2012 Hyundai Santa Fe: True Cost, Problems & Verdict
352 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Reviewed by the MotorJury data desk · 2 sources · Last updated 2026-08-20
352 NHTSA owner complaints · 1 recalls · data-computed verdict. No opinions — public data only.
Complaints per year on the road: 25.14
Verbatim reports filed with the United States safety regulator (NHTSA) by owners of this exact model year. Public record.
The contact purchased a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 71,000 and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage on the title 43,655 and the DMV informed her after their research was tempered with and they st…
The engine rod broke creating a big whole in the engine which caused the engine and underneath of car to start on fire. There was a massive recall for this same issue in 2021-2023 for the year car! It is available for inspection! Yes safety was at risk, the car was on fire on the Highway in the middle of rush hour. The problem was confirmed by Progressive and I contact Hyundai. The car was inspected by the police and…
My 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe caught fire on October 29, 2025. Prior to this, the dealership completed one recall but left another open. Hyundai denied my claim and refused to provide the inspection report. I am filing this complaint because I believe the incomplete recall may be related and I want NHTSA to review the issue.
What the community is saying right now.
| Campaign | Component | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 20V746000 | Engine | Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2015-2016 Veloster, 2012 Santa Fe, 2011-2013 Sonata Hybrid, and 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehi… |
Re-priced automatically from your country's retail fuel, electricity and parts indices — change country in the bar at the top. Estimates; see methodology.
The most-reported issue in NHTSA complaint data is Engine (228 complaints in our indexed sample).
Our data verdict is CAUTION with a reliability score of 59/100, computed from 352 NHTSA complaints and 1 recall campaigns. See the verdict card for the top reasons.
Yes — NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe, 0 of them touching fire, crash or stall risk, the most recent recorded 01/12/2020. Check this car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy.
Fuel, maintenance band and depreciation — computed from public data in 10 seconds.
Open the true-cost calculatorComplaints & recalls: NHTSA ·
Fuel economy: EPA fueleconomy.gov ·
Scoring: our published methodology.
Maintenance bands are industry-average estimates (AAA Your Driving Costs, CarMD index) — labeled estimates, not measurements.
Last updated: 2026-08-20.