If you are looking to buy a subcompact car with great features, good looks, and to-the-point interior styling, the Hyundai Accent is your car. We also wanted to say it is incredibly reliable, but we have to first back those claims with a bit of research. This article will dive into all the common problems and recalls of the Hyundai Accent. Let’s start with a quick answer!
Hyundai Accent have problems with ignition coils, premature rod bearing failure, and excessive oil consumption. We also saw reports of uncontrolled acceleration and problems with the airbag warning lights lighting up without reason. There are also numerous reports of airbags not deploying.
This was the most to-the-point answer we could give you. However, if you want to learn more, make sure not to click away. As we continue, we’ll discuss all the problems above in greater detail and even include the costs of repairs. Keep reading!
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1. Ignition Coil Failure On The 2011 Accent
Right from the start, we noticed an abnormal amount of NHTSA complaints regarding the common failures of ignition coil packs on the 2011 model year Accent. While it might seem like a relatively inexpensive item to replace, it is not as inexpensive if you need to replace them multiple times in a row like this owner of a 2015 Accent:
I have now had to replace engine coils 6 times. They usually fail one at a time and the first 5 were under warranty. There are so many issues with Hyundai accent 2011 owners and engines coils. This should be a recall. This is despicable Hyundai.
NHTSA ID Number: 10882613
A new set of aftermarket ignition coils today costs approximately 50$; however, constantly replacing them is time-consuming and annoying, to say the least. There are six reports similar to the one above, which indicates that this is not an isolated case.
2. Engine Failures Due To Rod Bearing Failure
Thankfully, the Accent never received the dreaded Theta II engine like many other Hyundai models. The accent was fitted with the Gamma engine, which is regarded as much more reliable and problem free.
And while that is true, there are clear signs of poor quality control on Hyundai’s side. Several 2012-2015 model years are plagued with engine failure and weird knocking sounds, and several owners report that the engine knocking is only present when driving uphill or downhill.
While that might be considered normal, it is not. An engine should never have a strange knocking sound, no matter the situation. An owner of a 2015 Accent report:
My check engine light came on and stayed on, while the oil light appeared when my car was in idle and the engine began to knock. My AAA-approved mechanic determined that the engine had a rod knock and the oil pressure at idle was only 3 psi.
In other words, the engine had completely failed and would have to be replaced. At 36,000 miles !I had the car towed to the local dealership where they confirmed this diagnosis and noted excessive metal debris in the oil and oil pan.
NHTSA ID Number: 11426706
These seem to be isolated cases as there has never been a massive recall like there was with the Theta II engines. If you are in the market for these model years, make sure no knocking sounds are coming from the engine, which might indicate wear on the rod bearings.
3. Excessive Engine Oil Consumption
Continuing the theme of severe engine problems, there is a number of NHTSA complaints of excessive engine oil consumption. An owner of a 2014 Accent best describes this issue:
The engine started burning oil at about 105,000 miles, despite it never missing an oil change and never abused. Apparently other Hyundais and Kia’s have also experienced early engine failure due to the manufactures poor quality control. It’ll burn about a quart of oil about every 1,500 miles. The engine has about 127,000 miles on the odometer.
NHTSA ID Number: 11437158
To support the matter, a class action lawsuit was filed against Hyundai and Kia for excessive engine oil consumption in April 2022. Even though the Accent is not on the list of affected models, its Gamma engine is. Which automatically means that the Accent is also potentially affected.
Judging by the amount of NHTSA complaints describing this issue, it is hard to believe that Accent is not affected by this serious problem.
4. Uncontrolled Acceleration
Even though the subtitle of this section seems odd, we feel the need to report on this issue. A few owners say that their Accents seem to have a particular transmission, throttle cable, or ECU problem, which makes their car accelerate on its own. We have found such NHTSA complaints filed for 2011-2013 model-year vehicles. A dealership files the following report.
The contact owns a 2011 Hyundai Accent. As the contact began to drive, the vehicle accelerated uncontrollably to 50 mph without warning. The contact moved the gear shifter into neutral and powered off the engine to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was pushed onto the curb and towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the throttle cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
NHTSA ID Number: 11162543
If this was an isolated report, we would not consider reporting it as a “common” problem. However, we have found similar reports in multiple model years, which indicates a specific pattern.
5. Airbag-Related Problems
We have found severe concerns regarding the Accent’s airbags and safety. Many owners complain due to the randomly illuminating airbag warning lights, even when there are no error codes detected with diagnostics tools.
Investigating and repairing why an airbag warning light is illuminated can be costly, with some owners reporting costs of up to 1000$ to resolve this issue. In many cases, the part that triggers the warning light is the passenger seat occupancy mat. Dealerships are charging the owners 1400$ to resolve these issues.
We have seen reports of such cases on vehicles made between 2010 and 2018. We certainly hope Hyundai has successfully resolved these common safety issues.
2015 Airbag recall
Specific 2015 model year Accent’s are not fit for safely driving a child. The problem lies in the occupant detection system (ODS), which should detect the presence of a child restraint seat and disengage the front passenger airbag. If ODS fails, the front passenger airbag might still deploy in case of a crash.
If the airbag deploys, it can seriously injure the child in its child restraint seat. This forced Hyundai to launch recall campaign 129 (NHTSA campaign 15V218000) immediately. Owners of the affected vehicles received a free ODS software correction.
Airbags not deploying
We have detected an abnormal amount of crash reports from owners, which state that their Accent failed to deploy the airbags when it should. These reports are present on model years ranging from 2010 to 2018. While we cannot research the full story of each report, it is a common issue with this car.
If you are ever in the market for a Hyundai Accent, ensure all the airbags are present, and all the necessary recalls have been taken care of.
6. Brake Light Switch Failures
Certain 2009-2011 Accent’s are subject to malfunctions of the brake light switch. If the brake light switch malfunctions, it can prevent the driver from disabling the cruise control by pressing the brake pedal, preventing the driver from shifting out of Park or allowing the driver to shift out of Park without stepping on the brake.
Additionally, it can prevent the brake lights from illuminating or forces them to stay illuminated at all times. The consequences represent a significant safety hazard, so Hyundai immediately launched recall campaign 131 (NHTSA campaign 15V56600). All owners of the affected vehicles received a replacement brake light switch for free.
7. Master Brake Cylinder Problem On The 2021 Accent
Before we dive into this common problem and recall, we want to explain what a master brake cylinder is. In simple terms, a master brake cylinder is a device that transforms the force applied by the driver’s foot on the brake pedal into hydraulic pressure. This hydraulic pressure pumps the brake fluid to the secondary (slave) cylinders, pressing the brake pads against the braking disc.
It is the heart of the braking system, which is why any signs of problems with this component represent a severe issue. Due to poor quality control and manufacturing, the brake cylinders on certain 2021 Hyundai Accents came with sharp edges that could harm the inner oil seal. This can severely decrease the braking performance and increase the stopping distance.
Hyundai recall campaign number 213 (NHTSA campaign number 21V937000) promised the owners of the affected vehicles a replacement master brake cylinder.
8. Seat Belt Pretensioner Recall
If you are in the market for a 2020 Accent, listen up. Certain 2020 Accent’s came with seat belt pretensioners that may explode upon deployment in a crash. Exploding pretensioners of the driver’s and passenger seat can eject metal fragments into the cabin, potentially injuring the car’s occupants.
Hyundai launched a recall campaign (number 223, NHTSA campaign number 22V218000) which instructed the dealerships to replace the seat belt pretensioners on all affected vehicles.
9. Steering Problems
Apart from some isolated problems with the steering system, we have not found significant issues with the Accent’s steering.
However, it is important to mention the problem that affects specific 2021 and 2022 model year Accent’s. A loose bolt in the steering bolt may cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack, resulting in a complete loss of steering and control.
As you can imagine, losing steering control is incredibly dangerous, so Hyundai immediately launched a recall campaign in which the service centers inspected and tightened the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt. Keep this recall in mind if you are in the market for a 2021 or 2022 Accent.
10. Electrical Issues
Generally speaking, the Accent did not have many electrical issues throughout the years. However, we do feel it is important to point out a 2020 recall of the 2012 model year vehicles.
Due to overtightening, the 12V accessory socket outlet may disable the thermal fuse, which allows the outlet to overheat with prolonged use. This can happen when you are using the 12V outlet for inflating the tires or other activities that demand prolonged use of the socket.
This issue significantly increased the fire risk, so Hyundai launched a recall instructing the dealerships to resolve the issue by replacing the faulty sockets. This recall is filed under Hyundai’s internal number 193 and the NHTSA campaign number 20V393000.
Sources
- https://www.hyundai-forums.com/threads/2014-hyundai-accent-burning-oil-knock-sensor-code.691096/
- https://thelemonfirm.com/2022/05/13/hyundai-class-action-lawsuit-over-excessive-engine-oil-consumption/
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2010/HYUNDAI/ACCENT/4%252520DR/FWD#complaints
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2011/HYUNDAI/ACCENT/3%252520HB/FWD#complaints
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/HYUNDAI/ACCENT/4%252520DR/FWD
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2015/HYUNDAI/ACCENT%2525205/5%252520HB/FWD
- https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/HYUNDAI/ACCENT/4%252520DR/FWD#recalls
He is the founder and owner of LifeOnFour.co, where he focuses on transmission-related articles. Furthermore, he finished a 4-year program to be an auto mechanic at the Technical Education Centre of Ljubljana, Slovenia, and worked for six years as a floor manager of a transmission specialist repair shop in Nova Gorica, Slovenia.