Everything NHTSA's vPIC database knows about this exact vehicle:
Decoding from NHTSA…
Vehicle history — accidents, title & owners
The decode above is what this vehicle is. For what it's been through — accidents, title brands, odometer, theft/total-loss and previous owners — pull a full history report.
NHTSA publishes the first 11 characters of the VIN with every complaint — that identifies the plant, model year, body and engine. So these are reports from cars built exactly like this one, not an average across the whole model.
5NPEB4AC5CH••••••2012 Hyundai SONATA
This build draws 2.8× more complaints than the average 2012 Hyundai SONATA build (52 vs 18).
52on this build
1458on the model
79builds in total
2involved a crash
1involved a fire
Most reportedEngine 18Steering 14Electrical System 11Service Brakes 7
What owners of this build wrote
SteeringcrashMay 2020
While making a right turn on a residential street, the steering wheel locked causing me to hit the only parked car that was 20 ft from the corner
Exterior LightingfireJan 2019
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated he would need to replace both rear brake lights every two months. The contact stated recently he noticed a burning smell and saw the plastic cover on the bulb was melted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A…
EnginecrashJul 2015
I had a minor fender bender ( a person hit me and took off) 1 block later the engine died. It was taken to the shop where I was first told it needed a new battery and a starter. Battery was only 12 months old and starter was not a problem. I had it towed to hyundai and they told…
Fuel SystemSep 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of smoke coming from the engine compartment. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal gasoline odor coming from…
Electrical SystemApr 2023
The break light don’t want to turn off Seat belts don’t latch
Read all 52 complaints on this exact buildFull text, search by keyword, and the systems that fail most on cars built like yours.Unlock with Pro →
Owner complaints…
Now the whole model — all 79 builds of it, not just this build. Same NHTSA reports, wider net:
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The original window sticker and factory options
Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
Decoded via NHTSA vPIC. Recalls, complaints and safety from NHTSA; MPG from EPA fueleconomy.gov. Full history reports from our partner. VIN 5NPEB4AC5CH459953 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.