How many recalls does the 2012 Hyundai Elantra have?

4 open NHTSA safety recalls are on record for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, alongside 919 owner complaints.

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2012 Hyundai Elantra Recalls & Complaints

open safety recalls on record

Critical

919 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.51 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical20V393000

Equipment:Electrical

overheated accessory outlet raises the risk of fire.

Remedy & full details

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.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.

Critical23V651000 Park outside

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip:Control Unit/Module

engine compartment fire while parked or driving can raises the risk of injury.

Remedy & full details

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.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Serious15V871000

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, raises the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will verify the proper operation of the ESC sensors, and update the ESC system's calibration, free of charge. The recall began June 6, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 137.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2012 Elantra vehicles manufactured October 29, 2010, to October 25, 2011. Due to an electronic stability control (ESC) sensor malfunction, the brakes for one or more wheels may be applied unexpectedly and the engine power may be reduced. These symptoms will be accompanied by illumination of the ESC indicator lamp in the instrument cluster.

Serious13V115000

Air Bags:Side/Window

If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.

Remedy & full details

Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.

Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

Complaint volume

Volume alone is not a fault rate — popular vehicles attract more reports. Read it next to the severity mix below.

What owners reported happened

74Crashes

15Fires

69Injuries

0Deaths

Across 919 complaints. Severity Index 0.51.

Severity Index weights each complaint's reported outcome (death ×10, injury ×4, fire ×3, crash ×2) and divides by total complaints. It measures how severe reports are, not how often faults occur.

What owners report most

Engine — 138 reports
Electrical System — 123 reports
Air Bags — 123 reports
Steering — 88 reports
Unknown Or Other — 66 reports
Service Brakes — 59 reports
Electronic Stability Control (Esc) — 44 reports
Suspension — 43 reports
Power Train — 40 reports
Service Brakes, Hydraulic — 38 reports

What to do

Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
Book the repair with any franchised dealer. Safety recall work is free, with no time limit and regardless of who owns the car now.

Other model years

1995 (1) · 1996 (3) · 1997 (3) · 1998 · 1999 (2) · 2000 (1) · 2001 (6) · 2002 (6) · 2003 (5) · 2004 (5) · 2005 (4) · 2006 (1) · 2007 (6) · 2008 (7) · 2009 (4) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (5) · 2012 · 2013 (4) · 2014 (2) · 2015 (3) · 2016 (2) · 2017 (4) · 2018 · 2019 (1) · 2020 (3) · 2021 (6) · 2022 (5) · 2023 (2) · 2024 (1) · 2025

Numbers in brackets are open recall campaigns for that year.

Questions

Does an open recall mean the car is unsafe to drive?

Not usually. NHTSA issues a "do not drive" or "park outside" advisory when a defect is dangerous enough to keep you out of the car — those are flagged Critical above. Everything else should be repaired promptly but is not an immediate stop-driving order.

Do I pay for recall repairs?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to fix a safety recall free of charge, including parts and labour, whether or not you are the original owner.

Why are there complaints but no recalls?

Complaints are unverified reports filed by owners. They can prompt an investigation, but many never become recalls — either the fault isn't safety-related or it isn't widespread.

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