RecallRadar

Home → Hyundai → Santa Fe → 2012

2012 Hyundai Santa Fe Recalls & Complaints

1

open safety recall on record

Critical

474 owner complaints filed · Severity Index 0.37 · updated 2026-08-07

The recalls

Critical20V746000

Engine

damaged engine can raises the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy & full details

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.

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage.

Complaint volume

474 this model-year 8 median, same year

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

What owners reported happened

41Crashes
19Fires
9Injuries
0Deaths

Across 474 complaints. Severity Index 0.37.

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

Engine228 · 48%Vehicle Speed Control40 · 8%Electrical System39 · 8%Service Brakes25 · 5%Power Train24 · 5%Unknown Or Other16 · 3%Steering16 · 3%Suspension14 · 3%
  1. Engine — 228 reports
  2. Vehicle Speed Control — 40 reports
  3. Electrical System — 39 reports
  4. Service Brakes — 25 reports
  5. Power Train — 24 reports
  6. Unknown Or Other — 16 reports
  7. Steering — 16 reports
  8. Suspension — 14 reports
  9. Exterior Lighting — 12 reports
  10. Fuel/Propulsion System — 8 reports

What to do

  1. Find your 17-character VIN on the driver's door jamb or the base of the windscreen.
  2. Check it against NHTSA's official lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls — the authoritative record for your exact car.
  3. 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

2001 (4) · 2002 (4) · 2003 (4) · 2004 (3) · 2005 (3) · 2006 (1) · 2007 (9) · 2008 (6) · 2009 (3) · 2010 (3) · 2011 (3) · 2012 · 2013 (3) · 2014 (3) · 2015 (2) · 2016 (3) · 2017 (6) · 2018 (2) · 2019 (2) · 2020 (2) · 2021 (7) · 2022 (5) · 2023 (1) · 2024 (7) · 2025 (5) · 2026 (4)

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.

From the same data desk

Independent sites, same maintainer, same open-data standards.

TireFit
Is that tyre actually right for your car?
2,808 fitment guides
FuelFacts
What that trip really costs in fuel
Live consumption data
CostCompare
What things cost, city by city
2,123 comparisons