2012 Hyundai Santa Fe: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 352 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 1 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
352
Complaints
1
Recalls
25
Crash reports
17
Fire reports
7
Injuries
73.3
Severity index
Severity index 73.3 - Medium. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe ranks 54 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 58% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 228 | 64.8% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 43 | 12.2% |
| VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL | 40 | 11.4% |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 28 | 8.0% |
| POWER TRAIN | 24 | 6.8% |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 16 | 4.5% |
| STEERING | 16 | 4.5% |
| SUSPENSION | 14 | 4.0% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 228 of 352 complaints (64.8%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 24 |
| 2013 | 35 |
| 2014 | 42 |
| 2015 | 10 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 33 |
| 2018 | 33 |
| 2019 | 37 |
| 2020 | 32 |
| 2021 | 43 |
| 2022 | 14 |
| 2023 | 17 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 8 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 4 |
Complaint volume is declining, consistent with a defect that was addressed by recall or that affected early builds.
Recall campaigns
| Campaign | Reported | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20V746000 | 01/12/2020 | ENGINE | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicles. The connecting rod bearings inside the engine may wear prematurely, which over time can result in engine damage. |
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.