2012 Hyundai Santa Fe reliability record
Every consumer complaint and recall the U.S. government (NHTSA) has on file for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe — the repair risk behind the ownership cost.
- NHTSA complaints
- 473
- 92 in the last 5 years
- Top problem area
- ENGINE
- 227 complaints
- Recalls on record
- 1
- see below
- Reported harm
- 41 reported crashes · 9 injuries · 19 fires
How this record compares
raw NHTSA counts, not defect ratesComplaint rank
#1,105
of 4,194 vehicle records
Vs Hyundai median
+205
median 268 across 168 Hyundai records
Vs 2010-2014
+181
median 292 complaints in 613 records
Top component share
48%
Engine: 227 complaints
What owners report fails — 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
- ENGINE 227
- VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 40
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 39
- SERVICE BRAKES 25
- POWER TRAIN 24
1 recall on record for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
- NHTSA 20V746000 · 2021 · ENGINE A damaged engine can increase the risk of a fire or it can cause an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Estimate the 5-year cost to own a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
A vehicle's complaint record hints at the repair and maintenance budget you'll need. Add your state, purchase price, and mileage to the TCO calculator for the full picture.
Open TCO calculatorThese are unverified consumer reports and manufacturer recalls filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — not validated defect rates, and not adjusted for how many 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe units were produced or sold. High-volume and older vehicles naturally accumulate more complaints. Use this as one research signal, not a verdict on any individual vehicle. Data as of 2026. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (public domain).
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe reliable?
NHTSA has 473 consumer complaints on record for the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe and 1 recall. The most-reported problem area is engine (227 reports). These are unverified consumer reports filed with the government, not validated failure rates, and are not adjusted for how many 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe units were produced — popular vehicles naturally accumulate more reports.
What are the most common problems with the 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Owners most often report problems with: engine (227), vehicle speed control (40), electrical system (39), service brakes (25). Each figure is the number of complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
How much does it cost to own a 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe?
Ownership cost depends on your state taxes, insurance, fuel, and the maintenance the vehicle's reliability record implies. Use the CarOutlay 5-year TCO calculator to estimate the full cost including the repair risk this complaint record suggests.