2012 Hyundai Elantra Steering Problems
Owners have filed 88 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, 13% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 67,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (11% of reports).
- 88steering complaints
- 67,000median miles at failure
- 9mention a crash
- 4mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- 27%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.
- Steering column: mentioned in 10 of 88 complaints (11%)
- Clunking noise: mentioned in 8 of 88 complaints (9%)
- Straight line: mentioned in 5 of 88 complaints (6%)
- Feels like: mentioned in 5 of 88 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 55 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 88 complaints, 9 mention a crash, 4 an injury.
Hyundai Elantra steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Elantra | 1 | 5% | — |
| 2024 Elantra | 7 | 13% | 21,000 |
| 2023 Elantra | 3 | 3% | 13,653 |
| 2022 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Elantra | 5 | 4% | 376 |
| 2020 Elantra | 20 | 8% | 4,700 |
| 2019 Elantra | 9 | 4% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Elantra | 16 | 6% | 5,200 |
| 2017 Elantra | 71 | 9% | 40,500 |
| 2016 Elantra | 19 | 6% | 46,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 26 | 10% | 40,000 |
| 2014 Elantra | 28 | 7% | 14,000 |
| 2013 Elantra | 271 | 21% | 40,000 |
| 2012 Elantra | 88 | 13% | 67,000 |
| 2011 Elantra | 75 | 17% | 66,000 |
| 2010 Elantra | 195 | 51% | 73,000 |
| 2009 Elantra | 133 | 52% | 78,000 |
| 2008 Elantra | 55 | 18% | 71,405 |
| 2007 Elantra | 34 | 13% | 71,000 |
| 2006 Elantra | 3 | 2% | 32,000 |
| 2005 Elantra | 6 | 4% | 166,780 |
| 2004 Elantra | 5 | 3% | 40,000 |
| 2003 Elantra | 16 | 7% | 97,566 |
| 2002 Elantra | 16 | 5% | 94,829 |
| 2001 Elantra | 24 | 8% | 49,500 |
| 2000 Elantra | 2 | 1% | — |
| 1999 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 1998 Elantra | 1 | 2% | — |
| 1997 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 1996 Elantra | 1 | 1% | — |
| 1995 Elantra | 6 | 5% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering 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.
My steering wheel started making loud rattling and clunking noise. This happened when I turned or slowed down or went over a bump. It got worse very quickly. I suddenly could not steer at all. So I ran into a pole. Thankfully it wasn't another car or a person. Many people have this same issue. This…
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly after the steering wheel briefly jerked back and forth, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. The…
Steering wheel locks up when trying to start car. Have to jiggle steering wheel to get it unlocked. While driving steering wheel make clicking sound and catches back and forth while driving
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Hyundai Elantras have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 88 owner complaints about steering for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra (13% 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 steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 67,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 10 of 88 complaints, followed by “clunking noise” (8).
Other 2012 Hyundai Elantra problems
- Engine problems (139)
- Electrical System problems (126)
- Air Bags problems (124)
- Service Brakes problems (60)
See all 2012 Hyundai Elantra problems or steering problems across all Elantra years.