CarComplaints.com Notes: Be aware that there's a significant trend of owners complaining that the Elantra's fuel economy is significantly less than the EPA estimates.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
3 / 0
Average Mileage:
43,791 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2012 Hyundai Elantra electrical problems

electrical problem

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2012 Hyundai Elantra Owner Comments (Page 2 of 6)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #98

Aug 182020

Elantra

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The dash console continues to go go out to the point the odometer, speed, mileage and other instrument panel information is not visible. When I purchased the vehicle they replaced the dash console and 2 yrs later is needing replacement again.

- Yukon, OK, USA

problem #97

Jul 112020

Elantra

  • miles
This is the second time this happens to me. The eps light turns on, the steering wheel gets tight. So the power steering disconnects from the engine. You literally can't steer. This last time it happened I was driving down a grade at night. If incoming traffic would of been coming I would have crashed into them or go down the cliff. The power steering was replaced once by dealer already less than a year ago. This car is un safe and I refuse to drive it any more. I was able to push it in neutral to the shoulder once I put it in park the car shook and it shut down.

- Temecula, CA, USA

problem #96

Mar 012020

Elantra

  • miles
Dash display of odometer/mpg/et cetera no longer is readable due to dim or missing digits. This was repaired under recall several years ago but has recurred. I no longer can see necessary information about the car's equipment or drivability status. This occurs at all times, driving or stationary.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #95

Apr 212020

Elantra

  • 106,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the brake lights remained illuminated while the vehicle was in motion, without the brake pedal being depressed. The failure persisted for approximately ten days. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for a diagnostic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 106,000.

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #94

Mar 042020

Elantra

  • 133,000 miles
So my car all of a sudden started making a strange popping noise while driving the vehicle. Everytime I would turn my steering wheel at a certain angle the wheel would pop. As I drove the car it would continue to make this awful noise until one day im driving down the road and it popped and the steering jerked my car out of the lane. Driving home the wheel was rather stiff and I worried constantly about getting in an accident. My reason for the steering issue is I worry someone will be driving the car and it jerk them into a car coming from the other side of the road which will result in a head on collision. Second issue is the electronical system in general. Everytime I start my car it doesnt start all the way and it dies out mid driving., I ended up pulling out of an up hill parking lot and not being able to stop the car at the stop sign because the car died out after I had it in drive. I had to pull up and bump the curb in order to stop the car from rolling out into oncoming traffic while leaving the parking lot. I am not sure if its dealing with the ignition in general but that would definatley be a saftey concern. My other issue is the airbag light will not go off. After a certain milage the light came on and I can not get any mechanic to even attempt to fix it over fear of air bag deployment and having to total the vehicle upon repair. I am seriously terrified if I get into a vehicle accident the air bags wont go off at all and it will result in either a really severe injury or even be fatal from airbag failure.

- Haleyville, AL, USA

problem #93

Jul 152019

Elantra

  • 120,000 miles
The air bag light came on did my research and it's a common problem. This needs to be a recall

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #92

Jun 262019

Elantra

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Takata recall. I bought this car from the original owner in 2016 around the time a recal for it went out and I didn't know until today. My car sometimes takes two times to actually start. I turn key and have to either hold it or stop and do it again. My car hydroplanes extremely easily compared to other vehicles. Normally it is only a second besides the time I rear ended someone with no bad weather then another while it was raining and I lost complete control and thank god no one was around me and I am used to the vehicle so I could gain control again truly a miracle. Other smaller issues I ignore.

- House Springs, MO, USA

problem #91

Mar 112019

Elantra

  • 97,000 miles
Intermittently engine won't turn over. It will sometimes go a week or so turning over normally, & then without warning, it won't start for 10-60 min or longer according to 1000S of drivers. Last night, I was stranded for 50 min in a parking lot at night trying to get my car to turn over. Dash lights up, fuel pump goes on, but there is no crank. I filmed it https://youtu.be/nbz957tb72U it's called "Hyundai Elantra wont start-again. Dealership said they've never heard of this before..right." But there are 1000S of other complaints in that search. Some forums say it's a inhibitor switch. The dealership denyies such reports on Hyundai's manufacturer, although many drivers say on these forums that they had to have their Elantras towed to the dealership before they were told there is no problem. Helpppp me !!! it randomly turned over 50 minutes later. That cannot happen! I could be in an emergency situation. Any of these drivers could be in an emergency situation. Look at the comments on any youtube video after typing in Elantra won't start. Hundreds of people stranded from this electrical malfunction Hyundai refuses to acknowledge. Please read my details I typed on my video. Battery is good. I had my son with me at the lynnwood one en route to his doctor appointment after it wouldn't start for 10 min in the driveway last month. Everett I had an appointment so that will be on record. They didn't even look at it because it started when they turned the key and their online manufacturers site reported no problems and they refused to do a simple google search when I asked. There's no way the manufacturer hasn't heard of this. The examples are overwhelming. Someone is going to get hurt, if they haven't already. Major hazard to public safety. Hyundai needs to take responsibility and recall this! please help me. It's like Ford denying tranny problems in their'12 focuses.

- Bothell, WA, USA

problem #90

Sep 082018

Elantra

  • miles
My car highlights has went out several times and I have replaced the lights and they still goes out. And the brakes lights goes out, and now my rack pinyon is gone out. This car has cost me more money than its worth

- Albany, GA, USA

problem #89

Aug 242016

Elantra

  • 130,000 miles
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire while parked in the driveway. The contact was pumping air into the rear driver's side tire via the vehicle's tire air pump system at the time of the fire. The vehicle was not turned on when the failure occurred. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The dealer (texoma Hyundai, 2500 texoma pkwy, sherman, tx 75090, (903) 892-0999) was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000. The VIN was not available.

- Mckinney, TX, USA

problem #88

Aug 012018

Elantra

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The brakes lights and front passenger lights are always going. Apparently, its happening with many Hyundai customers, there forum written online about these same issues all the time. I've had to replace over 30 bulbs in 4 years.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #87

Jun 012018

Elantra

  • 75,000 miles
Takata recall car doesn't want to start and struggles to do so. Have replaced battery and key fob batteries. This has to be a starter issue, possibly an electrical short. Says "key out" while I'm driving it half the time. I am afraid it will cut off while I'm driving it! I have only had the car for 2 years! been doing this for about 2 months.

- Greensboro, NC, USA

problem #86

May 142018

Elantra

  • 95,000 miles
The vehicle has constant intermittent start up issues where you get a click when trying to start the car. This is very dangerous because of what if the car randomly cuts out while driving? the fact that they chanted the battery size has created concerns of potential fires with the vehicle as the faulty wiring mixed with a battery size that just a year later Hyundai changed could lead to a significant issue. There are thousands of complaints about this issue and the fact Hyundai is charging people hundreds of dollars for "fixes" that within hours of completion are rendered worthless is unacceptable. This issue is widely seen online for this year model but Hyundai refuses to acknowledge. Even spoke to a parts manager from Hyundai and they acknowledged the issue with this model in particular as it was the first of the new body style and that by the 2013 model they had made changes to the battery size and connectors which corrected the issue for future models.

- Baltimore, MD, USA

problem #85

Nov 172017

Elantra

  • 50,000 miles
While in motion, car jolts as traction control light blinks as well as the engine malfunction light. Engine then shuts off. This has happened multiple times over a 2 month period, at a variety of speeds and on both highway and city streets.

- Stratford, NJ, USA

problem #84

Nov 202017

Elantra

  • 90,000 miles
This is a pushbutton start vehicle. Intermittently, when the button is pushed, the car won't start. This occurs with a fully charged battery, foot depressed on the brake pedal, etc. This is apparently a very common problem, although my local dealer professed to never have heard of it. Consensus online is that it is a faulty "range switch", resulting in a failure of the vehicle to sense that it is in park. Dealers claim that they "can't replicate the problem", and so can't fix it.

- Duxbury, MA, USA

problem #83

Sep 062017

Elantra

  • 77,986 miles
"takata recall" turn ignition key to start position and click, click, motor does not start. Turn key off back on to start position and engine starts. This happens randomly.

- Chesapeake, VA, USA

problem #82

Jul 252017

Elantra

  • 99,529 miles
Airbag light and tire pressure light came on when I turned on my car. It does go off after driving a few minutes, but always comes back

- Van Buren, AR, USA

problem #81

Jul 132017

Elantra

  • 46,329 miles
The first trouble started when I was driving on the highway at 60 miles/hour, my car started slowing down and would not accelerate. I had to drive at the speed the car would choose to run and in a few minutes it would work fine again. But this kept happening when I would accelerate the car on highways and I took it in to the dealer who said it was sensor problems. Engine light comes on when I use air conditioning, or use the head lights. Car will randomly not turn on although battery is new and makes a humming noise as I turn the key.

- Inglewood, CA, USA

problem #80

May 262017

Elantra

  • 55,900 miles
The clock spring has worn after roughly 55K miles and just being out of warranty. Dealer replacement is $300 and airbags will not deploy without repair. This began after going over rough brick pavers and the light is intermittently on, probably about 80-90% of the time. As I understand it the veracruz and Santa Fe models had a similar issue a few year prior (11-01-052) and online searches show this is a common issue with (at least) early production elantas. While owner diy replacement is possible, it is not recommended due to SRS system importance as well as lack of ability to recalibrate software.

- Orlando, FL, USA

problem #79

Mar 012017

Elantra

  • 24,000 miles
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. When the contact started the vehicle, the ESC indicator illuminated. While driving and accelerating, the vehicle pulled to the left and right and seemed to lose power. The vehicle was taken to dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.

- Chandler, AZ, USA

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