2012 Hyundai Accent Problems, Recalls & Reliability
219 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Hyundai Accent, alongside 2 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 97/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Engine leads the reports, typically around 89,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2012 Hyundai Accent sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2006, 2011, 2019, 2022.
Avoid
Where 2012 sits among all Accent years
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that the engine was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil with the oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Accent
“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Accent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Accent
“All power windows have gone out cannot roll up all motors out 280 each to replace only 60k miles”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Accent
“Check engine light for knock sensor keeps coming on and off. This is constance issue that i have been having. I have notify the dealership but they arr saying that therr is no recall regarding knock sensor on a 2012 hyundai accent gls.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Accent
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 121 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 63,385 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,000 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (2)
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013…
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10,…
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28,…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units…
Technical service bulletins
102 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on transmission & drivetrain and electrical — are on file for the 2012 Hyundai Accent. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Accent TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2012 Hyundai Accent reliable?
The 2012 Hyundai Accent drew 219 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 97/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2012 Hyundai Accent problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Hyundai Accent are engine (40 complaints), brakes & stability (37), and electrical (25).
At what mileage do 2012 Hyundai Accent problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Hyundai Accent problems around 63,385 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,000 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Hyundai Accent have recalls?
2 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Hyundai Accent. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.