2012 Hyundai Elantra Engine Problems
Owners have filed 139 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, 21% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 68,585 miles. The words owners use most often: “ticking noise” (7% of reports).
- 139engine complaints
- 68,585median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $8,500typical repair cost reported by owners
- 30%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Ticking noise: mentioned in 10 of 139 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical engine repair on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra at $8,500, and half of them between $2,300 and $9,950.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2016–2023), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 106 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 139 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 7 a fire, 4 an injury.
Hyundai Elantra engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Elantra | 3 | 14% | 4,000 |
| 2024 Elantra | 8 | 15% | 43,000 |
| 2023 Elantra | 19 | 19% | 7,645 |
| 2022 Elantra | 11 | 11% | 28,913 |
| 2021 Elantra | 13 | 10% | 71,250 |
| 2020 Elantra | 108 | 43% | 32,500 |
| 2019 Elantra | 133 | 53% | 76,000 |
| 2018 Elantra | 141 | 50% | 38,000 |
| 2017 Elantra | 290 | 38% | 49,000 |
| 2016 Elantra | 111 | 38% | 73,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 92 | 35% | 73,500 |
| 2014 Elantra | 166 | 43% | 82,500 |
| 2013 Elantra | 233 | 18% | 65,000 |
| 2012 Elantra | 139 | 21% | 68,585 |
| 2011 Elantra | 92 | 21% | 81,000 |
| 2010 Elantra | 15 | 4% | 91,250 |
| 2009 Elantra | 13 | 5% | 86,500 |
| 2008 Elantra | 24 | 8% | 112,283 |
| 2007 Elantra | 12 | 4% | 140,000 |
| 2006 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 80,540 |
| 2005 Elantra | 4 | 3% | 104,250 |
| 2004 Elantra | 5 | 3% | 99,597 |
| 2003 Elantra | 1 | 0% | 3,500 |
| 2002 Elantra | 2 | 1% | 80,300 |
| 2001 Elantra | 4 | 1% | 126,100 |
| 2000 Elantra | 6 | 3% | 30,750 |
| 1999 Elantra | 2 | 2% | 150,000 |
| 1997 Elantra | 1 | 1% | 189,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists engine for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra. A pattern of complaints does not always lead to a recall.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a…
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that around 4:00 o'clock in the morning, she was awoken by the sound of her dogs barking; she then discovered that her vehicle had caught fire and had burned to the ground. The fire spread, which caught fire to a nearby mobile home and a…
The contactâs son owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while the contactâs son was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled, and the rear of the vehicle caught fire. The contactâs son pulled the vehicle over to the side of the road, and the fire…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Hyundai Elantras have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 139 owner complaints about engine for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra (21% of the 653 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra engine?
No recall currently lists engine for this vehicle.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 68,585 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix engine problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners report a typical cost of $8,500 (half paid between $2,300 and $9,950), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “ticking noise”, in 10 of 139 complaints.
Other 2012 Hyundai Elantra problems
- Electrical System problems (126)
- Air Bags problems (124)
- Steering problems (88)
- Service Brakes problems (60)
See all 2012 Hyundai Elantra problems or engine problems across all Elantra years.