Hyundai Accent

Where it stands out against its peers

• Service brakes: more complaints than 94% of 2012 cars — 24% of its 153 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 8%.
• Vehicle speed control: more complaints than 92% of 2012 cars — 12% of its 153 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 5%.
• Hydraulic: more complaints than 96% of 2012 cars — 9% of its 153 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 1%.
• Tires: more complaints than 96% of 2012 cars — 6% of its 153 complaints, where an ordinary 2012 car has 1%.

Same model year only, at least 30 peer cars, zeros included. Every car has a worst part; this shows which, and how far from ordinary it is. A high share means more to check, not a verdict.

Crash test

Crash-tested by NHTSA, the American road safety agency.

Specification

Recalls

Filed by the manufacturer with a regulator. A recall is repaired free of charge, whoever owns the car now.

62% of 2022 cars have more recall campaigns than this one, and an ordinary one has 3. More of them means more to check the service record for, not a worse car.

• 15V218000

  If the ODS fails to detect that the seat is occupied by a child restraint seat, the front air bag will not be deactivated and, in the event of a crash necessitating front air bag deployment, the air bag deployment could cause increased risk of injury to the occupant in the child restraint seat.

  Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will correct ODS software, free of charge. The recall began on June 4, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 129.

• 20V393000

  An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.

  Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.

• 21V619000

  A person inside the trunk compartment may become trapped, increasing their risk of injury.

  Dealers will replace the trunk latch base, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 4, 2021. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 208.

• 21V937000

  Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 213.

• 22V069000

  An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.

  Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 24, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 219. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-796. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

• 22V218000

  Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.

  Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

• 22V311000

  Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.

  Dealers will inspect and tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 226.

• 22V354000

  An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.

  Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.

1 more campaigns have been filed against this model. A dealer can check by VIN which apply to one car.

Regulator investigations

Opened by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation is a question the regulator asked about a possible defect, not a fault it found — most end without a recall.

• Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

  Audit query, opened November 2023, still open.

• Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture

  Recall query, opened August 2022, closed May 2023.

• Stop lamp switch failure

  Preliminary evaluation, opened January 2009, closed April 2009.

• Front suspension lower control arm

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 2002, closed December 2002.

• Fuel tank cracking

  Recall query, opened September 2000, closed October 2000.

• Passenger air bag related

  Engineering analysis, opened January 2000, closed March 2001.

• Passenger air bag related fatalities

  Preliminary evaluation, opened July 1999, closed January 2000.

What the maker told its dealers

Service bulletins are the manufacturer's own repair guidance to dealers, filed with NHTSA. A bulletin is not a defect finding; the count rises with how many things a maker writes down, not only with how many go wrong.

Hyundai filed 36 bulletins about the 2022 Accent.

• Electrical system: 21
• Equipment: 4
• Air bags: 2
• Engine and engine cooling: 2
• Visibility: 2
• Exterior lighting: 1
• Power train: 1
• Structure: 1
• Tires: 1
• Visibility/wiper: 1

• 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… · May 2026
• 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… · May 2026
• 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… · January 2026
• 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… · January 2026
• This bulletin provides the service procedure for installation of a key cylinder reinforcement protector assembly and two anti-theft decals on the front windows. · January 2026
• 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… · December 2025
• 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… · November 2025
• 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.… · May 2025

28 more.

Grouped by NHTSA's top-level system; a bulletin filed under a sub-heading counts toward its system.