10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
10 / 61
Injuries / Deaths:
13 / 0
Average Mileage:
58,945 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Hyundai Sonata engine problems

engine problem

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2012 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments (Page 21 of 27)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #123

Jul 222016

Sonata

  • 60,120 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Oil feeder line leaked. This was a known defect in the 2011 vehicles. Occurred just out of warranty period. Hyundai would not replace under warranty even though this is a known issue with the 2012 models as well.

- Minneapolis, MN, USA

problem #122

Nov 172015

Sonata

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. While driving various speeds, there was a knocking noise coming from the engine. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #121

Sep 082016

Sonata

  • 102,101 miles
The car turns off while driving and there is a loud knocking sound from the engine area. The car also hesitates, and it is a loud roaring sound from the engine area. The issues occur when the car is stationary, in motion, and on the city street and highway. When I press down on the brake the car cuts off.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #120

Aug 182016

Sonata

  • 89,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I drive 45 minutes on the open highway between fort collins, co and cheyenne, wy each day. As I arrived in cheyenne and exited the freeway I made one turn to the right on to missle dr and was rolling forward when the car completely shut off. Everything stopped working. I managed to make a turn to the left and coast slightly up the hill near the Hyundai dealership. When I got out of the car, nothing worked and I could smell and see electrical smoke. I had it towed to the dealership and they said the engine had seized and melted the starter. I did see smoke but no flames. I am very thankful that this did not happen at 75 mph on the highway in the middle of no where between ft collins and cheyenne. At this time I'm waiting to hear if my car is covered under the recall.

- Fort Collins, CO, USA

problem #119

Aug 142016

Sonata

  • 58,658 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. While driving approximately 80 mph, the vehicle independently decelerated and all the warning lights on the instrument panel flashed. The contact pulled over and discovered that the vehicle was on fire underneath the front end. The police extinguished the fire, but a fire report was not filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was previously serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 58,658.

- Las Vegas, NV, USA

problem #118

Jul 302016

Sonata

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 55 mph, the vehicle made a loud knocking noise. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the engine failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

- Indio, CA, USA

problem #117

Jul 102016

Sonata

  • 56,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 5 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there were metal shavings in the oil pan. The technician stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 56,000.

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #116

Jul 282016

Sonata

  • 89,000 miles
I have tried three different times to get my recall serviced at hooman Hyundai in inglewood, ca and they have refused to work on my car. I keep getting excuses. This has been going on for almost a year. There is a recall for them to check my engine because it can stall.

- Inglewood, CA, USA

problem #115

Jul 182016

Sonata

  • miles
I writing because I am having issue with my vehicle. It will not crank. The battery is not dead because the lights, radio comes on, it will not crank at all I have a push botton one. I took it for a oil change on July 15 2016 and had to pay a extra $75 for air filter change. Now before I got the oil change my car was fine. So on Monday 18, 2016 leaving the restaurant my car will not start.I press the botton and nothing happen I smell and saw smoke. Left up the hood nothing out of the ordinary. I read on media network, so many people having problem with their 2012 2.0 T Sonata Hyundai, car not starting and mines is one of them. I just got the car March of last year and now the car is acting up. I don't have $1200 to pay what medlin Hyundai in rocky mount can't find. The service guy says it mybe the computer of the car, when someone tried to jump start it throught it off. But I told him that before I even got a jump start. The car made a noise and white smoke came from the hood of the car. They still blaming me but I think its their fault. The services guy said that the person that change the oil and air filter the car act like it didn't want to start. So why didn't they tell me that? I feel that they mess it up or there is a issue with all the 2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0 T that a recall need to be so the dealership car fix the all problems free. I need this to go to CEO of Hyundai. There is something truely wrong with 2012 Hyundai 2.0 T Sonata. And you know the dealership service don't even know what the problem is. He said it was no fuse blown, only thing they can assume that it's the computer is dysfunctional cause of the jump. But the car was smoking and didn't start before the jump. These Sonata is killing our pockets, even the use ones too expensive. I don't gave $1,000 and $1,000 to pay out, that they don't know what problem is. Got car from gabe rowe.

- Rocky Mount, NC, USA

problem #114

Jul 212016

Sonata

  • 71,000 miles
I received a recall notice in the mail last year. Finally, in February 2016, Hyundai had a fix for the manufacturer's alleged metal debris that was getting into the engine. The car was serviced and determined all was well. Today, June 21, 2016, the car stalled while leaving for work. I restarted the car successfully; however, milliseconds later, the engine shut off. This kept happening every time I restarted the car. The car had to be towed to the dealership. After a few quotes, ranging from $500 to $1600+, and the Hyundai dealer advising that the oil control valve needed to be replaced -- that "it had an extra hole in it that was not from the manufacturer". they also advised that after replacing this valve, the issue still may not be resolved. Additional repairs and labor would need to be done -- at my expense. I inquired if it had to do anything with the recent recall (mentioned above). She advised, 'no'. I find it very hard to believe that these two incidents or issues are unrelated. After reading about the many Sonata owners that have had engine trouble, I'm afraid to even drive this car anymore.

- Mechanicsburg, PA, USA

problem #113

Jul 022016

Sonata

  • 104,022 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was driving with my daughter and took a wrong turn ending up on a dead end street on a hill in sonora. When I put it in reverse turned around then started going forward my entire car and brakes failed without warning. I quickly through on the emergency brake that stopped me from hitting a tree. Thank god it happened there as the next morning I would have been on a 2 lane mountain highway with all 3 of my daughters on a holiday weekend and it could have been fatal. My car has had all services and had just been serviced recently there were no issues and no recalls

- Modesto, CA, USA

problem #112

May 302016

Sonata

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. While driving 45 mph, white smoke emitted under the hood. The driver coasted the vehicle to the side of the road and noticed black smoke and fire next to the engine. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed that fractured metal fragments were in the engine, which caused it to fail. The engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

- Tracy, CA, USA

problem #111

Jul 062016

Sonata

  • 112,000 miles
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. While making a turn at 5 mph, smoke and flames emitted from the hood of the vehicle. The contact parked and exited the vehicle. A fire report was filed. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The contact did not sustain any injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact mentioned that the vehicle was serviced per NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.

- Rockport, TX, USA

problem #110

Jul 032016

Sonata

  • 130,000 miles
"takata recall" my vehicle is making a ticking noise that sounds like a rod is going bad. Oil has been changed on regular basis. I received a recall letter in the mail in regards to this problem and I contacted dealership and they stated that no further action is required at this time and that they are waiting on second letter for further instructions. In the mean time, my car is not fixed and the repair is very expensive. In need of help and I was out of town vacationing with family leaving orlando Florida when this issue occured on the highway causing slow up in traffic. This could have resulted in a crash.

- Jackson, MS, USA

problem #109

Jun 072016

Sonata

  • 73,000 miles
On my way to work I had turned off the highway onto a side street and my vehicle stalled out with no warning or warning lights. I coasted it to the side to safety. When I tried to restart it did and no warning lights showed up but when I went to accelerate it stalled out again. I had the vehicle towed to the dealer, waiting on an answer but sounds like it may be part of an engine recall. This could have been a fatal failure if it happened on the expressway or in another traffic situation.

- Valparaiso, IN, USA

problem #108

Apr 252016

Sonata

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

- Massapequea, NY, USA

problem #107

Apr 242016

Sonata

  • 47,000 miles
Recall campaign 132. Vehicle stalled/locked up causing a collision with heavy front end damage.

- Compton, CA, USA

problem #106

Dec 012015

Sonata

  • 27,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the speed and rpms would fluctuate independently while driving various speeds. The failure was intermittent. The dealer was unable to locate the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 27,000.

- New Castle, DE, USA

problem #105

Apr 012015

Sonata

  • 27,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. When starting the vehicle, a tapping sound emitted from the engine. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 27,000.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #104

Feb 122016

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
2012 Hyundai Sonata. Consumer writes in regards to excessive metal debris in vehicle engine crankshaft recall notice. The consumer stated the vehicle was inspected. However, he wasn't sure if the inspection was valid to guarantee there won't be any problems in the future. Recall # 15V568000.

- Paramus, NJ, USA

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