2012 Hyundai Sonata Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

298Steering complaints

19.2%Of all 1,551 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE563 · 36.3%

STEERING298 · 19.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM228 · 14.7%

AIR BAGS168 · 10.8%

SERVICE BRAKES151 · 9.7%

Share of the 1,551 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata overview page.

What owners report

“CAR VEERED RAPIDLY TO THE LEFT WHEN STEERING WHEEL RELEASED. DEALER CHANGED SHOCK IN REAR. NOW CAR WANDERS EXCESSIVELY AND IS HARD TO KEEP IN…”NHTSA complaint 10532720 — filed 07/30/2013

“2012 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS REQUIRES CONSTANT STEERING INPUT TO TRACK STRAIGHT DOWN INTERSTATE. LEFT RIGHT LEFT RIGHT. THIS IS AN UNSAFE OPERATING CONDITION. STEERING IS…”NHTSA complaint 10531586 — filed 07/24/2013

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD TIGHTEN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO…”NHTSA complaint 10520184 — filed 06/17/2013

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Hyundai Sonata have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Hyundai Sonata: 298 of 1,551 complaints on file (19.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Hyundai Sonata have in total?

1,551 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 51 involved a crash, 94 involved a fire, 38 reported injuries, and 1 reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.