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.
5NPEC4AC5CH••••••2012 Hyundai SONATA
This build draws 1.8× more complaints than the average 2012 Hyundai SONATA build (33 vs 18).
33on this build
1453on the model
79builds in total
2involved a crash
1involved a fire
1injuries
Most reportedEngine 12Steering 5Exterior Lighting 4Power Train 3
What owners of this build wrote
Unknown Or OtherfireJun 2022
There were no warnings or indicators of a problem. My husband was driving down the highway when he noticed smoke coming from under the hood. He pulled over, but the car was already on fire. The fire department put out the fire, and the car is likely to be totaled by insurance.…
Power TraincrashApr 2014
The contact owns a 2012 hyundai sonata. While in park, the vehicle rolled forward and crashed into a curb. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The failure occurred three times. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified.…
EngineJul 2023
Due to the recall of my car's engine (VIN [XXX] ), on July 11, 2023, I dropped off my 2012 Hyundai Sonata to get my faulty and failing engine inspected at my local Hyundai dealership. After being approved for an engine replacement, I submitted the necessary paperwork proving…
Service BrakesDec 2022
Driving on freeway and traction control light came on and stays on. Then my car stalls. Additionally, I awakened at 6 am to find my breaks light had been on most the night at no fault of mine. I checked my vin# and being told my 2012 sonata is not part of the recall campaign…
SteeringJun 2020
Steering wheel couplet is broken causing the steering wheel to make a clanking noise when driving or going over little bumps on the road. It also makes the steering wheel and I believe tires make clanking noise when making a turn or pulling out of a driveway
Read all 33 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:
Loading owner complaints…
PRO
Upgrade to Pro
You know what it is. Find out what it's worth.
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 5NPEC4AC5CH494022 · decoded Aug 2026. — ForCar Reviewed by Denis Kataev, founder of ForCar.