2012 Hyundai Tucson Problems, Recalls & Reliability
316 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Hyundai Tucson, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 20/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Engine leads the reports, typically around 100,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2012 Hyundai Tucson has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2012 sits among all Tucson years
What owners report
“Driving vehicle when engine lost power, engine began to make pinging noise under the hood, vibrations began and then proceed with knocking. Engine seized up.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Tucson
“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Tucson. 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 Tucson
“The vehicle stopped running while i was driving. After towing to the mechanic, he determined that the engine had seized.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Tucson
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 204 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 86,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 56,700 and 114,888 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
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 2011-2013 Tucson vehicles. The engine oil pan may leak and, if not addressed, the loss of oil may result in engine damage.
Fix: Hyundai has notified owners, and dealers will inspect for an oil pan leak, replacing it if necessary, and install an updated oil pressure switch, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2019.…
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Hyundai Tucson vehicles manufactured January 3, 2011, through December 23, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the air bag assembly installed in the steering wheel may come loose from its…
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and tighten the bolts that secure the driver's air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall began on May 9, 2014. Owners may contact Hyundai…
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…
Model years named: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021
Led to recall campaign 23V877.
Technical service bulletins
111 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Hyundai Tucson. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Tucson 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 Tucson reliable?
The 2012 Hyundai Tucson drew 316 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 20/100, scored against the model's worst year (2016).
What are the most common 2012 Hyundai Tucson problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Hyundai Tucson are engine (170 complaints), brakes & stability (36), and transmission & drivetrain (26).
At what mileage do 2012 Hyundai Tucson problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Hyundai Tucson problems around 86,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 56,700 and 114,888 miles.
Does the 2012 Hyundai Tucson have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Hyundai Tucson. 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.