Home · 2012 Hyundai Elantra Gt · Complaints

What 672 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Elantra Gt

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (672)Crash / fire / injury (64)Engine (139)Electrical system (129)Airbags (128)Brakes (96)Steering (90)Suspension (51)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (44)Transmission & drivetrain (43)Speed control (27)Visibility & wipers (19)

4 of 672 complaints match · Speed control · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Jun 11, 2026AirbagsSpeed controlCrash5 injuries

I was going down the bridge on settlers landing road the yellow school bus was in the right turning lane with right turning signal on .as I approached the light in the middle straight lane to keep toward the landing (hotel) on settlers landing Hampton va the bus some what merged back towards the middle lane and that when the bus crashed into the car it went under the bus it’s totaled the windshield and my sunroof collided the airbags did not deploy something needs to be done about that that was dangerous.I got glass in my face my right hand had glass my head hit the steering wheel my body jerked. I hit my legs my whole body is hurting and very sore all over I can’t hardly walk my hand is swollen. Liability suit of airbag default needs to happen

NHTSA ODI 11743488

Dec 13, 2019Speed controlCrash

I WAS SLOWLY GOING INTO MY PARKING SPOT AND THE CAR SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND LURCHED FORWARD. I TRIED TO BRAKE, DIDN'T SEEM TO DO ANY GOOD. IT HIT CONCRETE PROTECTING A STREET LIGHT AND WAS SMASHED UP AND STOPPED. IT WAS TERRIFYING. I THE CAR DID THIS ON IT'S OWN. I KNOW WHERE MY FEET WERE AND I WAS IN GOOD SHOES. I'M A CLASSICALLY TRAINED PROFESSIONAL BALLET DANCER AND I KNOW WHERE MY FEET ARE IN SPACE AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING. I DID NOT ACCELERATE, THE CAR DID IT ON ITS OWN LIKE THAT AMOS EPISODE IN DOCTOR WHO. IT WAS TERRIFYING, THIS CAR SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. IT HAPPENED TWO OTHER TIMES, BUT IT DID IT AND THEN STOPPED. THIS TIME IT STOPPED WHEN IT HIT THE OBJECT. THE CARS I HAD BEFORE NEVER DID THIS. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR AND I WAS LUCKY I WAS IN A SAFE PLACE.

NHTSA ODI 11288969

Nov 21, 2016Speed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. PRIOR TO THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE TIE ROD WAS BENT AND THE BRAKE PAD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS MISSING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 10927256

Feb 23, 2016Speed controlElectronic Stability Control (esc)Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY AND CRASHED INTO SOME BRANCHES. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WAS ALREADY IN THE BRANCHES. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V871000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,000.

NHTSA ODI 10837729

Working with the data? Download all 672 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Hyundai Elantra Gt verdict →