2012 Hyundai EQUUS: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
8 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
41,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2012 model year. Data snapshot: . 5 complaints include usable failure mileage.
This selection has limited data. It remains available for lookup but is excluded from search indexing.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 4 of 8 complaints (50.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 3 | 37.5% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 12.5% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 4 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Suspension | 2 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
Power Train: 4; Engine: 3; Suspension: 2; Air Bags: 1; Electrical System: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 0 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 1 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 1 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 1; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (2). 3 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2026 | 3 |
2014: 1; 2015: 2; 2020: 2; 2026: 3
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10618296 · 2014-08-01 (August 1, 2014)
AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF PURCHASING CAR THE ECS LIGHT STARTED ILLUMINATING WHICH IN RETURN GAVE CAR A SPONGY, BOUNCY RIDE ETC., HEIGHT FUNCTION WOULD NOT WORK. AFTER REPAIRS WERE DONE 1ST TIME AROUND JUNE-AUGUST OF 2013 SEEM LIKE EVERY FEW MONTHS PROBLEM WOULD OCCUR AGAIN AND AGAIN, LATEST BEING JULY 2014,CAR WAS PLACED IN SHOP JULY 7TH AND CAR WAS JUST RETURNED JULY 31ST IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM THAT I THINK WILL CONTINUE FROM MY EXPERIENCE SINCE PURCHASING CAR, I AM NO TECH OR ENGINEER BUT FOR A FAIRLY NEW CAR THAT'S NOT THAT OLD THIS PRO…
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10618296 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10676847 · 2015-01-20 (January 20, 2015)
MY VEHICLE SWAYS LIKE A BOAT SIDE TO SIDE NO MATTER MY SPEED, BUT ON THE HIGHWAY IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE I'M LOSING CONTROL. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND AFTER HAVING IT FOR 4 WEEKS THEY RETURNED MY VEHICLE BACK TO ME NOT REPAIRED AND NO ANSWERS TO WHY THE ISSUE STARTED. I WAS TOLD THEY WERE REQUESTING AN HYUNDAI FIELD ENGINEER TO COME OUT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BUT I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM IN ALMOST 2 MONTHS. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 31,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10676847 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10692893 · 2015-03-09 (March 9, 2015)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI EQUUS. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE JOLTED CONTINUOUSLY AND SHIFTED INDEPENDENTLY INTO ANOTHER GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 41,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10692893 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11318847 · 2020-03-20 (March 20, 2020)
FROM THE DESK OF LMI'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: [XXX] I PURCHASED 2012 EQUUS ON MARCH 7, 2012 WITH 108,216 MILES. THE CARS SUSPENSION STARTED GOING BAD AS OF LAST WEEK. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK ON MARCH 20, 2020 TO HAVE A MIRROR REPLACED AND TO DISCUSS THE SUSPENSION PROBLEM. IT?S BEEN OVER A WEEK AND TODAY THEM AFTER A 45 MINUTE DRIVE I WAS TOLD THEY HAD THE WRONG MIRROR...EVEN THOUGH I SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE PERSON ([XXX]) AND HE ASSURED ME EVERYTHING WAS IN ORDER AND HE EVEN SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THEM TO REPLACE THE MIRROR. WHILE I W…
Owner-reported narrative. 108,516 miles reported. Look up ODI 11318847 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11326655 · 2020-05-31 (May 31, 2020)
FOLLOWING A SLIP ON THE ROAD I AM THE VICTIM OF AN ACCIDENT ON THE EDGE OF A HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CAR STRUCK THE MOUNTAIN, BUT THE AIRBAGS FAILED TO ACTIVATE IN THE ACCIDENT RESULTING IN A FRONTAL IMPACT, WHICH CAUSED ME SERIOUS INJURY. WHY THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT TRIGGERED ?? THE CAR MADE SEVERAL ROTATIONS AND SUFFERED IRREVERSIBLE DAMAGE AND DESPITE EVERYTHING THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT TRIGGERED.
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11326655 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11748611 · 2026-07-06 (July 6, 2026)
I was driving on the highway and my transmission due to a failed transmission service done to my vehicle caused my vehicle’s transmission to overheat a blowout my transmission cooler and mix coolant and transmission fluid unknown to me because of a clogged transmission cooler line improperly flushed instead of replaced by the Patrick Hyundai dealership there could’ve been and electrical fire or a crash due to these things.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11748611 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11749120 · 2026-07-08 (July 8, 2026)
I am reporting a severe vehicle safety hazard involving a sudden loss of motive power and extreme thermal failure on my 2012 Hyundai Equus Signature 5.0L. In July 2022, at 88,845 miles, an authorized Hyundai dealership replaced the transmission under a factory warranty event. Rather than replacing the transmission oil cooler assembly, which was contaminated with heavy metal shrapnel from the original mechanical breakdown, the servicing dealer chose to only flush the lines, creating a latent fluid restriction. After approximately 18,000 miles of…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11749120 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11749721 · 2026-07-11 (July 11, 2026)
I am writing to log an immediate emergency update to my vehicle safety report regarding my 2012 Hyundai Equus Signature 5.0L. On Friday afternoon, July 10, 2026, Hyundai Motor America’s corporate office formally initiated a high-level Tier-2 supervisor review to investigate the severe powertrain safety hazard currently present on my vehicle, specifically, a catastrophic internal rupture of the transmission fluid cooler loop that has cross-contaminated and flooded my engine block infrastructure and main radiator with high-velocity metallic shrapn…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11749721 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
16V117000 · Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:Motor
Reported: 2016-02-29 (February 29, 2016)
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2012 Genesis vehicles manufactured August 1, 2011, to April 30, 2012, and 2011-2013 Equus vehicles manufactured July 10, 2011, to June 12, 2012. The windshield wiper motor cover seal on the affected vehicles may degrade allowing corrosion on the wiper motor's circuit board. The corrosion can cause intermittent or total loss of wiper function.
Consequence: Inoperative wipers during inclement weather can decrease driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the wiper motor cover and seal, free of charge. The recall began on April 22, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's number for this recall is 140.
NHTSA campaign record ↗