2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 650 complaints submitted for the 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - DALLAS, TX

    INABILITY OF HYUNDAI MANUFACTURED WIPERS TO CLEAR RAIN, AND ADDED STREAKS. DRIVING IN RAINSTORM BECAME VERY DANGEROUS. AM FILING COMPLAINT NOW, HOWEVER, HAVE HAD WIPERS REPLACED ON 2 OCCASIONS IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING
    - HUDSON, FL

    WHILE ON A TRIP ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND TRANSMISSION STARTED TO SLIP. DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS CHEAP GAS, WHICH I JUST FILLED UP WITH MOBIL GAS. ALSO I JUST CHANGED OIL AND TOLD IT WAS CAUSED BY A PINT OVERFILL. THEY MUST HAVE PUT ON COMPUTER AND ADJUSTED SPECS AND TURNED ENGINE LIGHT OFF. I LOST 5 MILES TO GALLON, ALSO DOESN'T SHIFT JUST RIGHT. I READ SOME COMPLAINTS ON INTERNET ABOUT TRANSMISSION TROUBLE ON MY TOURING MODEL. THEY STOPPED MAKING THE MODEL IN 2012? THE DEALER WAS IN COCOA BEACH FL. CAR BOUGHT AT DEALER NEW IN NPW FL. I PLAN A 3000 MI RETURN TRIP SOON, AFRAID TO TAKE CAR INCASE I GET STUCK ON HWY. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - CENTEREACH, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AS THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE COULD BE RESTARTED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. MA 10/8 UPDATED 9/12/12*CN

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - PEACHTREE CITY, GA

    WE WERE ON VACATION IN THE SMOKY MOUNTAINS. WE HIKED FOR A COUPLE HOURS AND RETURNED TO THE CAR. I TURNED THE IGNITION KEY, NOTHING. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES, NOTHING. LIGHTS CAME ON BRIGHT, POWER WINDOWS WORKED, DASHBOARD LIGHTS BRIGHT. I TRIED TAKING IT IN AND OUT OF PARK, TRIED TURNING THE KEY DIFFERENT SPEEDS, NOTHING. THE ENGINE DID NOT TRY TO TURN OVER, NO CLICKING, JUST SILENCE. WE TRIED TO GET HELP, NO ONE STOPPED. AFTER AN HOUR OR SO, TRIED IT AGAIN, STARTED RIGHT UP. WE DROVE BACK TO OUR CABIN. IT STARTED FINE THE REST OF THE TIME WE WERE THERE. WHEN WE GOT BACK HOME, TOOK IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER. EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. HE SAID IF IT WAS WORKING FINE NOW, NOT MUCH THEY COULD DO. HE ALSO ADVISED ME THAT IF THEY DIAGNOSED IT FOR DAYS, FOUND THE PROBLEM, BUT IT WAS A LOOSE CONNECTION OR SOMETHING THAT DID NOT REQUIRE REPLACING A PART, THE ENTIRE LABOR COST WAS MINE TO PAY. THAT'S WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT THE HYUNDAI 5 YEAR, 60K WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER LABOR AFTER 36K. OUCH! A BUYER BEWARE/READ THE FINE PRINT MOMENT. SO, I LEFT SINCE IT HADN'T HAPPENED IN A COUPLE WEEKS. THIS FIRST INCIDENT WAS IN MID-OCTOBER. THREE WEEKS AGO, AFTER 2 MONTHS, AROUND DEC 20TH, 2014, IT HAPPENED AGAIN. SAME THING. JUST DEAD. BATTERY FINE. EVERYTHING WORKING BUT THE CAR. TRIED A HALF DOZEN TIMES, MOVING THE TRANNY SHIFTER, ETC. WENT IN THE HOUSE, CAME BACK OUT, STARTED LIKE NOTHING WAS WRONG. A WEEK AGO, SAME. THIS MORNING, JAN 8, 2015, AGAIN, SAME THING. I CHECKED THE BATTERY AND CONNECTIONS, BOTH FINE. AFTER 20 MINUTES OR SO, TRIED AGAIN, STARTED. IT IS HAPPENING MORE NOW. I RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET AND HUNDREDS OF FOLKS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THIS MAKE, MODEL, AND YEAR. THERE ALSO ARE YOU TUBE VIDEOS OF IT. SO, THIS MAKES ME WONDER WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL. MY ELANTRA HAS ALMOST 59K ON IT, SO I WILL BE AT THE 60K LIMIT IN A MONTH OR SO. WHAT CAN I DO? [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING
    - GURNEE, IL

    I HAD CAR JUMPED 10-12 TIMES, BATTERY REPLACED ,ALTERNATOR REPLACED ,IF TURN RADIO ON WHEN ENGINE OFF FOR 15 MINUTES CAR WILL NOT START ,THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES CONTINUE'S.FURTHERMORE WATER LEAKING 2X'S FROM,PASSENGER SIDE HEAT VENT; LEATHER STEERING WHEEL COLOR COMING OFF,1ST 4 MONTHS OF HAVING CAR VERY BAD SMELL I HAD TO DRIVE WITH MY WINDOW OPEN OR GOT HEADACHE'S. I WAS TOLD THIS WAS NORMAL,AND WOULD WEAR OFF. ALSO SWAY BAR REPLACED 2'S, DEALER HAD TOLD ME HYUNDAI DIDN'T WANT TO PUT ANYMORE MONEY INTO MY CAR,AND JUST TO TRADE IT IN PROBLEMS CONTINUE. I AM AWAITING ANSWER FROM COMPANY.I AM IN OUTSIDE SALES THEREFORE DEPEND ON MY CAR, IHAVE TO CARRY JUMPER CABLES WITH ME ALL THE TIME. IAM AWAITING ANSWER FROM THE COMPANY. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - EFFORT, PA

    THE CAR WOULDN'T CRANK OR START WHEN I GOT TO THE GAS STATION. AFTER MULTIPLE TRIES WITH PUTTING THE CAR SHIFTER IN PARK TO NEUTRAL AND SWITCHING THE GEARS IT FINALLY STARTED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND TOOK IT DOWN TO GET LOOKED AT. AS I WAS DRIVING IT DOWN TO THE DEALERSHIP AS I WAS APPROACHING THE TRAFFIC LIGHT I REALIZED THE CAR WASN'T RUNNING ANYMORE AND BY THIS POINT I HAD LIMITED BRAKE ASSISTANCE AND ALSO LOST ALL POWER STEERING AND HAD TO USE THE E-BRAKE TO HELP WITH STOPPING THE VEHICLE TO PREVENT THE ACCIDENT THAT WAS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. THIS WAS A GREAT THING THAT I WAS DRIVING AND NOT MY WIFE AS SHE WOULD'VE FROZE AND MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO THINK HOW TO GET THE CAR TO STOP IN WHICH THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A ACCIDENT WITH BODILY INJURY OR EVEN POSSIBLE DEATH OF THE PERSON DRIVING THE CAR OR THE INNOCENT PERSON THAT WAS COLLECTED UP IN THE ACCIDENT BUT NO ONE WOULD KNOW AS IT DIDN'T HAPPEN, THANK GOD FOR THIS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED THE REST OF THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY LOOKED AT IT AND THE CAR STARTED FOR THEM AND THEY TESTED THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, AND STARTER AND ALL TESTED GOOD SO THEY GAVE THE CAR BACK TO ME STATING IT WAS THE AC INVERT-OR THAT WAS PLUGGED IN TO THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER. I TOLD THEM THAT I PLUGGED THE INVERT-OR IN AFTER THE CAR DIED TO CHARGE MY PHONE BUT THEY STILL INSISTED THAT I WAS LYING I GUESS. I DROVE THE CAR OFF THE LOT AND A FEW DAYS LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED AGAIN BUT I WAS GOING 35 MPH AND WAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH NO INCIDENT AS I WAS AFRAID TO DRIVE THE CAR NORMAL SPEED AND KNEW IT WOULD HAPPEN AGAIN AS THE DEALER SHIP HAD NOT FOUND ANYTHING FAULTY. NOW IT SITS IN THE DRIVEWAY AND IS COMPLETELY DEAD AND WILL NOT START. THE DEALERSHIP MAJOR HYUNDAI OF STROUDSBURG, PA 18360 WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO BRING MY CAR BACK TO THEM AND HYUNDAI WILL ONLY TOW IT TO THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THEM. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - BURDETT, NY

    CAR WON'T START ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. FOR ABOUT A WEEK STRAIGHT, I WOULD TRY TO START MY CAR IN THE MORNING AND IT WOULD NOT START. ALL LIGHTS COME ON IN THE CAR SO IT'S NOT THE BATTERY. AFTER ABOUT 3 TRIES, CAR STARTS. ALSO HAPPENS WHEN I LEAVE WORK AT LUNCH TIME AFTER IT HAS BEEN JUST SITTING FOR A FEW HOURS. USUALLY IT STARTS AFTER 2 OR 3 TRIES AND TURNING THE KEY ALL THE WAY AND HOLDING IT THERE UNTIL IT DOES. A FEW TIMES I HAVE HAD TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO START IT. AFTER ABOUT A WEEK, IT STOPPED DOING IT. NOW A MONTH LATER, IT IS DOING IT AGAIN AND GETTING HARDER AND HARDER TO START. TODAY IT TOOK LIKE 10 TRIES TO GET IT STARTED. DEALER SAYS IT HAS TO BE DOING IT FOR THEM TO FIGURE IT OUT BUT IT'S NOT DOING IT EVERY TIME CONSISTENTLY. WILL TAKE IT THERE TODAY AND HOPEFULLY IT WILL DO IT FOR THEM AS WELL. READING THE COMPLAINTS ON THIS FORUM, IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT SAME ISSUE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO FIGURE THIS OUT AND DO A RECALL. THIS WILL BE MY LAST HYUNDAI IF IT IS NOT RESOLVED. *JS

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA

    2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER HAD TO REPLACE BATTERY AS AN OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE. THE DEALER STATED THE BATTERY WAS NOT UNDER WARRANT, SO A REIMBURSEMENT IS BEING REQUESTED. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE DEALER FOR THE THIRD TIME, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE BATTERY. *JB

    Source: CONSUMER LETTER
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - RED OAK, TX

    MY 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS WOULD NOT START THIS MORNING. I LAST DROVE MY CAR HOME & PARKED IT ON 18TH DECEMBER AND WAS HOME BY 6PM. MY CAR SAT UNTIL THE 20TH OF DECEMBER AROUND 9 PM WHEN I WENT OUT TO START IT TO CHECK THE FUEL LEVEL. MY CAR SAT TILL 6:20 AM ON THE 21ST OF DECEMBER. I HIT MY DOOR UNLOCK ON MY KEY FOB AND THE DOORS UNLOCKED FROM THERE I PROCEEDED TO START MY CAR. EVERYTHING STARTED BUT THE CAR. I TURNED BACK TO THE STARTING POSITION AND TRIED AGAIN. SAME RESULTS. AFTER REVIEW OF MY ISSUE ON VARIOUS FORUMS THE "RANGE SWITCH" CONTINUES TO BE THE FAULTY PART. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA
    - EWING TWP., NJ

    MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2012 GLS SEDAN WAS SOLD AS HAVING DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRLS) ACCORDING TO MONRONEY STICKER. NHTSA AND IIHS DICTATE THAT "DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS (DRLS) ARE HEADLIGHTS THAT ARE LIT WHENEVER A VEHICLE IS RUNNING. A LOW-COST METHOD TO REDUCE CRASHES, THEY ARE ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE IN PREVENTING DAYTIME HEAD-ON AND FRONT-CORNER COLLISIONS BY MAKING IT EASIER TO SEE VEHICLES, PARTICULARLY AS THEY APPROACH FROM FAR AWAY." HOWEVER, DRLS DO NOT ENGAGE AUTOMATICALLY WHEN MY VEHICLE IS STARTED, AGAINST TO NHTSA AND IIHS DRLS DEFINITION. IN ORDER TO OPERATE DRLS IN MY HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2012, PARKING LIGHTS HAVE TO BE ENGAGED. IN OTHER WORDS, WHEN DRLS ARE OPERATIONAL, AMBER SIDE PARKING LIGHTS AND THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS ARE ALSO ON, WHICH OBVIOUSLY MASKS TURN AND STOP SIGNALS AND IN MY OPINION COULD REPRESENT A VERY REAL ROAD SAFETY ISSUE. IN ADDITION, WHEN DRLS ARE ENGAGED, THE INTERIOR GAUGE LIGHTS ARE AUTOMATICALLY DIMMED TO A NIGHT DRIVING LEVEL, WHICH MAKES IT MUCH HARDER TO READ THE GAUGE DURING DAYTIME AND REPRESENTS A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. CONTACTING MULTIPLE LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS AND HYUNDAI EASTERN REGION HQS WAS FUTILE, SINCE THE ONLY ANSWER I WAS GETTING IS THAT THIS IS "A NEW DESIGN DRLS" AND NOTHING WILL BE DONE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. IRONICALLY, IT LOOKS TO ME THE END RESULT OF THIS "NEW DESIGN" REPRESENTS NOT AN INCREASED SAFETY FOR MY VEHICLE (ACCORDING TO PUBLICATIONS DOT HS 809 760 AND DOT HS 811 029 DRLS ARE AN IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE), BUT RATHER AN INCREASED RISK OF A COLLISION DUE TO MASKING TURN AND STOP SIGNALS, AND SUBSTANTIAL DIMMING OF THE CABIN. I NOTICED THERE ARE MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS OF THIS NATURE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE BOTH FOR 2012 AND 2013 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU FOR TAKING TIME TO READ MY COMPLAINT, AND I WOULD ASK NHTSA TEAM TO LOOK INTO THE SITUATION PROMPTLY AND TO ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE