2012 Hyundai Veloster Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Veloster years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 9 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 296 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Veloster. That ranks 2nd out of 9 Veloster model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (61 complaints, 21%), typically at around 85,000 miles. Complaints mention 15 crashes, 8 fires, 29 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 296owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 15complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Hyundai Veloster problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine problems | 61 | 21% | 85,000 | “knock sensor” (10%) | — |
| Visibility problems | 55 | 19% | 20,009 | “sun roof” (27%) | — |
| Steering | 42 | 14% | 80,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 39 | 13% | 80,975 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 38 | 13% | 83,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 31 | 10% | 49,550 | — | — |
| Structure | 25 | 8% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 19 | 6% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 | 5% | 11,400 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 15 | 5% | 44,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 12 | 4% | 46,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 12 | 4% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 3% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 7 | 2% | 23,300 | — | — |
| Tires | 5 | 2% | 25,555 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 1% | 149,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 4 | 1% | 84,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 1% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 3 | 1% | 43,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 1% | 50,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 2 | 1% | 157,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 1% | 74,050 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 113,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 0% | 143,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | 50 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Hyundai Veloster recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/modulePark outside
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.
Electrical system
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2012-2014 Veloster vehicles. High conductive liquid may leak into the Reverse Park Aid Sensor (RPAS), which can result in an electrical short circuit.
Risk: An electrical short circuit increases the risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the RPAS fuse and sensor, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 242.
Equipment:electrical
Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.
Risk: An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012 Veloster vehicles manufactured from July 4, 2011, through October 31, 2011 and equipped with panoramic sunroofs. The panoramic sunroof assembly may have been weakened during installation at the factory.
Risk: If the assembly was weakend at the factory, the panoramic glass panel may break while the vehicle is in motion leading to personal injury or a vehicle crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sunroof's integrity and replace the sunroof glass assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began during March 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Parking brake:conventional:mechanical:linkage and cable
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012 Veloster vehicles manufactured from July 2, 2011, through February 27, 2012 and equipped with manual transmissions. Moisture and road grime may cause the parking brake components to bind.
Risk: If the parking brake components bind, the parking brake may not operate properly, and the parking brake may drag while driving or may not fully engage when the vehicle is parked. If the parking brake is not fully engaged when parked, a manual transmission may move unintentionally, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake caliper assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began January 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
Visibility:sun/moon roof assembly
Problem: Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012 Veloster vehicles manufactured from November 1, 2011, through April 17, 2012 and equipped with panoramic sunroofs. The panoramic sunroof assembly may been weakened during installation at the factory.
Risk: If the assembly was weakend at the factory, the panoramic glass panel may break while the vehicle is in motion leading to personal injury or a vehicle crash.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sunroof's integrity and replace the sunroof glass assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began January 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires (AQ23002) — opened Nov 17, 2023, still open.
- Panoramic Sunroof Breakage (PE12027) — opened Oct 2, 2012, closed Feb 21, 2013, led to recall 12V568000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that while driving 37 - 40 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle made knocking sounds. Additionally, while parking the vehicle, there was a fuel odor and smoke coming from the vehicle. The check engine warning light…
While driving on the interstate, at approximately 70mph, the sunroof glass shattered causing glass to fall into the vehicle and into the face of the driver. This was not caused by any outside object or force, but simply shattered. Upon searching the web, I discovered NHSTA campaign #12V592000 and…
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Veloster. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer for an unknown recall repair. Upon retrieving the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The reverse and drive gears were inoperable. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer…
On January 15, 2026, at approximately 7:51 a.m., my son was involved in a motor vehicle collision that disabled three vehicles. His vehicle sustained significant damage and was declared a total loss. During the collision, the driver-side airbag did not deploy, and the seat belt failed to engage. As…
After an update for a recall for brake issues, the dealership updated the knock sensor update without my consent. After the knock sensor software was installed, my 2012 Hyundai veloster will not operate without going into protection mode. Hyundai states that they can not reverse the software update…
Other Hyundai Veloster years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Veloster | 11 | 1 |
| 2020 Veloster | 24 | 1 |
| 2019 Veloster | 42 | 2 |
| 2017 Veloster | 50 | 0 |
| 2016 Veloster | 223 | 1 |
| 2015 Veloster | 137 | 2 |
| 2014 Veloster | 85 | 2 |
| 2013 Veloster | 426 | 3 |
| 2012 | 296 | 6 |
See all Hyundai Veloster problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Hyundai Veloster?
Owners most often report engine, visibility, steering problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 61 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2012 Hyundai Veloster a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Veloster model years, the 2012 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.