Is your car affected?
Check by VIN to confirm the
exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (1)
Engine
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 and remedy
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.
Canadian recalls (4)
Show 4 Canadian recalls
Label
2024-09-23 · campaign 2024-552
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French.
Safety Risk:
These small errors do not affect vehicle safety.
Corrective Actions:
This is not a recall. The company has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Engine
2021-11-04 · campaign 2021-674
Issue:
Hyundai Auto Canada is conducting a Product Improvement Campaign that provides an update to the engine control module to detect potential problems before an engine fails. An engine failure would cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart.
Note: This only affects Santa Fe models equipped with a 2.4 L MPI engine, and Veloster models with a 1.6 L GDI engine.
Safety Risk:
A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of an accident. An engine failure could also create the risk of a fire.
Corrective Actions:
Hyundai will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealer to update the software for the engine control module.
Note: Hyundai recommends that you should always follow the correct vehicle maintenance schedule, which is printed in the Owner's Manual. If you experience unusual engine noise, reduced power, or a check engine/oil warning light, Hyundai advises you to immediately visit a Hyundai dealership to have your vehicle diagnosed.
Engine
2020-12-02 · campaign 2020-592
Issue:
On certain vehicles equipped with a 1.6 L GDI, 2.0 L GDI, or 2.4 L MPI engine, the connecting rod bearings could wear prematurely. As a result, there could be an abnormal knocking noise from the engine and/or the oil pressure warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with worn connecting rod bearings, the engine could fail. An engine failure would cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. In some cases, a damaged connecting rod could puncture the engine block and cause an oil leak.
Note: For the Sonata model, only the Sonata Hybrid and Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV) models are affected by this recall.
Additional Note: Engine compartment fires can happen for many different reasons. In some cases, there is too much damage to find the cause of a fire.
Safety Risk:
A sudden loss of engine power could increase the risk of a crash. Oil that leaks onto a hot component could cause a fire.
Corrective Actions:
Hyundai will notify owners by mail and instruct you to take your vehicle to a dealer for an engine inspection test, to determine if there is bearing damage. If damage is found, the engine will be replaced. Dealers will also update the software for the engine control module.
Note: Hyundai recommends that you should always follow the correct vehicle maintenance schedule, which is printed in the Owner's Manual.
Electrical
2020-05-27 · campaign 2020-233
Issue:
Certain vehicles may be equipped with an accessory trailer wiring harness kit that could fail. Over time, this could result in a short circuit that can cause overheating of the control module.
Note: This recall only affects Hyundai Genuine Accessory trailer wiring harness kits that were manufactured by third parties and sold in Canada. These kits may have been ordered at the time of a vehicle purchase, or purchased separately from a dealer as an aftermarket accessory.
Safety Risk:
A short circuit could create a fire risk. This risk remains even when the vehicle is parked.
Corrective Actions:
Hyundai will notify owners by mail and instruct you to inspect your vehicle to see if it has an affected trailer wiring harness installed. If it does, Hyundai will advise you to take your vehicle to a dealer to install a redesigned trailer wiring harness. Hyundai recommends that you should park your vehicle outdoors, and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repairs have been completed.
Owner complaints (355)
Owners filed 355 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe (25 crashes, 17 fires, 7 injuries reported). Among 26 model years of this model, it ranks #7 for the most complaints (median 218).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Engine | 228 | |
| Electrical system | 43 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 40 | |
| Service brakes | 26 | |
| Power train | 24 | |
| Unknown or other | 17 | |
| Steering | 16 | |
| Exterior lighting | 14 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD | 3★ | 4★ | 2★ | 4★ |
| 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV AWD | 3★ | 4★ | 2★ | 4★ |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Santa Fe 2WD 2.4 L Automatic 6-spd | 20 | 27 | 23 | $2,900 |
| Santa Fe 2WD 2.4 L Manual 6-spd | 19 | 26 | 21 | $3,200 |
| Santa Fe 2WD 3.5 L Automatic 6-spd | 20 | 26 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Santa Fe 4WD 2.4 L Automatic 6-spd | 20 | 25 | 22 | $3,050 |
| Santa Fe 4WD 3.5 L Automatic 6-spd | 20 | 25 | 22 | $3,050 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-31.