Problems · by component

2012 Hyundai Sonata electronic stability control (esc) problems

35 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Sonata cite electronic stability control (esc), 2% of all 1,559 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
35
2% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the electronic stability control (esc)

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THIS STARTED MAY 1, 2020...REAR BRAKE LIGHTS CONSTANTLY STAY ON WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF, SEATBELTS AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON 2 DAYS THEREAFTER ON DASHBOARD, THEN ESC INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON 1 DAY THEREAFTER ON DASHBOARD. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 26, 2020Seat belts, Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakesODI 11325949
“IN MOTION GOING 20 MPH PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT ACCIDENT. AIR BAG BUSTED ON MY HEAD, BACK, AND RIGHT SIDE OF MY FACE. WITH A POWDERY SHARP FILM ON ME. AIR BAG RECALL WAS NOT FIXED BY THE DEALERSHIP. I REPORTED IT TO HYUNDAI WHICH LEAD TO COUNTLESS EMAIL WITH NO REPAIRS MADE. SEAT AND DOOR PANEL IS RUINED WITH A CRACK IN THE WINDSHIELD THAT HAS SPREAD. ENGINE HAD BEEN STALLING AND PRODUCING WHITE SMOKE FROM THE TAILPIPES. WHILE IN MOTION CAR COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF AND WILL NOT COME BACK ON. DASH BOARD LIGHTS UP GOES OFF COMES ON DISPLAYS KEY NOT IN VEHICLE WHEN THE KEY IS IN THE ARMREST PLUGGED IN. BRAKE PEDAL FREEZES UP PREVENTING THE CAR TO START. RADIO DOES NOT WORK CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BLINKS ON AND OFF WHEN CAR IS IN MOTION. REACH OUT TO HYUNDAI WEBB ON ROUTE 30 IN MERRILLVILLE, IN. THEY HAD THE VEHICLE FOR A MONTH DUE TO THE ENGINE RECALL AND TURBO RECALL. THEY FORCED ME TO PICK THE VEHICLE UP AFTER HAVING IT FOR A MONTH. IN MOTION FROM THE DEALERSHIP THE CAR CUTS OFF. I GET IT BACK ON A BIG CLOUD OF WHITE SMOKE PRODUCES AND CUTS OFF AGAIN WHILE IN TRAFFIC. PRIOR TO PICKING THE CAR UP THE MANAGER OF THE SHOP CALLED INFORMED ME TO COME PICK IT UP…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 9, 2020Power train, Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11320702
“IN JULY 2019 I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, ALTHOUGH THERE IS NOBODY IN THE CAR AT THAT TIME. FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS THE BRAKE LIGHT WERE TUNING ON EVEN WHEN I WAS NOT PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. IN THE SAME TIME THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL STARTED TO TAKE OVER AND IT REFUSED TO ACCELERATE WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS PEDAL. THE ONLY WAY I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK WAS TO DEPRESS THE GAS PEDAL AND THEN PRESS IT AGAIN. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC BECAUSE IT WAS BEHAVING VERY STRANGE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM IS A RUBBER STOPPER THAT KEPT THE BREAK PEDAL IN PLACE. WHEN IT IS WORN, IT BEHAVES AS IF SOMEBODY TRIED TO HIT THE BREAK. AFTER THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED I DISCOVERED THAT THERE IS RECALL 136 THE ACCURATELY DESCRIBES MY PROBLEM FOR MY CAR MODEL. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI ABOUT A POSSIBLE RECALL BUT I GOT NO RESPONSE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2020Exterior lighting, Vehicle speed control, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11298540
“WAS GETTING READY TO MOVE FROM NC TO LA. DURING ACCELERATION ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN MOTION, STUMBLED AND THEN DIED SHORTLY AFTERWARDS. HAD A HARD TIME STEERING AND BRAKING, BUT LUCKILY THERE WAS NO VEHICLE AROUND. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC SHOP WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED THE ENGINE AS FAILING/SEIZED. RECALL 132 WAS PERFORMED, BUT ENGINE WAS NOT REPLACED AND ONLY INSPECTED. RECALL DESCRIPTION : GDI ENGINE INSPECTION/REPLACEMENT. ; COMPLETED : MAY 23, 2018”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2019Electronic stability control (esc), Service brakes, EngineODI 11280565
“ON JUNE 22TH, 2019 I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS AND I HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND UNDER MY HOOD AND MY ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, SO I PULLED OVER TO BE SAFE. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE BUT THE TIME OF ARRIVAL WAS TWO PLUS HOURS. SINCE I WAS WITHIN A HALF MILE OF MY HOME I CONTINUED ON. MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH BENTLEY HYUNDAI IN HUNTSVILLE, AL FOR JUNE 24TH, 2019. MY CAR SAT FOR 2 DAYS BECAUSE IT WAS THE WEEKEND AND BENTLEY HYUNDAI SERVICE WAS CLOSED. THE MORNING OF JUNE 24TH, 2019 MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT START SO I HAD IT TOWED TO BENTLEY HYUNDAI. I ASK CHRIS ERICKSON SERVICE ADVISOR WAS THERE ANY SERVICE CAMPAIGNS OR RECALLS FOR MY VEHICLE SINCE I HAD MANY OTHERS FOR MY HYUNDAI SONATA GLS RECENTLY. AFTER ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES HE CAME BACK AND SAID NO WHICH WAS NOT TRUE. HERE IS THE PROOF: HYUNDAI ASSURANCE CAR CARE WEBSITE IT STATES; SERVICE CAMPAIGN T3G DEALER BEST PRACTICE LAUNCH FEBRUARY 15TH, 2019 FOR SONATA/SANTE FE SPORT/ TUCSON ENGINE DTC P1326 WIRING INSPECTION/INSTALLATION AND ENGINE REPLACEMENT (TSB # 19-01-006H SUPERCEDES TSB # 18-01-032-2). IT SPECIFICALLY STATES AFFECTED VEHICLES AFFECTED 2011-2014 MY SONATA (YF) VEHICLES WITH…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2019Electrical system, Electronic stability control (esc), EngineODI 11279738
“AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON. I HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HAVING. I THINK THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAG AND THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION OR IDLING. AS FAR AS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SOMETIMES IT WILL GO OFF, I HAVE TO STOP MY CAR, PULL THE FUSE PANEL AND UNPLUG SOMETHING, WAIT A FEW MINUTES THEN PUSH IT BACK IN AND THEN MY RADIO, LIGHTS, ETC WORK AGAIN. THE ELECTRICAL HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR SEVERAL YEARS OFF AND ON. THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON IS IN IT'S SECOND WEEK. I JUST REPLACED MY BATTERY AND THE LIGHT IS STILL ON.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 29, 2019Air bags, Electronic stability control (esc)ODI 11252342

Showing 6 of 35 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.