10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
57,174 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 steering problems

steering problem

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2012 Hyundai Sonata Owner Comments (Page 2 of 15)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #275

Mar 192020

Sonata

  • 80,000 miles

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

Steering wheel clicks constantly and drive shaft giggles and makes loud clucking noises, especially on rough terrain it feels like the steering wheel is going to snap and I loose all steering and control of vehicle. I went to get it fixed and the mechanic stated he couldn't due to the severity of it.

- Warren, MI, USA

problem #274

Jul 172019

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles
Makes an unknown clicking noise when I twist the wheel

- Philadelphia, PA, USA

problem #273

Jun 232020

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 95,798 miles
Car has been experiencing clunking noise since 2018. Vehicle would stall all of a sudden. Dealership checked it out and they failed to find anything wrong. On 6/23 I was on the fast lane of the freeway and car stalled and engine light was continuously blinking on and off. Cyclic knocking noise, RPM would not elevate from 1 car just stalled while in motion I almost got hit by other vehicles. Was able to pull car to the side. While engine light continued blinking. Going up hill it lost power as well. I was driving vehicle with my grandkids in the back seat. I feared for all of our lives. Sending pictures and I have a video as well.

- National City, CA, USA

problem #272

Jun 112018

Sonata 4-cyl

  • miles

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

There is a clicking sound when I turn my steering wheel. I was told by a mechanic that there is a small plastic piece associated with my steering column that is broken and needs to be replaced. I don't know if this issue is potentially dangerous but I believe Hyundai should fix this issue for free. The clicking sound is loud and makes lots of noise when I go over bumps or turn the wheel.

- Old Bridge, NJ, USA

problem #271

Feb 022015

Sonata

  • 45,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to bert ogden harlingen Hyundai 8621 E frontage rd, harlingen, tx 78552 956-4230-5555, to be repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 15V568000 (engine) and the contact was informed that the engine did not need to be replaced. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken back to the same dealer and the contact was informed that the sound was coming from the fuel pump and not the engine. The vehicle was then taken to an unknown dealer to have a specialist perform a sound test from inside the cabin of the vehicle. The specialist found no failure with the vehicle. The mechanic was informed that on a previous oil change, the mechanic found metal shavings in the oil. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired with the engine failure and also the power steering failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 45,000.

- Mercedes, TX, USA

problem #270

Dec 012019

Sonata

  • miles
The steering wheel clicks to the left and right, when steering. It's a rattling metal clicking sound. Car seems to steer, but the noise is worrisome. I can be driving and when I move steering wheel, it clicks and while driving or parked. It clicks with movement of steering wheel.

- Fresno, CA, USA

problem #269

May 142020

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 150,000 miles

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

While making a right turn on a residential street, the steering wheel locked causing me to hit the only parked car that was 20 ft from the corner.

- El Monte, CA, USA

problem #268

Mar 302018

Sonata

  • 120,769 miles
Steering wheel will shake rapidly when driving. Especially when I'm driving on the interstate.

- Ardmore, OK, USA

problem #267

Apr 012018

Sonata 4-cyl

  • 105,000 miles
The steering wheel makes a click when turned left and right started about a year after buying the car used and has gotten worse with time. When I took it to the dealer they told me it was the steering column motor mdps rubber coupler link had began to fail. This cause a dead zone in the steering wheel which gets worse with time. The link is a known failing part and cost $10 to replace the part but 300 for labor due to the steering column needing to be completely removed to replace the faulty rubber part.

- Mckinney, TX, USA

problem #266

Sep 012019

Sonata

  • 90,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel while turing, without warning. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic where they were unable to diagnose the vehicle. The mechanic linked the failure to two unknown technical service bulletins. Neither the manufacturer nor the dealer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 90,000.

- South Bend, IN, USA

problem #265

May 022020

Sonata

  • 31,000 miles

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

Steering wheel noise making a clicking noise when turning from left to right.

- New Britain, CT, USA

problem #264

Feb 082020

Sonata

  • 93,000 miles
Steering wheel started "sticking" as your going strait. It is noticeable at slow speeds and dangerous at high speeds where it is easy to over-correct steering. Been reading reviews of common user complaints but do not see any recalls as of yet. Opened case with Hyundai motor America case#: 16870224 - was asked to go to dealer to have checked out.

- Goose Creek, SC, USA

problem #263

Feb 292020

Sonata

  • 147,559 miles
Eps light came on while I was driving and now the steering wheel lock up on me now I cantsei

- Cincinnati, OH, USA

problem #262

Feb 262020

Sonata

  • miles
The steering wheel makes a clicking sound when turning left and right. It gets worse as you accelerate in speed. Feels like the steering wheel is going to fall off. When the vehicle is stationary you can turn the wheel left or right and still hear the clicking sound.

- El Paso, TX, USA

problem #261

Dec 072019

Sonata

  • 100,000 miles
When turning steering wheel it makes a clicking noise, left & right

- Simpsonville, SC, USA

problem #260

Jan 152020

Sonata

  • 197,000 miles
200,000 miles. At speeds above 25 mph the steering wheel " chatters in a sideways motion. At highway speeds if you put a little sideways steering pressure on the wheel and then let go, it jumps all around. Tie rods and rack/pinion have been ruled out as the cause by Michigan state certified and licensed mechanics.

- Hale, MI, USA

problem #259

Sep 012019

Sonata

  • 55,000 miles
While driving at almost any speed, as long as it is in a fairly straight line, the steering has a catch in it when you try to ease the car to the right or the left. It feels like it is stuck in a rut and you have to turn harder than expected to break it out of that rut. This causes instances of oversteering. This can't be safe at all!!

- Daphne, AL, USA

problem #258

Nov 252019

Sonata

  • miles
There is a knock in the in the steering wheel and when I hit a bump its sounds like something is lose the problem is getting worse. It happens when I drive or when im sitting still if you turn the steering wheel it knocks

- Rahway, NJ, USA

problem #257

Aug 042017

Sonata

  • 65,000 miles
After appx 65K miles, the steering wheel started clicking while stationary or moving. After researching this problem, I found several people described the issue as the steering knuckle. I took my car to the repair shop to resolve the issue. My issue was not only the knuckle, but the steering gearbox. There were teeth broken on the gears. This is a very costly repair. $2000-$4000. These issues should not happen unless there were weak or defective parts installed during the build process. This is an extremely dangerous issue.

- Aiken, SC, USA

problem #256

Nov 162019

Sonata

  • 170,002 miles
I was driving down the street and my 2012 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T limited the instrument cluster illuminated and the power steering was no longer working. I immediately pulled over because the car started to slow down while pressing on the accelerator and before I stopped all the lights on the panel were out. I put the car in park and tried to cut it off with the push stop button and it would not cut off. Then I called road side assistance and before I ended the call the engine cut off without pressing the engine stop button. If I was on the highway or in a busy area the could have ended in a fatality. Why are there no recalls for this?

- Houston, TX, USA

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