2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 350 complaints submitted for the 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. 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 SANTA FE
    - MAYS LANDING, NJ

    IT STARTING SLOWING DOWN WHILE DRIVING AND A REALLY LOUD NOISE AND THEN SHUT DOWN.. HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO AUTO LENDERS THAT WHERE I PURCHASE THE TRUCK AND THEY SAID THE ENGINE WAS DONE... SECOND OPINION AND THE MECHANIC INDICATED THE SAME "NEEDS A NEW ENGINE"

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - ADDISON, IL

    HAD MY 2012 SANTA FE TOWED IN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR A HORRIBLE NOISE, AND WAS ADVISED NOT ONLY DID I NEED NEW BRAKES AT ONLY 43,159 MILES (SEEMS EARLY FOR THIS TOO) BUT THAT BOTH FRONT COIL SPRINGS AND STRUT MOUNTS WERE EXTREMELY RUSTY AND COMPLETELY BROKEN. THESE SPRINGS ALREADY HAD THE 'BOOT' FROM THE FACTORY WHICH WAS THEIR 'FIX' FOR PRIOR MODEL YEARS WITH THIS SAME PROBLEM. THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS FOR THIS PROBLEM UP TO 2011 MODEL YEAR - BUT NOT THE 2012. MY VEHICLE WAS JUST OUT OF WARRANTY. --- NOTE - I STILL HAVE THE BROKEN COIL SPRINGS AS PROOF.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - MOORESVILLE, IN

    CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 112K MILES. CONNECTING ROD THROUGH THE BLOCK. THIS SAME ENGINE HAS BEEN RECALLED IN SONATAS AND KIA SORENTOS OF THE SAME YEAR, BUT FOR SOME REASON NOT THE SANTA FE. THE SONATA AND SORENTOS WERE RECALLED DUE TO MANUFACTURING PROCESSES LEAVING METAL DEBRIS IN OIL PASSAGES, WHICH EVENTUALLY BLOCKS OIL FROM REACHING THE ROD BEARINGS LEADING TO THE SAME FAILURE OUR SANTA FE EXPERIENCED. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO ALL EFFECTED MODELS.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - LEHI, UT

    I OWN A 2012 SANTA FE., MY ENGINE SEIZED OUT OF BLUE ON A WELL MAINTAINED VEHICLE. THE 2012 KIA SORENTO ENGINE WAS RECALLED (WHICH IS THE SAME ENGINE AS MINE), AND 2013 & 2014 SANTA FE ENGINES RECALLED. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHY THE 2012 SANTA FE WITH SAME ENGINE AS THE SORENTO AND THE 2013 SANTA FE, HAS NOT BEEN RECALLED. I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE REPORTS OF SAME PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND ON THIS SITE!

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - CARLSBAD, CA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO START THE VEHICLE, IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO CHAPMAN SCOTTSDALE HYUNDAI (6601 E MCDOWELL RD #3, SCOTTSDALE, AZ 85257, (480) 424-3558) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STARTER CAUSED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,143.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - CHICAGO, IL

    WHEN DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE ENGINE SEIZED CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO LOCK AND THE BRAKES BECAME EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO PUSH IN. THE VEHICLE WAS ENTERING A TURN ON LAKE SHORE DRIVE IN CHICAGO IL. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED OFF THE ROAD AND WILL NOT START.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - CHICAGO, IL

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, LIFTED THE HOOD, AND NOTICED FLAMES. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER (MCGRATH CITY HYUNDAI, 6750 W GRAND AVE, CHICAGO, IL 60707) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT NO OIL WAS GOING TO THE ENGINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND UNABLE TO ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - SAN JOSE, CA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE INADVERTENTLY ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CAPITOL HYUNDAI (1050 CAPITOL EXPRESSWAY AUTO MALL, SAN JOSE, CA 95136, (408)-340-7321), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,429. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - HUNGERFORD, TX

    ON MAY 12TH, 2018 I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO JERK, I KEEP MY FOOT ON THE GAS BUT COULD FEEL THE CAR SLOWING DOWN. I WAS PASSING A VEHICLE AT ABOUT 60MPH AND ANOTHER CAR WAS BEHIND ME. THIS CAR HAS ABOUT 140,000 MILES ON IT. AND NOW IT'S KNOCKING. I HAD IT TOWED TO TEXAN HYUNDAI IN ROSENBERG, TEXAS. I WAS TOLD I NEED A NEW MOTOR. THIS ONE HAS INTERNAL PROBLEMS. I WAS ALSO TOLD THESE MOTORS ARE NO LONGER MADE AND ONE WAS FOUND WITH 75,000 MILES ON IT. TOTAL REPAIRS WAS CLOSE TO $8000. I HAVE KEPT IT WELL MAINTAINED AND NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH IT.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SANTA FE
    - BRANCHVILLE, NJ

    WHILE DRIVING UP HILL YESTERDAY MY CAR JUST DIED. THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE CAR STOPPED. I AM NOW LEARNING THAT HYUNDAI ENGINES HAVE A DEFAULT. THEY DO NOT LET ENOUGH OIL IN THE ENGINE REGARDLESS OF OIL LEVELS AND THUS AS YOU DRIVE, THE ENGINE IS DISINTEGRATING. THE ENGINES USUALLY DIE A LITTLE AFTER 100000 MILES. MY CAR HAS APPROXIMATELY 116000 MILES. THIS IS DANGEROUS. LUCKY THIS HAPPENED ON A SMALL BACK ROAD SO NO ONE GOT HURT, BUT WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS ON A MAJOR HWY? ACCIDENTS/DEATH EVEN. WE OWN ANOTHER 2012 SANTE FE AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE IT NOW.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE