2012 Hyundai Santa Fe problems and complaints
Owners have filed 355 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The most-reported areas: Engine (228), Electrical System (43), Vehicle Speed Control (40).
Key takeaways
- 355 owner complaints on file with NHTSA.
- 25 involve a crash, 17 a fire, 7 reported injuries.
- Complaints are unverified owner reports; recalls are confirmed defects.
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 228 | 64% |
| Electrical System | 43 | 12% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 40 | 11% |
| Service Brakes | 29 | 8% |
| Power Train | 24 | 7% |
| Unknown Or Other | 17 | 5% |
| Steering | 16 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 | 4% |
| Suspension | 14 | 4% |
| Structure | 8 | 2% |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 | 2% |
| Wheels | 7 | 2% |
One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
Parts for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
GarageDex's verified specs for this car. Each Buy button searches Amazon for that exact part.
- Battery
- Engine oil
- Oil filter
- Engine air filter
- Cabin air filter
- Headlight bulb
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| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV AWD | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 |
| 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe SUV FWD | 3/5 | 4/5 | 2/5 | 4/5 |
Latest complaints, as filed
Owner-written and unverified by NHTSA.
Exterior Lighting,unknown Or Other,service Brakes - filed 2026-10-21
THIS CAR IS MADE TO HAVE WATER GO INTO THE REAR TAIL LIGHTS,THEN KEEPS SHORTING OUT MY BRAKE LIGHTS. I HAVE TO DRIVE WITH 0 BRAKE LIGHTS, EXCEPT FOR THE TOP BAR ONE. WHEN I REPLACED THEM, IT SHORTED THEM OUT AGAIN AND HAS BEEN THIS WAY THE ENTIRE TIME I HAVE HAD THIS CAR. THE CAR SHOULD NOT BE MADE TO HAVE WATER GO DIR...
Exterior Lighting - filed 2026-10-19
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the rear taillights failed to function as intended. The contact stated that while driving at night, law enforcement performed a traffic stop because the rear taillights were inoperable. The dealer was notified of th...
Structure - filed 2026-08-17
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that the underbody of the vehicle was rusted from living in an area where anti-icing agents were heavily used. The contact associated the failure with Hyundai Service Campaign 947. The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was previously repaired u...
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More for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
Complaints are reports filed by owners with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA publishes them without verifying them, and counts rise with how many cars were sold, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Crash ratings are NHTSA's own 5-Star Safety Ratings results.