2012 Hyundai Sonata Steering Problems
Owners have filed 301 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata, 19% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 72,900 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering column” (23% of reports).
- 301steering complaints
- 72,900median miles at failure
- 6mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 0related recalls
- $540typical repair cost reported by owners
- 43%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 69 of 301 complaints (23%)
- Clicking noise: mentioned in 37 of 301 complaints (12%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical steering repair on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata at $540, and half of them between $480 and $710.
Based on 19 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2019), 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 steering problems happen?
Based on 234 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 301 complaints, 6 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury.
Hyundai Sonata steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Sonata | 2 | 4% | — |
| 2023 Sonata | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2021 Sonata | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 Sonata | 7 | 4% | 800 |
| 2019 Sonata | 6 | 4% | — |
| 2018 Sonata | 9 | 2% | 31,790 |
| 2017 Sonata | 173 | 23% | 53,000 |
| 2016 Sonata | 33 | 5% | 40,000 |
| 2015 Sonata | 74 | 6% | 63,000 |
| 2014 Sonata | 65 | 9% | 31,150 |
| 2013 Sonata | 342 | 18% | 55,000 |
| 2012 Sonata | 301 | 19% | 72,900 |
| 2011 Sonata | 1,171 | 35% | 65,000 |
| 2010 Sonata | 15 | 4% | 66,500 |
| 2009 Sonata | 26 | 6% | 90,000 |
| 2008 Sonata | 6 | 1% | 142,000 |
| 2007 Sonata | 12 | 2% | 89,000 |
| 2006 Sonata | 35 | 3% | 96,630 |
| 2005 Sonata | 6 | 4% | 150,000 |
| 2004 Sonata | 13 | 6% | 132,161 |
| 2003 Sonata | 9 | 5% | 117,000 |
| 2002 Sonata | 24 | 8% | 104,613 |
| 2001 Sonata | 10 | 5% | 119,000 |
| 2000 Sonata | 8 | 3% | 114,580 |
| 1999 Sonata | 6 | 5% | 104,500 |
| 1998 Sonata | 2 | 4% | 90,500 |
| 1997 Sonata | 1 | 2% | — |
| 1996 Sonata | 1 | 4% | — |
| 1995 Sonata | 2 | 3% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (0)
No safety recall lists steering for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata. 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.
Unknown, my ESP KEEPS Coming trying to see if itâs recall
Based on what I experienced, the fire appears to have resulted from an internal mechanical or electrical failure that occurred without warning while the vehicle was in motion. No prior issues or dashboard alerts were present at the time, and there was no external impact or damage that could explain…
The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that various functions on the steering wheel including the horn, cruise control, and other electrical functions; all failed to operate as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed that a…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2012 Hyundai Sonatas have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 301 owner complaints about steering for the 2012 Hyundai Sonata (19% of the 1,557 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 Sonata steering?
No recall currently lists steering for this vehicle.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 72,900 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix steering problems on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata?
Owners report a typical cost of $540 (half paid between $480 and $710), from 19 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata?
The most frequent phrase is “steering column”, in 69 of 301 complaints, followed by “clicking noise” (37).
Other 2012 Hyundai Sonata problems
See all 2012 Hyundai Sonata problems or steering problems across all Sonata years.