2012 Hyundai Azera problems & reliability
74 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Hyundai Azera, alongside 2 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2012 Hyundai Azera vehicles were involved in 2 fatal crashes with 1 occupant death. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 38 | 51% |
| Engine → | 10 | 14% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 8 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 7 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 5% |
| Suspension | 3 | 4% |
| Unknown OR Other | 3 | 4% |
| Power Train | 2 | 3% |
| Seats | 2 | 3% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 1% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 67,000 miles (middle 50% between 50,000 and 90,750 miles), based on 42 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Azera. The contact stated while driving at approximately 35 MPH the vehicle was losing forward momentum. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The contact was able to coast to the side of the road. The low oil warning was illuminated. The contact had to leave the vehicle at the…”
Engine and Engine Cooling · filed Dec 27, 2024
“Recall for my 2012 hyundai azera number 251 Anti-Brake System (ABS) module that could leak and cause an electrical short that could result in a fire. They want to change a fuse from 40 to 30 amp so when the problem occurs fuse will blow. They should fix the problem replace ABS module. What happens if fuse blows will…”
Service Brakes · filed Sep 24, 2024
“In 2023, Hyundai approved to pay for repairs of vehicles that suffer premature engine failures due to issues such as low oil, metal debris and/or fire in the engine. These issues were predominately found in the GDI engines in Kia and Hyundai vehicles. This suit failed to take into account the Hyundai Azera model and…”
Power Train · filed Sep 14, 2024
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Audit Query AQ23002 · opened Nov 17, 2023 · open
Technical service bulletins
82 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Hyundai Azera. The 10 most recent:
Certain 2012 – 2017 model year Accent, 2012 – 2017 model year Azera, 2013 – 2018 model year Santa Fe Sport, 2013 – 2019 model year Santa Fe, and 2012 – 2017 model year Veloster vehicles may exhibit an intermittent…
Z01 Letter · Warranty Program/Extension · issued May 23, 2026
Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU Defect), and/or B1764 (OCS Mat Defect) may be stored. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage of the sensor for…
26-BE-011H DN · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Apr 25, 2026
Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU Defect), and/or B1764 (OCS Mat Defect) may be stored. Hyundai is extending the warranty coverage of the sensor for…
26-BE-011H TSB · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Apr 25, 2026
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co.…
DTN DL · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
DTN DCS · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
25-BD-012H TSB · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 6, 2025
This TSB provides a procedure to diagnose and replace, if necessary, an automatic transmission with Incorrect Ratio DTC (transmission clutch slip in gear above limit) listed on Page 2.
24-AT-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 9, 2024
This bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade protective cover on all models. If the protective cover is not removed correctly, there is a possibility of the rubber insert and…
24-BD-001H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 14, 2024
This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
23-EM-005H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 13, 2023
Hyundai applies a Paint Protection Film (PPF) on new vehicles before delivery to dealerships. It provides a barrier between the paint and contaminants, such as rail dust, acid rain, and industrial fallout. In rare…
23-BD-007H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 24, 2023
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2012 Hyundai Azera has 2 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2012 Hyundai Azera?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 67,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.