What breaks most · 2012 to 2017 model years
Hyundai Veloster problems by year
Owners have filed 395 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Hyundai Veloster across model years 2012 to 2017. Two years stand out: 2012 for visibility complaints and 2013 for engine complaints. The quietest years are 2014 and 2015.
- Years to check closely: 2012, 2013
- Fewest complaints: 2014, 2015
- Complaints on file
- 3952012 to 2017, all trims
- Worst year
- 2012177 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 2313 fires · 38 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 35kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 14Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 177 | 11 | 6 | Visibility (52) | |
| 136 | 3 | 3 | Engine (32) | |
| 13 | 0 | 2 | Engine (4) | |
| 17 | 0 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (6) | |
| 44 | 7 | 1 | Powertrain and transmission (17) | |
| 8 | 2 | 0 | Air bags (2) |
What fails on the 2012 Hyundai Veloster
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VisibilityMirrors and glass | 29% |
52 | 1 | Shop visibility parts for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 13% |
23 | 0 | Shop engine parts for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster |
| Body and structureDoors, latches and body hardware | 11% |
19 | 1 | Shop body and structure parts for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 11% |
19 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 10% |
17 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster |
| Unknown or other | 10% |
17 | 1 | — |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 8% |
14 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2012 Hyundai Veloster |
| Wipers and visibilityWiper motors and blades | 8% |
14 | 0 | Shop all wipers and visibility parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
I was driving with a passenger on a freeway and the sunroof exploded downward, throwing glass all over us while driving 65 miles an hour. I was able to pull off of the road and clean off the seats and take it to the dealer for a replacement, but i have no idea if the replacement is safe.
-
It was being drove down the road stalled and started blowing smoke out of the tail pipes so bad that you couldn't see anything behind you.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Hyundai Veloster years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2012, 2013 carry the most filings on the Hyundai Veloster. The 2012 alone has 177 complaints, led by visibility.
What is the most common Hyundai Veloster problem?
On the 2012 model year, the most-reported component is visibility with 52 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Hyundai Veloster problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Hyundai Veloster complaints that include mileage is about 35,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.