35 complaints reported

2012 Hyundai Elantra UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
35
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jan 2025

At first the car was fine when I bought if off some random guy and it drove a little rough but was good for the mean time. A month into driving the car I come to realize that the timing change needed to be replaced since it would keep turning off on its own in idle. As I was changing gears on the car after the a month of the repair from drive to reverse I realized the car’s gears were slipping and coming to find out we need a transmission change on the car. While looking into this cars reports using the vin number since I found it a little off putting that the transmission and timing chain is already giving out at 188,000 miles I come to find out the car may have a odometer rollback since it was last reported to have 256,500 miles and it that it was possibly altered. So the Timing chain and the transmission were the components that needed change. My safety was put as risk when the gear would not change redlining the car when driving in public roads cause me to limit my speed to be under the speed limit when realization of the issue set it of the car. The issue has not been confirmed only the time change since it was fixed at a service center. It has also not been inspected by manufacturer, police, or insurance since I’m not sure how to report Odometer rollback fraud. There was an engine light at the time of purchase which was the timing chain and a tire pressure light.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2024
Sep 2024

Unknown I have two urgent recall warnings on my vehicle and am unable to park near building structures according to the recall instructions.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2024
Feb 2024

It’s been months with no remedy, they advised that I keep my car parked & away from buildings. I’m in a position where I’m unsure every time I drive my vehicle. Not just for my safety but also for others that could be affected by this situation. Idk what to do honestly. I’m in a position where I have to door dash to stay afloat. But the risk is mind boggling. I’m just tryna see what can I do in this situation

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2023
Jan 2024

IN OCTOBER 2023, I RECEIVEDS A RECALL NOTICE FROM HYUNDAI REGARDING RECALL NUMBER 23V-651. IT IS NOW JANUARY 16TH AND AFTER SEVERAL CONTACTS TO THE COMPANY I'M CONTINUALLY TOLD THAT THEY DON'T HAVE A FIX AND HAVE NO IDEA WHEN IT WILL BE AVAILABLE. THEY SAID I SHOULD NOT PARK IN THE GARAGE FOR FEAR OF FIRE. I'M PARKING MY VEHICLE OUTSIDE IN WINTER WEATHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN OVER 30 YEARS. THERE IS ALSO A POSSIBILITY THAT MY CAR COULD CATCH FIRE AS I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS BECOMES ESPECIALLY PROBLEMATIC ON A BUSY FREEWAY. THREE MONTHS WITH NO FORECAST OF A REPAIR IS TOO LONG FOR THIS TO GO UNREPAIRED. BY THEIR NOTICE THERE ARE 13 MODELS AFFECTED OVER SEVERAL DIFFERENT YEARS. THIS AMOUNTS TO 42 MODELS IN ALL. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SITUATION THAT DESERVES HIGHER PRIORITY. I AM LODGOING AN OFFICIAL COMPLAINT. THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE, EQUIVILENT VEHICLES FOR AFFECTED OWNERS TO DRIVE WHILE THEY PROCRASTINATE. I'VE ASKED FOR THIS AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD LET ME KNOW BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING AVAILABLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2023
Dec 2023

Recall has been in effect since Sept 22, and still no remedy is available. Their only recommendation is to park away from buildings. Sometimes it is not possible to park away from buildings, and even when it is possible, it's increasingly inconvenient to park outside of my garage due to weather. I feel the risk of fire is low, but if there were one, any damage to my home would likely not be covered under insurance due to the recall notice. The delay in addressing the recall is unacceptably long, and I am filing a complaint in accordance with NHTSA recommendation.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

Unknown

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2023
Sep 2023

After Koons Hyundai in Woodbridge, VA did my ANTI THEFT Safety Recall, my 2012 Elantra's engine would stop working and I had to restart my engine. Often the BMW guage would malfunction/stop working, my Elantra would not accelerate past 30 mph and the engine would stop working. When I first went to Koons Hyundai for the ANTI THEFT Safety Recall, earlier this year, I DID NOT have any of these issues and I could contact Hyundai and schedule an Appointment ASAP. However, after Koons Hyundai started performing its ANTI THEFT Safety Recalls on Hyundai vehicles is has taken very, very long for Hyundai to schedule my Appointment. For instance, I called Koons Hyundai around September 6, (XXXXXXXXX) and the earliest that Koon's Hyundai could schedule me for an Appointment was October 2, 2023. In Fact, (XXXXXXXX) I traveled to my son's home in Midlothian, VA and dropped my car off with Pearson Hyundai at 11701 MIDLOTHIAN TPKE, Midlothian, VA 23113 on Labor Day, September 4, 2023 and received a call from Pearson Hyundai on September 5, 2023 that it would take three weeks before they could service my Elantra. This very, very long service delay by Hyundai NEVER EXISTED BEFORE the ANTI THEFT Service Recalls and I believe HYUNDAI IS DOING REPAIRS TO MAKE MONEY FROM ITS ANTI THEFT SERVICE RECALLS which reset its Hyundai computers causing my Elantra's computer to cause starting and BMW and slow transmission MPH issues...as if somebody was stealing my Elantra. Due to Hyundai's ANTI THEFT Safety Recall issues, I am going to have to go to Hyundai, spend tons of money to have Hyundai fix problems, that never existed before, at my expense, which basically SUCKS. I know Hyundai DID NOT want to spend money on this ANTI THEFT Safety Recall, but Hyundai SHOULD NOT RIP OFF Hyundai owners through its own inabilities to properly update safety features of its vehicles. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2023
Oct 2021 Crash

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.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2021
Jun 2021

My car need fixed

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Apr 2021
Jun 2019

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE. I HAVE HAD FOUR INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS REPLACED DUE TO THE DISPLAY PANEL FADING IN THE HOT WEATHER. THE PROBLEM IS HAPPENING AGAIN AND IT WOULD APPEAR THAT I NOW NEED A 5TH INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. SURELY, THERE MUST BE SOME THING THAT HYUNDAI CAN DO TO FIX THIS ONGOING ISSUE. THE ODOMETER, MILEAGE RANGE AND GEAR POSITION DISPLAY ARE AFFECTED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jun 2019
Dec 2018

BOTH VISORS - MECHANISM INSIDE EXPLODED NOW VISORS STUCK IN ODD POSITION WHERE DOES NOT BLOCK SUN AND HITS YOU IN THE FOREHEAD IF YOU HAVE AN ACCIDENT IT WOULD KILL YOU .. THIS IS DEFECT IN PLASTIC MECHANISM THAT HOLDS THE VISOR .. I CAN SEE ONLINE THOUSANDS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE.. DEFECTIVE MECHANISM IN VISOR.,

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2018
Nov 2018

ON ABOUT 3/23/2016 I WAS DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON I-287 ON MY MORNING COMMUTE WHEN MY SUNROOF EXPLODED, RAINING GLASS DOWN UPON ME. I ASSUMED IT WAS HIT BY A ROCK UNTIL I READ ABOUT THE EXPLODING SUNROOF PROBLEM. MY INSURANCE COMPANY (GEICO) PAID $1,323 TO REPLACE THE SUNROOF.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Mar 2016
Oct 2018

WHILE DRIVING MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA IT MAKES A HARD SHIFT AT TIMES SLIGHTLY A BIT HESITANT WHICH COULD CAUSE THE CAR TO BE REAR ENDED .BEEN TO 2 MECHANICS ALREADY ONE BEING THE DEALER THEY SAY NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE CAR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Oct 2018
Apr 2018

RADIO HAS STOPPED WORKING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Mar 2018
Dec 2017

CLICKING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING/ STARTING CAR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Nov 2017
Jun 2017

INTERMITTENT...CAR IS STATIONARY AND I ATTEMPT TO START CAR WITH PUSH START AND THE ENGINE WILL CRANK FOR APPROX 3 SECOND AND THEN START. I TURN CAR OFF AND HEAR A TICK TICK TICK FROM ENGINE. RESTARTS WITH NO HESITATION. THIS IS USUALLY AFTER A DRIVE AROUND TOWN AND THEN I COME HOME AND MAYBE ABOUT 6 HOURS LATER I'LL GO BACK INTO MY CAR AND IT WILL SPUTTER AGAIN. NO SOLUTION AS OF YET.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jun 2017
Nov 2016

SINCE PURCHASING THIS VEHICLE ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS I'VE HAD NEIGHBORS TELL ME MY TRUNK HAS BEEN FOUND OPEN AND NUMEROUS TIMES I LOOK OUTSIDE AND ITS OPEN THE KEYS HUNG ON THE WALL OF MY HOUSE IT HAPPENS ANY AND EVERYWHERE GROCERY STORE ETC. ITS NOT A SAFE PLACE TO PUT ANYTHING WITHOUT THE CHANCE OF BEING STOLEN FROM TRUNK OR GIVE ACCES TO THE MAIN CABIN CAUSE THATS WHERE THE BACKSEAT RELEASE IS OPEN SEASON FOR THEFT

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Nov 2016
Nov 2016

CAR WON'T START UNTIL I DEPRESS THE ACCELERATOR AND HOLD AS I START THE VEHICLE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Nov 2016
Oct 2016

I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS EXPERIENCES WHERE THE VEHICLE WONT START. I WENT TO GET GAS ONE MORNING AND AFTER I PUMPED THE GAS AND GOT IN TO DRIVE OFF MY CAR WOULDN'T START. I WAITED FOR AAA AND WHILE WAITING TRIED TURNING OVER THE KEY AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. LIKE I SAID THIS HAS HAPPENED ABOUT TEN TO TWELVE OR MORE TIMES. I RECENTLY CHANGED THE BATTERY BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN SEVERAL TIMES. SOMEONE NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING REGARDING THIS COMPLAINT AS I SEE IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN COMPLAINED ABOUT NUMEROUS TIMES.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 2016
Aug 2016

VEHICLE WONT START AT TIMES. THIS HAPPENED WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND HYUNDAI CHANGED THE INHIBITOR SWITCH. RECENTLY STARTED HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM OF IT NOT STARTING. DEALER SHOWED ME WHERE THE RESET IS SO I WAS ABLE TO START IT AND BRING IT TO THE DEALER. AGAIN THEY CHANGED THE INHIBITOR SWITCH. I WAS TOLD THEY CHANGED THE DESIGN OF THE SWITCH AND HOPEFULLY I WON'T HAVE THIS PROBLEM AGAIN. HYUNDAI PAID FOR THE PART BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR LABOR. I'M SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT HAD THIS PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Feb 2016
Jul 2016

INTERMITTENTLY, MY CAR DOES NOT START. I TURN THE KEY AND NOTHING HAPPENS. I TRY IT AGAIN. NOTHING. I TRY IT AGAIN AND IT STARTS. IT HAPPENED WHEN THE CAR WAS SITTING OVERNIGHT IN MY GARAGE. IT HAPPENED AFTER I WAS IN A STORE FOR ABOUT 45 MINUTES. IT HAPPENED AFTER I WAS IN ANOTHER LOCATION FOR 2 HOURS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER ABOUT A YEAR AGO WHEN IT HAPPENED AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG BECAUSE IT DIDN'T DO IT FOR THEM. (OF COURSE, IT DIDN'T!) THEN, AFTER ANOTHER COUPLE OF TIMES OF IT HAPPENING AGAIN, I RESEARCHED AND FOUND IT WAS PROBABLY SOME KIND OF SWITCH. I TOLD THAT TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED SOMETHING WHICH SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. NOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR FOR FEAR I WILL BE STRANDED SOMEWHERE UNSAFE ONE DAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jul 2016
Apr 2016

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS MY ELANTRA HAS STALLED IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTING. IT DOESNT MATTER IF THE ENGINE IS HOT OR COLD. JUST FILLED UP WITH GAS OR ANYWHERE IN BETWEEN. THE PROBLEM IS VERY INTERMITTENT. USUALLY IT WOULD THEN START ON THE 2ND OR 3RD TRY BUT HAS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS LEFT ME STRANDED REQUIRING A TOW. THE DEALERSHIP ACKNOWLEDGED THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM BUT UNLESS THEY CAN REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. IVE HAD THE THROTTLE BODY CLEANED AND ALL NEW SPARK PLUGS, BUT ITS STILL ACTING UP. I DONT WANT TO KEEP THROWING MONEY AT IT GUESSING WHAT COULD BE WRONG. THIS BEGAN AROUND 10,000 MILES AND IT NOW IS APPROACHING 80,000. ID LIKE FOR HYUNDAI TO ACKNOWLEDGE THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS AND TO INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Apr 2016
Mar 2016

SUNROOF SHATTERING: WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY IN VIRGINIA ON 3/25/16 I HEARD A CRACK, POP, AND THEN SHATTERING. PIECES OF GLASS COULD BE HEARD SLIDING OVER THE TOP OF THE CAR AND SEEN IN THE BACK WINDOW. NO ITEM WAS SEEN INSIDE OF THE CAR TO SUGGEST AN OUTSIDE OBJECT BREAKING THE GLASS. I DROPPED OFF THE CAR AT THE HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN WHITE FLINT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Mar 2016
Mar 2016

MY 2012 ELANTRA LTD EDITION HAS A KEYLESS ENTRY AND PUSH BUTTON TO START. RECENTLY I AM HAVING PROBLEM TO OPEN THE DOORS OR START THE CARS. SOMETIMES IT STARTS THE ENGINE AND SOMETIMES IT DOES NOT. I AM SURPRISED THIS PROBLEM IS LOT MORE COMMON IN THE FORUM AND IT HAS NOT BEEN TAKEN CARE BY HYUNDAI OR NHTSA. I AM MISSING MY WORK. THIS IS MY SECOND HYUNDAI AND THIS IS IT. NO MORE HYUNDAI FOR ME. I PAID BIG BUCKS FOR IT AND NO ONE CARES. I HAVE LEFT THE MESSAGE TO THE DEALERSHIP IN THE MORNING AND THEY HAVE NOT CALLED ME. I HAD OWNED MANY CARS BEFORE AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Feb 2016
Feb 2016

THE VEHICLE HAS ACCELERATED ON IT'S OWN TWICE NOW -- TODAY AND ABOUT A MONTH AGO. BOTH OCCURRENCES WERE EXACTLY THE SAME. THEY WERE WHILE PARKING IN MY OFFICE'S PARKING LOT AFTER DRIVING 20-30 MINUTES ON THE HIGHWAY. AS SOON AS I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE IT WAS IF I WAS PRESSING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL BUT I WAS NOT. WHEN I STOPPED AND PUT THE CAR IN PARK THE RPM SHOT ALL THE WAY UP AND ENGINE WAS REVVING AS IF I HAD MY FOOT ALL THE WAY DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL. THIS DID NOT STOP UNTIL I SHUT THE ENGINE OFF. I THEN RESTART THE CAR AND IT IS NOT HAPPENING. THEN, WITH THE CAR STILL IN PARK, I GENTLY TAP ON THE GAS AND IT STARTS AGAIN. THE GAS PEDAL DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE PHYSICALLY STUCK. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER I START THE CAR AND TRY TAPPING ON THE GAS AND CANNOT REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM. I SEE THESE COMPLAINTS ALL OVER THE INTERNET. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO OWN UP AND ISSUE A RECALL BEFORE SOMEBODY GETS HURT, THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SCARY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Feb 2016

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Hyundai Elantra has 35 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. 1 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.