Used car guide

2012 Hyundai Santa FE: common problems and what to check

What gets flagged at MOT on 2012 Hyundai Santa FEs, from 2,848 tests in 2025, plus known faults and what to look at before you buy one.

2,848MOT tests in 2025
53%pass first time (all 2012 cars: 63%)
8,200typical miles a year
3.6×the usual rate for drive shaft (cv) joints

What stands out

Parts flagged at MOT more often on 2012 Hyundai Santa FEs than on all cars registered in 2012.

  • Drive shaft (CV) joints3.6× usual
    Hyundai Santa FE
    15.8% All 2012 cars
    4.4%

    Failed outright at MOT: 8.7%, against 2.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £60–£350 our estimate

    At the viewing: Drive slowly on full steering lock in both directions and listen for clicking. Look for split rubber boots behind the front wheels.

  • Suspension arm4.2× usual
    Hyundai Santa FE
    10.8% All 2012 cars
    2.6%

    Failed outright at MOT: 0.4%, against 0.2% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £120–£180 (one arm) ClickMechanic

    At the viewing: Listen for clunks over bumps and feel for the steering wandering. Worn arm bushes show as cracked rubber near the wheels.

  • Rigid brake pipes2.3× usual
    Hyundai Santa FE
    12.4% All 2012 cars
    5.5%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £100–£400 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask to see underneath, or check the MOT advisories: corroded brake or fuel pipes get worse every year and fail the MOT when they do.

  • Side repeaters6.1× usual
    Hyundai Santa FE
    7.3% All 2012 cars
    1.2%

    Failed outright at MOT: 5.9%, against 0.8% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £10–£80 our estimate

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Number plate lights1.8× usual
    Hyundai Santa FE
    13.4% All 2012 cars
    7.3%

    Failed outright at MOT: 2.7%, against 2.1% of all 2012 cars. The rest were advisories or minor defects.

    Rough price £5–£40 our estimate

    At the viewing: Check the number plate lights work and the plates are clean and legal.

Better than most

Braking performance: 2.3% here, against 4.9% of all 2012 cars.

By area

The share of 2012 Hyundai Santa FE MOT tests where testers flagged each area, as a fail or an advisory. Rough prices are typical independent-garage costs.

  • Suspension
    49% of testsRough price £120–£400

    At the viewing: Listen for knocks over speed bumps, and look behind each front wheel for a snapped coil spring.

  • Lights and electrics
    37% of testsRough price £10–£80

    At the viewing: Ask a friend to check every light, including brake lights and indicators, while you operate them.

  • Brakes
    36% of testsRough price £150–£350

    At the viewing: Look for a lip on the disc edges and feel for judder or pulling when braking firmly from about 40mph.

  • Tyres
    33% of testsRough price £70–£150

    At the viewing: Check the tread on all four tyres, including the inside edges, and look for cracks or bulges.

  • Driveshafts and joints
    16% of testsRough price £60–£350

    At the viewing: On full steering lock, drive slowly and listen for clicking from the front wheels.

  • Oil and fluid leaks
    11% of testsRough price £80–£600

    At the viewing: Look under the engine and on the ground where the car is usually parked for fresh oil or fluid.

Looking at a Hyundai Santa FE?

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Other years

YearMOT testsMost flagged
20221,953Tyres 22%
2021930Tyres 23%
2020522Tyres 24%
20191,093Tyres 25%
20181,924Tyres 28%
20172,608Tyres 30%
20164,270Tyres 31%
20152,928Tyres 30%
20142,471Suspension 38%
20131,322Suspension 47%
20113,052Suspension 54%
20102,813Suspension 59%
2009532Suspension 59%
2008570Suspension 59%
2007890Suspension 58%
2006867Suspension 58%
2005531Suspension 59%

Where this comes from: the DVSA's anonymised results for every MOT test in Great Britain in 2025, counting tests of 2012 Hyundai Santa FEs registered in 2012. "Flagged" includes advisories, so it isn't the same as a fail rate. How we score