Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Hyundai Elantra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle jerked and suddenly experienced unintended acceleration along with the speedometer increasing. The accelerator pedal was released and the brake pedal was depressed to slow the vehicle in speed. The contact merged to the side of the road. The contact attempted to continue to drive the vehicle but the failure persisted. No warning lights illuminated. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 186,000.
The same issue that caused recall of these vehicles for several models years, such as this campaign: 2013-2014 Hyundai Elantra (MD/UD, JK, GD) Brake Pedal Stopper Replacement (Recall Campaign 170), is occurring in this 2012 vehicle, which does NOT yet have this recall. The Brake Pedal stopper Pad has deteriorated. I am reprinting the language of the above referenced recall as it exactly explains the safety issue with this vehicle. "The brake pedal stopper pad can deteriorate allowing the brake light switch plunger to remain extended when the brake pedal is released. This will allow the brake lights to remain illuminated continuously. It can also allow the shift lever to be moved without depressing the brake pedal, or activate the engine management brake pedal override feature."
CASE # [redacted]Oct. 7, 2021 HYUNDAI RECALL RESOLUTION TEAM CONTACTING ME ON A SAFTY RECALL ON MY HYUNDAI VEHICLE (on phone answering machine) NOTICE OF PROPOSED CLASS SETLEMENT FOR HYUNDAI ELANTRA (Brown et al. v. Hyundai Motor America et al.) (Received booklet in mail) Description of adverse performance of 2012 Hyundai Elantra- VIN [redacted]: All of these issues occur in any weather or if the car is warmed up or not. They don't occur all the time but about half the time. -From a standing stop (like when entering an intersection or turning on to a road) lightly pressing on gas pedal will get car moving then in 2-3 seconds it will stall out for 2 or 3 seconds, almost to the point of the engine stopping. At that point, moderately pressing on the gas again will cause the car to accelerate suddenly & forcefully. …
My 2012 Hyundai Elantra Limited engine began making a tapping/ticking noise a few years ago. The noise became louder and then I discovered that my car qualified for the EXTENDED POWERTRAIN WARRANTY which was granted to any 2011-2016 Hyundai Elantra owner with 1.8L Nu Engine that a class action lawsuit brought against Hyundai Motor Corporation. I was never notified by Hyundai but rather a mechanic that I brought my car to that was aware of the campaign. I contacted Hyundai and was told to have the engine diagnosed by my local Hyundai Dealer. The results of the diagnosis were submitted to the Hyundai Motors Corporation Warranty department and my claim was denied as I was told that my mileage and years were past the qualifying criteria. …
Highly frustrating and potentially life threatening situation Hyundai has put me in. On September 11th my vehicle caught on fire in the rear by the exhaust pipe. Prior to this my vehicle had been at rick case Hyundai 3 times with me complaining the transmission was not working properly the 1st time I was told there are no codes so we have to wait till it breaks, the 2nd time I was told no codes sorry, and the third time they actually replaced a broken part that controls the shift times in the transmission. Could show them my problem. I asked Hyundai corporate to do an investigation into the transmission and the fire and help me resolve this issue. They went through their 6 week process and then denied my claim saying it wasn't found to be a malfunction of any parts that caused the fire. …
I've had my car for 4 years. And the last three years it started having issues. Hard shifting and shaking at random times engine light coming on and off. I've taken it to the shop countless times and only recently was given a diagnosed with a transmission sensor reading too hot. Before that every mechanic said they couldn't see any issue . I find it alarming though because we don't really know if it's the sensor or actually the transmission and it's frustrating that nobody seems to have had any answers for the last so many years. It seems like it's a very common issue. And something that should have been able to be pinpointed and resolved much sooner. A few months ago when it would shift abruptly it was definitely a safety hazard on the road. Currently it's not lunging as dramatically. However it's still difficult to drive. …
Vehicle stationary. Shifter in "park". Attempted to start vehicle. Turned key in ignition - car did not start. Radio, lights, air and all other peripherals started and functioned appropriately. Tried to "jump" vehicle using two different jumper-cable sets. Had battery tested - OEM battery, 4 years old, rated at 550 and functioning at 542 - good battery, no need for replacement. Popped out the shift lock insert. Inserted flat head screwdriver to depress the button. Put car in neutral. Put key in ignition, turned to start - car started as if nothing was wrong. Drove for about 30 mintutes. Stopped at a store. Attempted to start vehicle as normal - vehicle started fine. Parked vehicle in driveway overnight. Attempted to start vehicle to go to work - vehicle would not start. Repeated the same process from the previous time it wouldn't start and was sucessful. …
Right front axle bolts became very loose at 39,000 and the axle could have separated from the transmission and or wheel potentially cause the driver to loose control and being involved in a serious or fatal accident. Hyundai should either use effective lock washers or lock tight on the bolts to prevent them from backing out of the axle where it connects to the transmission and or wheel. A recall should be ordered. If you google this problem there is a video on the web where another Elantra has the very same problem. I became aware of the problem because my Elantra started making a very not8iceable popping sound when you put the transmission in reverse or drive. …
Failure to start; car does not recognize that the car is in park and it prevents the car from starting, even though it is in park. Car cannot be taken out of park or put back in sometimes after it is started and idling. Happens intermittently, very frustrating. Have bypassed the situation by taking the samll clip from the center console off, then depressing transmission engager and moving the gear shift into reverse and then back into park. The vehicle will then start. After all the complaints I have seen for this very same situation, I cannot believe there has not been a recall Hyundai?
Tl* the contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. While attempting to start the vehicle, it failed to start without warning. The vehicle had to be placed in neutral to start the vehicle. The gear shifter would not help the vehicle start and had to be pushed in order to start. The contact mentioned that the failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was repaired; however, the details of the repair could not be provided. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.
Transmission complaints in other Elantra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2012 Hyundai Elantra?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, 6% of the model year's 654 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2012 Hyundai Elantra transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2012 Hyundai Elantra, though it has 4 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2012 Hyundai Elantra transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 30,000 miles, and 42% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to transmission & drivetrain problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.