2012 HYUNDAI SONATA — Owner-Reported Problems

NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-08-22 1,704 complaints · 11 recalls
Most-reported system: ENGINE (480 complaints · 28.2%)
Safety signals:
  • Crashes 53
  • Fires 100
  • Injuries 40
  • Deaths 1
Compare with 2011 →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Component Problem Distribution

Share of owner complaints filed for each vehicle system (unaffected by sales volume)

Component Problem Distribution ENGINE appears in 480 of 1,704 owner complaints (28.2%) in this vehicle snapshot. ENGINE: 480 complaints, 28.2% of reports ENGINE 480 · 28.2% · 8 crash reports 59 fire reports STEERING: 269 complaints, 15.8% of reports STEERING 269 · 15.8% · 4 crash reports 1 fire reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING: 126 complaints, 7.4% of reports EXTERIOR LIGHTING 126 · 7.4% · 2 crash reports 11 fire reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: 95 complaints, 5.6% of reports ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 95 · 5.6% · 1 crash reports 8 fire reports POWER TRAIN: 91 complaints, 5.3% of reports POWER TRAIN 91 · 5.3% · 7 crash reports 1 fire reports SERVICE BRAKES: 89 complaints, 5.2% of reports SERVICE BRAKES 89 · 5.2% · 3 crash reports 1 fire reports FUEL SYSTEM: 84 complaints, 4.9% of reports FUEL SYSTEM 84 · 4.9% · 5 fire reports AIR BAGS: 80 complaints, 4.7% of reports AIR BAGS 80 · 4.7% · 12 crash reports 1 fire reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL: 66 complaints, 3.9% of reports VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 66 · 3.9% · 6 crash reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER: 253 complaints, 14.9% of reports UNKNOWN OR OTHER 253 · 14.9% · 6 crash reports 17 fire reports 0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

UNKNOWN OR OTHER is an NHTSA classification artifact and is always listed last.

View component data as a table
System / Component Complaints Share of Reports Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires)
ENGINE 480 28.2% 8 crashes · 59 fires
STEERING 269 15.8% 4 crashes · 1 fires
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 126 7.4% 2 crashes · 11 fires
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 95 5.6% 1 crashes · 8 fires
POWER TRAIN 91 5.3% 7 crashes · 1 fires
SERVICE BRAKES 89 5.2% 3 crashes · 1 fires
FUEL SYSTEM 84 4.9% 0 crashes · 5 fires
AIR BAGS 80 4.7% 12 crashes · 1 fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 66 3.9% 6 crashes · 0 fires
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 253 14.9% 6 crashes · 17 fires
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Problem & Recall Timeline

Observed complaint volume and manufacturer recall actions over time

Problem & Recall Timeline Owner reports in this snapshot begin in Jul 2011; the first recall shown was reported in Jul 2012. 2011-Q3: 11 owner reports 11 2011-Q4: 7 owner reports 7 2012-Q1: 11 owner reports 11 2012-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2012-Q3: 18 owner reports 18 2012-Q4: 16 owner reports 16 2013-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2013-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2013-Q3: 15 owner reports 15 2013-Q4: 12 owner reports 12 2014-Q1: 16 owner reports 16 2014-Q2: 15 owner reports 15 2014-Q3: 25 owner reports 25 2014-Q4: 19 owner reports 19 2015-Q1: 14 owner reports 14 2015-Q2: 11 owner reports 11 2015-Q3: 23 owner reports 23 2015-Q4: 81 owner reports 81 2016-Q1: 43 owner reports 43 2016-Q2: 23 owner reports 23 2016-Q3: 43 owner reports 43 2016-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 2017-Q1: 44 owner reports 44 2017-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2017-Q3: 35 owner reports 35 2017-Q4: 36 owner reports 36 2018-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2018-Q2: 33 owner reports 33 2018-Q3: 87 owner reports 87 2018-Q4: 73 owner reports 73 2019-Q1: 57 owner reports 57 2019-Q2: 67 owner reports 67 2019-Q3: 46 owner reports 46 2019-Q4: 40 owner reports 40 2020-Q1: 27 owner reports 27 2020-Q2: 41 owner reports 41 2020-Q3: 45 owner reports 45 2020-Q4: 32 owner reports 32 2021-Q1: 40 owner reports 40 2021-Q2: 30 owner reports 30 2021-Q3: 40 owner reports 40 2021-Q4: 23 owner reports 23 2022-Q1: 34 owner reports 34 2022-Q2: 29 owner reports 29 2022-Q3: 40 owner reports 40 2022-Q4: 21 owner reports 21 2023-Q1: 24 owner reports 24 2023-Q2: 21 owner reports 21 2023-Q3: 28 owner reports 28 2023-Q4: 26 owner reports 26 2024-Q1: 18 owner reports 18 2024-Q2: 25 owner reports 25 2024-Q3: 27 owner reports 27 2024-Q4: 9 owner reports 9 2025-Q1: 7 owner reports 7 2025-Q2: 8 owner reports 8 2025-Q3: 14 owner reports 14 2025-Q4: 15 owner reports 15 2026-Q1: 9 owner reports 9 2026-Q2: 12 owner reports 12 2026-Q3: 6 owner reports 6 Owner reports Jul 2011 Jul 2026 Recall campaign 12V352000 ◆ Recall campaign 12V352000 Recall campaign 14V434000 ◆ Recall campaign 14V434000 Recall campaign 15V568000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V568000 Recall campaign 15V759000 ◆ Recall campaign 15V759000 Recall campaign 17V152000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V152000 Recall campaign 17V617000 ◆ Recall campaign 17V617000 Recall campaign 18V137000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V137000 Recall campaign 18V934000 ◆ Recall campaign 18V934000 Recall campaign 20V393000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V393000 Recall campaign 20V746000 ◆ Recall campaign 20V746000 Recall campaign 23V651000 ◆ Recall campaign 23V651000 Investigation RQ17004 ● Investigation RQ17004 Investigation PE18003 ● Investigation PE18003 Investigation PE18003 ● Investigation PE18003 Investigation DP18003 ● Investigation DP18003 Investigation DP18003 ● Investigation DP18003 Investigation PE19003 ● Investigation PE19003 Investigation PE19003 ● Investigation PE19003 Investigation DP21003 ● Investigation DP21003 Investigation EA21003 ● Investigation EA21003 Investigation EA21003 ● Investigation EA21003 Investigation DP22003 ● Investigation DP22003 Investigation DP22003 ● Investigation DP22003 Investigation DP22005 ● Investigation DP22005 Investigation AQ23002 ● Investigation AQ23002
  • Campaign 12V352000 was reported 15 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 14V434000 was reported 687 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 15V759000 was reported 1,531 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V152000 was reported 1,803 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 17V617000 was reported 2,013 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 20V393000 was reported 3,209 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
  • Campaign 23V651000 was reported 4,277 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
Date Record type Count Record identifier
2011-Q3 Owner reports 11
2011-Q4 Owner reports 7
2012-Q1 Owner reports 11
2012-Q2 Owner reports 15
2012-Q3 Owner reports 18
2012-Q4 Owner reports 16
2013-Q1 Owner reports 9
2013-Q2 Owner reports 12
2013-Q3 Owner reports 15
2013-Q4 Owner reports 12
2014-Q1 Owner reports 16
2014-Q2 Owner reports 15
2014-Q3 Owner reports 25
2014-Q4 Owner reports 19
2015-Q1 Owner reports 14
2015-Q2 Owner reports 11
2015-Q3 Owner reports 23
2015-Q4 Owner reports 81
2016-Q1 Owner reports 43
2016-Q2 Owner reports 23
2016-Q3 Owner reports 43
2016-Q4 Owner reports 32
2017-Q1 Owner reports 44
2017-Q2 Owner reports 30
2017-Q3 Owner reports 35
2017-Q4 Owner reports 36
2018-Q1 Owner reports 34
2018-Q2 Owner reports 33
2018-Q3 Owner reports 87
2018-Q4 Owner reports 73
2019-Q1 Owner reports 57
2019-Q2 Owner reports 67
2019-Q3 Owner reports 46
2019-Q4 Owner reports 40
2020-Q1 Owner reports 27
2020-Q2 Owner reports 41
2020-Q3 Owner reports 45
2020-Q4 Owner reports 32
2021-Q1 Owner reports 40
2021-Q2 Owner reports 30
2021-Q3 Owner reports 40
2021-Q4 Owner reports 23
2022-Q1 Owner reports 34
2022-Q2 Owner reports 29
2022-Q3 Owner reports 40
2022-Q4 Owner reports 21
2023-Q1 Owner reports 24
2023-Q2 Owner reports 21
2023-Q3 Owner reports 28
2023-Q4 Owner reports 26
2024-Q1 Owner reports 18
2024-Q2 Owner reports 25
2024-Q3 Owner reports 27
2024-Q4 Owner reports 9
2025-Q1 Owner reports 7
2025-Q2 Owner reports 8
2025-Q3 Owner reports 14
2025-Q4 Owner reports 15
2026-Q1 Owner reports 9
2026-Q2 Owner reports 12
2026-Q3 Owner reports 6
Recall campaign 1 12V352000
Recall campaign 1 14V434000
Recall campaign 1 15V568000
Recall campaign 1 15V759000
Recall campaign 1 17V152000
Recall campaign 1 17V617000
Recall campaign 1 18V137000
Recall campaign 1 18V934000
Recall campaign 1 20V393000
Recall campaign 1 20V746000
Recall campaign 1 23V651000
Defect investigation 1 RQ17004
Defect investigation 1 PE18003
Defect investigation 1 PE18003
Defect investigation 1 DP18003
Defect investigation 1 DP18003
Defect investigation 1 PE19003
Defect investigation 1 PE19003
Defect investigation 1 DP21003
Defect investigation 1 EA21003
Defect investigation 1 EA21003
Defect investigation 1 DP22003
Defect investigation 1 DP22003
Defect investigation 1 DP22005
Defect investigation 1 AQ23002
NHTSA Safety Recalls Snapshot 2026-08-22 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Safety Recalls (11)

Official safety recall campaigns filed with NHTSA

  1. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 12V352000

    Report date
    Component:
    AIR BAGS
    Consequence:
    The curtain airbag may inflate without deployment command and increase the risk of injury to occupants of the vehicle. Additionally, an unexpected deployment would be a significant driver distraction and would limit the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai dealers will notify owners, and dealers will replace the curtain side airbags free of charge. This recall began on August 31, 2012. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  2. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 14V434000

    Report date
    Component:
    POWER TRAIN
    Consequence:
    If the transmission shift cable detaches, the transmission gear selection may not match the indicated gear and the vehicle may move in an unintended or unexpected direction, increasing the risk of a crash. Furthermore, when the driver parks the vehicle, despite selecting the 'PARK' position, the transmission may not be in 'PARK.' If the vehicle is not in the 'PARK' position and the parking brake is not applied, there is a risk the vehicle will roll away as the driver and other occupants exit the vehicle or anytime thereafter. A vehicle rollaway increases the risk of injury to exiting occupants and bystanders.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, repair the connection between the shift cable and shift lever, free of charge. The recall began in September 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 123.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  3. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V568000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    Engine failure would result in a vehicle stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles and replace the engine assembly, as necessary, free of charge. Additionally, Hyundai Motor America will increase the warranty for the engine sub-assembly (short block) to 10 years/120,000 miles for both original and subsequent owners of 2011 and 2012 Sonatas manufactured at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama equipped with 2.0 liter and 2.4 liter Gasoline Direct injection engines. Interim notifications were mailed to owners starting on October 8, 2015. A second notification will be mailed when parts are available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059 or by visiting www.HyundaiUSA.com/Campaign132. Hyundai's number for this recall is 132.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  4. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 15V759000

    Report date
    Component:
    EXTERIOR LIGHTING
    Consequence:
    If the brake light switch plunger does not retract as it should when the brake pedal is not being pressed, the brake lights may stay illuminated preventing accurate communication to rearward following vehicles that the vehicle is slowing or stopping. Additionally, if the brake switch plunger is not retracted, then the transmission can be shifted out of PARK without depressing the brake pedal. Either condition increases the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal stopper pad with an improved part, free of charge. The recall began on January 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 136.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  5. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V152000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    In the event of a crash, if the seat belts detach from the anchor pretensioners, it can increase the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners and dealers will inspect the connection between the seat belt linkages and the seat belt anchor pretensioners, repairing them as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 7, 2017. Owner's may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for the recall is 160.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  6. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 17V617000

    Report date
    Component:
    SEAT BELTS
    Consequence:
    If the seat belt linkage detaches from the seat belt anchorage, it can not properly restrain the occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will again verify the connection between the seat belt linkage and the pretensioner and additionally install a warning label to prevent future seat belt linkage detachment, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2017. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 169.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  7. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V137000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    If the frontal air bags, seat belt pretensioners, and side air bags are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will install an external wire filter kit, free of charge. The recall began October 15, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 174.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  8. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 18V934000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 1, 2019. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's recall number for this recall is 180.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  9. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 20V393000

    Report date
    Component:
    EQUIPMENT
    Consequence:
    An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  10. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 20V746000

    Report date
    Component:
    Not available in the source record
    Consequence:
    A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
    Remedy:
    Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the engine. If bearing damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also install a software update containing a new Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS). Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 198.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →

  11. Manufacturer action

    Recall campaign 23V651000

    Report date
    Component:
    SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
    Consequence:
    An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
    Remedy:
    Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
    View authoritative NHTSA record →
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Complaint Narrative Explorer

Verbatim owner-reported defect narratives from NHTSA public records

Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-08-21
Safety incident filters
Showing 0 of 1,704 complaints · page 1 of 69

No complaints match the current filters.
EPA Fuel Economy Database Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Estimated Ownership Cost

EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates

Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Supported range: 1,000–60,000 miles per year
Supported range: $1.50–$10.00 per gallon
55% city45% highway
Estimate unavailable

EPA fuel-economy data is unavailable for this vehicle.

No estimate is shown when required EPA values are unavailable.

 Open Ownership Cost Calculator →

Adjacent Model Years

Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records

NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-08-21 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →

Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.

Methodology & Data Integrity

Data sourced from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Snapshot date: 2026-08-21.

Read our complete data methodology → Sources