AI Damage2021 Hyundai Accent: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Hyundai Accent filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about seat belts and wheels. The maker issued 51 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 51
What fails most often
- 1 Seat belts 38% of all complaints
- 2 Wheels 31% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 13% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 6% of all complaints
- Seat belts: 6 complaints (38% of all).
- Wheels: 5 complaints (31% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Engine: 4 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Electrical system: 2 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 29.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (6% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 1.6 L · petrol · 4 cyl
- CVT
- manual, 6-speed
Drive: FWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belts | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| Electrical system | 2 | 0 | 29 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed; however, the contact was informed there was no fault found with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power for about 5 seconds while accelerating and decelerating through traffic. The contact stated that he was able to duplicate the failure five times and related the failure to the engine; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an…
During a tire swap, another lug nut broke off while trying to remove it. This issue has occurred before, and it seems that the faulty lug nut problem is still present.
Fifth lug nut failure within a span of less than 6 months. Today during winter to summer tire snow change, front passenger side lug nut broke while it was being removed. This is the 4th incident in my vehicle with regards to the lug nuts.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V354000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue.
The studs and the lug nuts have consistently cross-threading and corrosion issues in a barely-year-old vehicle. I have had to visit the dealer twice to have this problem fixed and paid out of pocket. This started to happen ever since my last service at a Hyundai dealership.
I've been trying for about 6 months to get this recall corrected. I've called several dealers and no one has the parts. Isn't it ridiculous that they are suggesting I park the car outside my garage because it is dangerous to park it inside, BUT it's OK if I drive it???? When will these parts be available?
Engine compartment fire. Vehicle towed [dealer] Bremerton wa
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 1,335 of 2,102 model years in the NHTSA data (among the 36% least complained about).
On average one model year of the Accent has 38 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.
What to check before buying
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- 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…
Some vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines may exhibit higher-than-expected engine oil consumption. This bulletin outlines the combustion chamber cleaning procedure for vehicles diagnosed with this…
- Certain 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 consumption. This bulletin provides the inspection and repair procedures for vehicles exhibiting this condition…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co…
- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding…
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
- Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service…
Upon customer's request ONLY, the Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 25-01-089H provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front…
- In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc…
In addition to the Anti-Theft software provided under Service Campaign 993 (TSB 24-01-009H-1), a zinc reinforced ignition cylinder protector hardware upgrade is being made available to customers upon request. This…
- This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector…
This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front windows.
- In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method…
In response to this trend, we engineered a software upgrade that addresses the social media theft method and made it available to owners of eligible models free of charge at authorized Hyundai dealers since early 2023…
- This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the…
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
- Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service…
Some vehicles may exhibit a loss of connectivity or interruptions in the middle of using Bluelink Service functions. This may be due to an irregular disconnection on Verizon’s communication network. Follow the…
- A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) that had alleged that certain 2011 – 2022 model…
A class settlement against Hyundai Motor America (“HMA”) that had alleged that certain 2011 – 2022 model year Hyundai vehicles that were not equipped with an engine immobilizer (called the “Class Vehicles”) contain…
- Certain 2020-2021MY Accent (HC) vehicles may experience an illuminated warning light due to the following…
Certain 2020-2021MY Accent (HC) vehicles may experience an illuminated warning light due to the following Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTC) listed below: ⢠TCU DTC Codes: P0730, P0731, P0741, P0867, P1603 Follow the…
NHTSA lists 51 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Hyundai Accent?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: seat belts, wheels, engine. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (31%), loss of power / limp mode (6%), rust, corrosion (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Hyundai Accent?
NHTSA lists 51 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2021 Hyundai Accent from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2021 models
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 2026-11-04.