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2012 Hyundai Veloster problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
29%
81 of 296 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 29% of relevant complaints.

Better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2012 Hyundai Veloster have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 81 of 296 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Veloster concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). For comparison, the 2013 scores 49%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
81
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
296
this model year
Fires reported
8
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
6
15 crashes · 29 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE61 · 21%
VISIBILITY55 · 19%
STEERING42 · 14%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER39 · 13%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM38 · 13%
POWER TRAIN31 · 10%

The years either side

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2012 compares with other Hyundai Veloster years

Of the 10 Hyundai Veloster years with enough complaints to score, the 2012 is the 3rd-best on engine and transmission share (29%). The worst is the 2016 (80%), the best the 2021 (18%). By volume, the 2012 drew 296 complaints (81 drivetrain), against 424 for the 2013.

Hyundai Veloster years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2012 Hyundai Veloster said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,ENGINE08/13/2025CRASH1 INJURED
I stood my [XXX] nephew up in the front passengers side floorboard of the 2012 hyundia voloster manual transmission with push start . I stepped out of the car on the passage side of the car the car was parked in first gear no one was on the driver's side . I bent over to get my shoes on and baby reached over and pushe…

One of 81 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2012 Hyundai Veloster engine and transmission recalls

No engine or transmission recalls. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

6 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module23V651000 · Sep 2023
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…
electrical system23V132000 · Feb 2023
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…
equipment: electrical20V393000 · Jul 2020
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…
visibility: sun/moon roof assembly13V051000 · Feb 2013
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…
visibility: sun/moon roof assembly12V568000 · Dec 2012
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…
parking brake: conventional: mechanical: linkage and cable12V567000 · Dec 2012
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…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2012 Hyundai Veloster? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2012 Hyundai Veloster

Does the 2012 Hyundai Veloster have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 81 of 296 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Veloster concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (29%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2012 Hyundai Veloster?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2012 Hyundai Veloster is engine: 61 of 296 complaints (21%) name it, followed by visibility (55) and steering (42). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap.

Is the 2012 Hyundai Veloster reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 29% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 72% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 10 Hyundai Veloster years we score, it ranks 3rd-best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster?

No. NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster, none of them for the engine, transmission or fuel system.

Which Hyundai Veloster years are better?

Among the Hyundai Veloster years we track, the 2021 (18%) and the 2022 (22%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2012 (29%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/hyundai-veloster

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.