2012 HYUNDAI SONATA Complaints

View complaints related to 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 1,630 complaints submitted for the 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. 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 SONATA
    - MANALAPAN, NJ

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE RPMS INCREASING AND DECREASING. ALSO, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING AND PINGING NOISE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY AND IT STALLED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE NOISE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A FUEL STATION AND TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACT'S HOUSE. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V569000 (ENGINE). THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA HYBRID
    - INCLINE VILLAGE, NV

    WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE AT FREEWAY SPEEDS (50-60MPH), THE "ECO GUAGE" REVS UP BUT THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE - SLOWS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LAMP FLICKERS ON AND OFF AS WELL. AFTER THE CAR IS STOPPED AND TURNED OFF, THE CAR FUNCTIONS NORMALLY. MECHANICS ARE UNABLE TO RETRIEVE ANY CODES FROM THE SYSTEM. THE CAR HAS INTERMITTANTLY DROPPED INTO THIS MODE AT LEAST 10 TIMES SINCE WE FIRST EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM IN JULY 2018. THE PROBLEM OCCURS AT FREEWAY SPEEDS CAUSING THE CAR TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC WITH NO ADVANCE WARNINGS. THIS SITUATION REQUIRES IMMEDIATE EVASIVE ACTION TO REMOVE THE CAR FROM HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC LANES SO IT CAN BE SHUT DOWN AND TOWED TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER. MY WIFE AND I CONSIDER THIS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION AS IT HAS OCCURRED IN PLACES SUCH AS THE BAY BRIDGE (WITH NO SHOULDER) AND A LENGTHY UNDERWATER TUNNEL (AGAIN WITH NO SHOULDER). WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALER SERVICE SHOP FOUR TIMES. THEY HAVE REPLICATED THE PROBLEM AND HAVE TRIED VARIOUS REPAIRS - REPLACE TRANSMISSION OIL PUMP, REPLACE INHIBITOR SWITCH, INSTALL NEW AUXILLIARY BATTERY, AND - FINALLY - REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. EVEN AFTER THE TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT, THE CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS TEST DRIVING IT AND PROVIDED A CODE TO REPLACE THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE MECHANICS STILL ARE NOT CERTAIN THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT APPEARS AS IF HYUNDAI IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AS THEIR TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF HAVE A PROTOCOL FOR REPAIRING THE CAR. GIVEN THE INTERMITTANT NATURE OF THE PROBLEM, THE FACT THAT IT OCCURS AT HIGH SPEEDS, AND THE POTENTIAL DANGER OF HAVING YOUR CAR RAPIDLY DECELERATE ON BUSY FREEWAYS, I THINK THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY HYUNDAI. ATTACHED IS THE ORIGINAL SERVICE RECORD THAT DESCRIBES THE PROBLEM (DATE 8/6/18). THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE WAS 11/27/18.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - MONTGOMERY, AL

    I HAVE TO CHANGE MY BULBS EVERY OTHER MONTH IT SEEMS LIKE BECAUSE MY BRAKE/TAIL LIGHTS KEEP BURNING OUT.. ALSO MY EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT ON MY DASH WILL NOT TURN OFF NOW. I TOOK MY CAR IN LAST WEEK FOR ENGINE RECALL AND NOW MY EMERGENCY PARK LIGHT WILL NOT TURN OFF. MECHANIC CHECKED BRAKE FLUIDS AND IT WAS FINE, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE THIS ISSUE BEFORE I DROPPED MY CAR OFF FOR REPAIRS.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - VALLEJO, CA

    WHILE DRIVING ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE CAR SMELLED OF BURNING PLASTIC AND SMOKE WAS COMING FROM PASSENGER SIDE UNDER HOOD. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALER AND MOTOR WAS REPLACED THRU RECALL. ON 8/20 I WAS SCHEDULED TO PICK UP AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE MAIN WIRING HARNESS HAD MELTED BADLY AND THAT IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. I FILED CASE #11538113 WITH HYUNDAI CORPORATE ON 8/20, CITING THAT IT APPEARED TO BE RELATED TO THE MOTOR SEIZING, AND/OR A SAFETY DEFECT. I WAS DENIED ASSISTANCE ON 9/20 AND CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP TO BEGIN WORK AT MY COSTS. THE CAR IS STILL AT THE DEALERSHIP AS THEY ARE STATING HYUNDAI CANNOT RELEASE THE WIRING HARNESS. RESEARCH ON WHY BROUGHT ME TO SIMILAR COMPAINTS THE APPEAR TO WARRANT A RECALL.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - KANSAS CITY, KS

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, ALL THE INDICATORS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND PLACED IT IN PARK. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SMOKE WENT AWAY ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,927.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - ORMOND BEACH, FL

    TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER OF A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE A SHOPPING MALL, THE STEERING COLUMN SEIZED AND THE VEHICLE COULD NOT MOVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DAYTONA HYUNDAI (LOCATED AT 901 N NOVA RD, DAYTONA BEACH, FL 32117, (877) 365-8991) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER STEERING COLUMN ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,351.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - JACKSONVILLE, FL

    I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT ALL RECALLS ARE THERE ANYMORE HOWEVER THIS IS THE CAR I LOVE TO HATE... BREAK WIRES KEEP MELTING CAR IS NOW BURNING OIL APPARENTLY AND THERE IS NO REASON OR LEAK THE ENGINE IS KNOCKING NOW... ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY CAR BUT I BELIEVE SHE WILL LEAVE ME STRANDED SOON ON TOP OF WHAT EVER HAPPENED WITH THE BREAK LIGHT STAYING ON RANDOMLY REDUCED MY DRIVING SPEED NEARLY CAUSING ME AN ACCIDENT

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - ROSWELL, GA

    HAD MOTOR REPLACED FROM A PREVIOUS RECALL, 4DAYS AFTER THIS FIX I NOTICED A ROUGH IDLE. WENT TO NUMEROUS SHOPS INCLD DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT RECALL WAS DONE AND ANY OTHER REPAIRS WOULD BE OUT OF POCKET. PROBLEM HAS PROGRESSED FROM ROUGH IDLE AND ENGINE NOISE TO POOR ACCELERATION AND MISTIMED BOOSTS. AS IN WHEN ENTERING HIGHWAY CAR DOESNT ACCELERATE VERY FAST VERY LONG DELAY BEFORE BOOST INTIATES. ONCE AT DESIRED SPEED WHEN SLOWING DOWN CAR BOOSTS WITHOUT PRESSURE TO ACCELERTATOR!!! NOW THAT WINTER HAS ARRIVED, SPORADICALLY ON COLD START CAR IDLES EVEN ROUGHER AND SOUNDS AS IF IT WITH SHUT OFF. WHEN DRIVING IN TRAFFIC CAR IDLES ROUGH THEN SHUTS OFF!! NO POWER STEERING! NO LIGHTS ! NO POWER! THIS HAPPENED WHILST CAR IS IN DRIVE AND IN MOTION! I TRY TO AVOID HWYS AND NIGHT TIME DRIVING WHEN I CAN AS IM SCARED TO DEATH OF THIS CAR. I PURCHASED IT USED IN DEC2017 11 DAYS LATER INTIAL ISSUES BEGAN WITH CAR LOOSING POWER. NOW AFTER ISSUE WAS "FIXED" BY REPLACEMENT MOTOR SAME INTERMEDIATE LOST OF POWER ISSUES AGAIN BUT WITH THE ADDED BOOSTING ISSUE AS WELL NOW.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - WEST WAREHAM, MA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PUSH THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,500.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA
    - ERIE, PA

    MY ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING AFTER I HAD AN OIL CHANGE THE MORNING OF DEC 7TH 2018, THE NEXT DAY THE KNOCKING GOT LOUDER AND MY ENGINE ATALLED COMPLETELY WHEN GOING ROUGLT 20MPH. MY CAR ENGINE WOULDN'T START AND I HAD MY CAR TOWED. I FINANCED MY CAR AT 97K MILES FROM AUTO EXPRESS KIA RT 8 IN ERIE PA ON APRIL 28TH 2018, I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR NO LONGER THAN A LITTLE OVER 7 MONTHS. DEC 8TH 2018 IS THE DAY MY ENGINE GAVE UP ON ME AND MY CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE