundai Sonata model years:
Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation owner complaints (all body-style listings for the 2012 Sonata, de-duplicated by complaint number) and NHTSA recall campaigns, retrieved 2026-11-04.