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.
5NPEC4AC1CH••••••2012 Hyundai SONATA
That is about average for the 2012 Hyundai SONATA — 18 complaints per build across 79 builds.
25on this build
1453on the model
79builds in total
1involved a crash
1involved a fire
1injuries
Most reportedEngine 10Steering 5Electrical System 4Air Bags 3
What owners of this build wrote
Air BagscrashAug 2025
Airbags failed to deploy. I was involved in a hit and run accident. Vehicle has not been inspected. I had a recall done on it with paperwork confirming it was fixed. I have 4 herniated discs in my back and neck
Electrical SystemfireJun 2020
I have purchased my car in 2014. Since I have had this vehicle, I noticed that my brake lights were going out more than the norm (for other vehicles). I have received countless of tickets of the electrical issue that the 2012-2014 hyundai sonata owners have yet to get…
Service BrakesAug 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Sonata. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V934000 (Engine, Fuel System, Gasoline). The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle. While…
EngineAug 2025
This is the first time I have an engine failure. I drove my car 3 min before merging into the route 1 highway. In approximately 800 feet, my car went haywire, all lights in the dashboard went ON, the steering wheel got stiff, and the car speed dropped off, I almost got…
SteeringSep 2022
I purchased my 2012 Hyundai Sonata on 4-7-22. The car has had no mechanical work, no accidents and has less than 1000 miles. On 9-16-22 i was driving my car home and was less than five minutes away on the highway. My car began to decelerate, I attempted to stop at a red light…
Read all 25 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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Exact value for this VIN, adjusted for mileage
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 5NPEC4AC1CH338642 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.