2012 Hyundai Veloster Problems, Recalls & Reliability
408 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, alongside 6 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 83/100 on the trouble index — one of the years to avoid for this model. Visibility & wipers leads the reports, typically around 22,000 miles.
Avoid this year if you can. The 2012 Hyundai Veloster sits at the top of this model's complaint rankings. Quieter picks in the same family: 2014, 2017, 2019.
Avoid
Where 2012 sits among all Veloster years
What owners report
“While driving 45mph the sunroof exploded throwing glass and a portion of the sunroof on my head.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Veloster
“Engine knocking around 75k miles. Oil changed every 2000 miles. Proper maintenance. Loud knocking noise.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Veloster
“My daughter was driving when the panoramic sun/moon roof exploded while driving normally on a highway at about 55 mph.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Veloster
“I am experiencing the same steering coupler issue as the current open recall for the hyundai sonata.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Veloster
“The electrical system was faulty since day one. When a turn signal is on and you turn the steering wheel that direction the light will turn off. This is SO DANGEROUS. The speed is also very iffy every time you break”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Veloster
“Was driving veloster on highway with 2 yr old granddaughter in backseat when speedometer went it zero than transmission went to limp mode was really scared because a tractor trailer truck was behind at the time i call the hyundai company to complain nothing has been resolved.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2012 Veloster
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 297 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 55,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 15,990 and 90,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (6)
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 2012-2014 Veloster vehicles. High conductive liquid may leak into the Reverse Park Aid Sensor (RPAS), which can result in an electrical short circuit.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the RPAS fuse and sensor, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2023. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at…
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,…
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012 Veloster vehicles manufactured from July 4, 2011, through October 31, 2011 and equipped with panoramic sunroofs. The panoramic sunroof assembly may have been weakened during installation at the factory.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sunroof's integrity and replace the sunroof glass assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began during March 2013. Owners…
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012 Veloster vehicles manufactured from November 1, 2011, through April 17, 2012 and equipped with panoramic sunroofs. The panoramic sunroof assembly may been weakened during installation at the factory.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the sunroof's integrity and replace the sunroof glass assembly, as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall began January 22, 2013. Owners…
Hyundai is recalling certain model year 2012 Veloster vehicles manufactured from July 2, 2011, through February 27, 2012 and equipped with manual transmissions. Moisture and road grime may cause the parking brake components to bind.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear brake caliper assemblies free of charge. The safety recall began January 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151.
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…
Led to recall campaign 12V568000.
Technical service bulletins
123 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2012 Veloster 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 Veloster reliable?
The 2012 Hyundai Veloster drew 408 complaints in federal safety records — one of the years to avoid for this model. Its trouble index is 83/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2012 Hyundai Veloster problems?
The top reported problems for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster are visibility & wipers (71 complaints), engine (64), and other (43).
At what mileage do 2012 Hyundai Veloster problems show up?
Owners most often report 2012 Hyundai Veloster problems around 55,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 15,990 and 90,000 miles.
Does the 2012 Hyundai Veloster have recalls?
6 recall campaigns apply to the 2012 Hyundai Veloster. 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.