AI DamageHyundai Accent: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Hyundai Accent across 31 model years: 2,040 owner complaints and 108 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9999 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2022 | 17 | 2 | 38 | 0 |
| 2021 | 16 | 0 | 51 | 0 |
| 2020 | 12 | 2 | 69 | 0 |
| 2019 | 31 | 2 | 69 | 0 |
| 2018 | 19 | 0 | 67 | 0 |
| 2017 | 68 | 9 | 60 | 0 |
| 2016 | 103 | 7 | 65 | 0 |
| 2015 | 70 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 2014 | 79 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 142 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 153 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | 38 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 87 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | 101 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | 101 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | 88 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | 43 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | 49 | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | 33 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 37 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 134 | 26 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 112 | 25 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 92 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| 1999 | 61 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1998 | 47 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| 1997 | 55 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| 1996 | 101 | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| 1995 | 142 | 31 | 0 | 0 |
| 1993 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1991 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 21% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 12% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 6 Suspension 8% of all complaints
- 7 Visibility 8% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 436 complaints (21% of all), 211 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 26.
- Service brakes: 265 complaints (13% of all), 23 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 17.
- Engine: 239 complaints (12% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 14.
- Electrical system: 218 complaints (11% of all), 8 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 189.
- Powertrain: 217 complaints (11% of all), 4 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 51.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.5 L · petrol · 4 cyl 1995–2005
- 1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl 2001–2022named in 6 complaints
- automatic, 4-speed 1995–2011
- automatic, 6-speed 2012–2019
- CVT 2020–2022named in 1 complaints
- manual, 5-speed 1995–2011named in 9 complaints
- manual, 6-speed 2012–2021named in 9 complaints
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 2,040 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 436 | 211 | 26 |
| Service brakes | 265 | 23 | 17 |
| Engine | 239 | 2 | 14 |
| Electrical system | 218 | 8 | 189 |
| Powertrain | 217 | 4 | 51 |
| Suspension | 158 | 10 | 5 |
| Visibility | 153 | 7 | 19 |
| Engine and cooling | 107 | 3 | 29 |
| Vehicle speed control | 102 | 16 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 100 | 2 | 12 |
| Structure | 97 | 14 | 11 |
| Steering | 85 | 13 | 22 |
| Seat belts | 63 | 17 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 60 | 1 | 2 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The primary concern is that the airbags did not deploy during the impact, despite significant front-end damage. The collision caused severe deformation of the hood and extensive damage to the front-left area, including the fender, bumper, and headlight assembly, with visible intrusion into the engine compartment.
my face hit the steering wheel and my hand is broken because the airbags didn't deploy
When I pressed the brake pedal, the vehicle did not slow down properly resultina in a crash Immediately after the crash, the vehicle caught fire According to the fire department report, the fire originated in the engine compartment and was classified as unintentional/ accidental There were no prior warning lights or…
The air bags did not deploy. The contact's vehicle was towed to the local tow yard. The paramedics and the police arrived on the scene. A Police Report was filed, however the information was unavailable. There were a total of four occupants in the vehicle.
The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle had experienced unintended acceleration on several occasions. After parking the vehicle in the garage and switching to the park position, the vehicle had experienced unintended acceleration and crashed into the back wall of the garage.
No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact was transported to an area hospital by a relative and was treated for nondescript injuries to her neck and back.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
- Certain vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil…
- Certain 2012 – 2017 model year Accent, 2012 – 2017 model year Azera, 2013 – 2018 model year Santa Fe…
- Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU…
- Some vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s) B1763 (OCS ECU…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
- Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service…
- In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc…
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector…
- In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.