Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2012 Hyundai Elantra has 675 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most for engine at 140, followed by electrical system at 129. It is rated 26 to 32 mpg combined on gasoline, with a 5-year fuel cost of $10,150 to $12,490 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns that may apply, covering brakes, accessories, stability control, and others.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
26–32 mpgcombined; city 23–28, highway 30–38; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$10,150–$12,490U.S. average; Ohio $9,070–$11,160 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2012 Elantra. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 675 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Elantra. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
140
3
7
4
Electrical system
129
4
1
3
Air bags
128
27
0
30
Steering
90
9
0
5
Unknown or other
68
4
0
0
Service brakes
60
8
0
7
Suspension
51
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
44
8
0
4
Power train
43
0
1
1
Service brakes, hydraulic
40
0
3
0
Vehicle speed control
27
4
0
5
Wheels
19
1
0
0
14 more parts
Exterior lighting
18
0
0
0
Tires
18
0
1
0
Structure
17
2
2
1
Fuel/propulsion system
15
1
0
0
Visibility/wiper
12
0
0
1
Visibility
7
0
0
0
Seat belts
6
4
0
11
Equipment
4
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
3
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
3
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
2
1
0
0
Seats
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Firerelated
1
0
1
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2012 Elantra over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
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.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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 2011-2012 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.
Risk: An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
Remedy: 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 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.
Risk: If the one or more of the brakes are inappropriately applied, control of the vehicle may be lost, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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 Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2010-2012 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured December 15, 2009, through May 7, 2012. The affected vehicles have a support bracket attached to the headliner that may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
Risk: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The recall began on July 28, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 117.
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.
Risk: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
Remedy: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 133 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Elantra, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (43), equipment (27), power train (23), engine and engine cooling (18), steering (12).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Audit query AQ23002 Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires · covers 3 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2012 Elantra.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 38 / 32
Elantra Front-Wheel Drive
1.8 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
28 / 38 / 32
Elantra Touring Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 4-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 30 / 26
Elantra Touring Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl
Manual 5-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 30 / 26
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data