Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
The 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe has 353 owner complaints filed with NHTSA; the most common part is the engine, with 228. Combined fuel economy is 21 to 23 mpg, with a 5-year fuel cost of $14,120 to $15,470 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 3 overall stars. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign covering the engine, which may apply to this car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
21–23 mpgcombined; city 19–20, highway 25–27; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,120–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $12,620–$13,820 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 Santa Fe. 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 353 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Santa Fe. 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
228
6
14
3
Electrical system
43
3
3
2
Vehicle speed control
40
11
0
0
Service brakes
25
7
0
0
Power train
24
2
0
0
Steering
16
1
0
0
Unknown or other
16
0
1
0
Suspension
14
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
12
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
8
1
1
1
Structure
8
3
0
0
Wheels
7
1
0
0
12 more parts
Air bags
6
5
0
3
Engine and engine cooling
6
0
0
0
Electronic stability control (ESC)
4
1
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
4
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
0
0
0
Tires
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
0
0
0
Equipment
1
0
0
0
Forward collision avoidance
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Seats
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
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 1 recall campaign for the 2012 Santa Fe 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.
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.
Risk: A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: 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.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 101 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2012 Santa Fe, the latest on Oct 8, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: engine and engine cooling (29), electrical system (24), equipment (20), power train (20), engine (8).
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
Defect petition DP22003 Loss of Motive Power · 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 Santa Fe.
See used 2012 Hyundai Santa Fes for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
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Specs
EPA class: sport utility vehicle. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Santa Fe Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Santa Fe 4-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 25 / 22
Santa Fe Front-Wheel Drive
3.5 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 26 / 22
Santa Fe 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 25 / 22
Santa Fe Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Manual 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 26 / 21
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