17 letters and digits, never I, O or Q. Find it at the bottom of the windscreen (driver's side), on the driver's door pillar, or on the customs and registration papers.
2012 Hyundai Elantra GLS(Middle grade)
Decoded Check digit OKThis VIN on DealCentral
2012 Hyundai Elantra GLS(Middle grade)Listed 4 hours ago
Buyer report
For the 2012 Hyundai Elantra (the model and year, not this exact car).
- The maker issued 2 recall campaigns for this model year (latest 23V651) — free fixes at a dealer. Ask the seller whether the work was done; a dealer can confirm it from the VIN.
- 653 owner reports to NHTSA for this model year, mostly about engine, electrical system, air bags. A good mechanic can check these areas during your inspection.
- NHTSA reviewed 4 possible issues with this model (e.g. review of a possible issue).
- US safety rating (NCAP): 5/5 overall (front protection 4/5, side protection 5/5, rollover resistance 4/5).
Guidance from the listing and public data, not an inspection: inspect the car, check the papers and pay through escrow.
Safety & recalls: 2012 Hyundai Elantra
Safety ratings (US NCAP)
4 DR · FWD — 3 versions rated; the best-rated is shown.
Recalls — free fixes from the maker (2)
Recalls are repairs the manufacturer does for free. A recall for the model doesn't mean this car still needs it: ask for the repair record, or check the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup. Our list can miss campaigns.
| 23V651 | The subject vehicles are equipped with Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) modules that could leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short. | Follow the procedures in the bulletin to replace the ABS multi-fuse, the two individual ABS single fuses, or the ABS multi-fuse and a… | The subject vehicles are equipped with Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) modules that could leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short over time. |
| 20V393 | The subject vehicles are equipped with accessory Tire Mobility Kits (TMK) intended for use by customers to temporarily repair a flat or punctured tire. The TMK air compressor can be powered by the vehicles 12V accessory outlet, which contains a thermal fuse that cuts the outlets power to safeguard… | The subject vehicles are equipped with Tire Mobility Kits (TMK) intended for use by customers to temporarily repair a flat or punctured tire. The TMK air compressor can be powered by the vehicles 12V accessory outlet, which contains a thermal fuse that cuts the outlets power to safeguard against… | Applicable vehicles are equipped with Tire Mobility Kits (TMK) intended for use by customers to temporarily repair a flat or punctured tire. The TMK air compressor can be powered by the vehicles 12V accessory outlet, which contains a thermal fuse that cuts the outlets power to safeguard against… |
What owners report (653)
653 owners shared experiences with NHTSA about this model year. The parts mentioned most are worth a look during your inspection:
Engine
What owners mention“The contact owns a 2012 hyundai elantra. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. the check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the vehicle was diagnosed with a failed crankshaft sensor. the vehicle was repaired; however,…” — 20 Aug 2026 “The contact owned a 2012 hyundai elantra. the contact stated that around 4:00 o'clock in the morning, she was awoken by the sound of her dogs barking; the authorities were called to the scene, and…” — 27 Apr 2026 |
139 | |
Electrical system
What owners mention“Apparently a very common crankshaft angle sensor malfunction caused the engine to stall out at a stoplight, putting me in harm's way” — 14 Jul 2026 “The contact owns a 2012 hyundai elantra. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel became inoperable and failed to operate as needed. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. the failure mileage was approximately 66,000.” — 28 Jan 2026 |
126 | |
Air bags
What owners mention“The contact owns a 2012 hyundai elantra. the contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the air bag warning light illuminated. neither an independent mechanic nor a dealer was contacted. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not…” — 31 Mar 2026 |
124 | |
Steering
What owners mention“My steering wheel started making loud rattling and clunking noise. this happened when i turned or slowed down or went over a bump. it got worse very quickly. i suddenly could not steer at all. so i ran into a pole. thankfully it wasn't another car or a person. many people have this same issue. this needs to be recalled asap. it's either the pinion and rack…” — 3 Dec 2024 “The contact owns a 2012 hyundai elantra. the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, he became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly after the steering wheel briefly jerked back and forth, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. the vehicle returned to normal functionality, but the failure…” — 14 Nov 2024 |
88 | |
| Service brakes | 60 | |
| Suspension | 45 | |
| Electronic stability control (ESC) | 44 | |
| Power train | 40 | |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 40 |
These are experiences shared by owners, not confirmed faults. One report can mention several parts.
Issues NHTSA reviewed (4)
| Review of a possible issue · 17 Nov 2023 (ongoing) |
| Throttle control system vulnerabilities · 12 Nov 2021 to 20 Jun 2023 |
| Headliner bracket detachment · 13 Sep 2012 to 9 Dec 2013 |
| Side curtain air bag improper deployment · 10 May 2012 to 17 Sep 2012 |
Service bulletins
156 notes from the manufacturer to dealers (repair tips and known fixes), mostly about electrical system, equipment, power train. A dealer can tell you whether any apply to this car.
Source: US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) public data for vehicles sold in the US, as of 2026-10-07. Many cars sold in Nigeria are US imports (tokunbo), so this usually applies; versions built for other markets can differ.
Everything the VIN tells us
Exterior/Body (2)
| Body Class | Sedan/Saloon |
| Doors | 4 |
Engine (7)
| Displacement (CC) | 1800 |
| Displacement (CI) | 109.842739 |
| Displacement (L) | 1.8 |
| Engine Model | Dohc Mpi Nu |
| Fuel Type - Primary | Gasoline |
| Valve Train Design | Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC) |
| Fuel Delivery/Fuel Injection Type | Multipoint Fuel Injection (MPFI) |
General (10)
| Make | Hyundai |
| Manufacturer Name | Hyundai-Kia America Technical Center Inc (hatci) |
| Model | Elantra |
| Model Year | 2012 |
| Trim | GLS(Middle grade) |
| Vehicle Type | Passenger Car |
| Plant Country | United States (usa) |
| Plant Company Name | Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama |
| Plant State | Alabama |
| Series2 | UD |
Passive Safety System/Air Bag Location (3)
| Curtain Air Bag Locations | 1st and 2nd Rows |
| Front Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
| Side Air Bag Locations | 1st Row (Driver and Passenger) |
Passive Safety System (1)
| Seat Belt Type | Manual |
Versions of the 2012 Hyundai Elantra
Factory specifications for this model and year. The VIN does not say which of these trims this exact car is.
| Trim | Body | Engine (cc) | Cylinders | Power (PS) | Torque (Nm) | Fuel | Drive | Gearbox | Seats | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GLS | Sedan | 1800 | 4 | 150 | 177 | Gasoline | Front | 6-speed manual | 5 | – |
| GLS PZEV | Sedan | 1800 | 4 | 147 | 176 | Gasoline | Front | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 5 | 1225 |
| Limited | Sedan | 1800 | 4 | 150 | 177 | Gasoline | Front | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 5 | – |
| Limited PZEV | Sedan | 1800 | 4 | 147 | 176 | Gasoline | Front | 6-speed shiftable automatic | 5 | – |
| Touring GLS | Sedan | 2000 | 4 | 140 | 184 | Gasoline | Front | 5-speed manual | 5 | 1332 |
| Touring SE | Sedan | 2000 | 4 | 140 | 184 | Gasoline | Front | 5-speed manual | 5 | 1332 |
| GLS Automatic | Sedan | 1800 | 4 | 150 | 177 | Gasoline | Front | 6-speed automatic | 5 | – |
| Touring GLS Automatic | Sedan | 2000 | 4 | 140 | 184 | Gasoline | Front | 4-speed automatic | 5 | 1332 |
| Touring SE Automatic | Sedan | 2000 | 4 | 140 | 184 | Gasoline | Front | 4-speed automatic | 5 | 1332 |
What a VIN check covers
- Make, model, year and trim where the factory records have it
- Engine, fuel, gearbox, drive and body
- Where the car was built
- Whether the VIN is well-formed (check digit)
- The model's US safety rating, recalls and what owners report, with a buyer report
What it can't tell you
- Damage, flood or salvage history
- Mileage, theft or finance owing
- Customs duty status: ask for the papers
Match the VIN on the car (windscreen, door pillar, chassis) to the papers, and have a mechanic inspect it. See our safety tips.
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Enter the VIN when you list it and we fill in the make, model, year, engine and body for you. Buyers see the decoded specs on your listing.
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