10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 1 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 32,108 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
I notice my car had a 'knocking'/ 'pinging' sound and took it to the dealer to get serviced about 7 months ago. The dealer claimed they 'couldn't replicate the noise' which is false because I took one of the service representatives for a ride to show him the noise. They decided to clean the intake which helped, but the pre detonations are back again, this time they are more noticeable. I've read several Accent owners in forums complaining about pinging, knocking, and pre detonations. Hyundai must act on this issue!
- Louisville, KY, USA
Takata recall: I had took my car into the dealership multiple times while it was under warranty because it gets stuck when shifting gears and won't pick up the power when accelerating. While the on the highway it drives horrible and the steering is unpredictable. Each time that I took it into the hyunadai dealership they can't figure out what wrong with it. While it was still under warranty I did take it to other places to see what they would say and they all noticed the issue and stated that it appears that it's with the transmission. I did contact hyuandai directly and they refused to fix the problem and now the car is out of warranty and I am screwed!
- Saint Louis, MO, USA
While driving the car it loses electrical power and the vehicle stalls, which causes it to lose lights, gauges, steering, etc. The car will not restart immediately after stalling out, sometimes up to an hour. This is a very dangerous situation and has happened over 8 times now. The local Hyundai dealer said it might be the ip junction box or it might be a lose grounding wire and they will not give us a definite answer for a fix. The car continues to lose electrical and stall and is now unable to be covered under warranty due to the fact of the mileage is at 60,100. I see this as a manufacturing fault with the electrical system and Hyundai should take care of this major safety issue at no cost to the consumer.
- Lemoore, CA, USA
Try to start car and it would not turn over. I had it taken to a mechanic and they diagnosed it as a faulty neutral safety switch. This has happened to me several times and has left me stranded.
- Jackson, MO, USA
Was driving down the interstate and went to get off on an exit and pressed the brake to slow down and pressed the clutch in to start gearing down and as soon as I pressed the clutch something broke in the clutch and it would not engage anymore. I coasted over to the side of the off ramp and cut the car off. Roadside assistance came out and towed my car to Hyundai of Decatur. My car sat for three days before they would even pull it in. When they finally did, they didn't even get permission from the owner to tear the engine down. All he did was take off the valve cover and automatically tried to blame the engine being locked up on it having low oil which it did not considering it had an oil change on the 20th of June and the car broke down on the 29th. The mechanic did not even look at where the problem originated. Oh, and no check engine light or low oil light came on so that tells me that it has nothing to do with the oil. It tells me that there was faulty parts in the clutch and now they are trying every way they possibly can to get out of repairing my car under the warranty. So if you could please do all you can to get this out there that Hyundai of Decatur are hateful and treat their customers like trash and don't abide by their warranties. I advise anyone to never purchase a car from them ever.
- Vinemont, AL, USA
I was in an accident on October 14, 2013 where I struck a deer head on at 50mph and the airbags did not deploy. I wrote to Hyundai and complained, and after their "investigation", they determined that I was not entitled to any assistance. Well, two nights ago, on Wednesday, December 18, 2013, I struck and went under a Ford F150 truck. I was pinned in the vehicle. My airbag did not deploy - again. How am I to feel safe in this vehicle? their "investigation" said that the airbags were in working order and that simply hitting a deer would not make them go off. Well, this time I hit and went under a vehicle and was pinned in my vehicle and they still didn't go off. I am so disappointed in Hyundai. This was my first new car. And it has lasted me 1 1/2 years, not even. I was not cited for the accident as the officer said it was not my fault. My insurance company is considering totaling the vehicle. I am beyond upset. I'm opening another complaint against Hyundai, maybe they will "get it" this time. This is unacceptable!!!!!
- Chesapeake, VA, USA
This vehicle is extremely dangerous driving in the snow. I have driven a number and variety of vehicles in all types of weather across the country. I have certainly driven in worse conditions and in lighter vehicles in worse conditions. There has been a light snow all day 3-6 inches. I was driving on both the interstate and county maintained roads, all paved. Traffic was medium heavy, it was around 6 pm. The vehicle has no traction (it was not icy out) and kind of "bounced" through the snow, like it was going to stall. I started out at 45 but when I realized I had no control, I slowed down to between 35 and 25. If I accelerated in the least, the vehicle didn't really respond. It felt like driving a boat in the water where there is a delay. The car went where it wanted to go. I could keep it somewhat straight, but there was no responsiveness. I was at the mercy of the other drivers. I stayed in the outside lane with my hazards on. I don't know how to describe it, but it was like it wouldn't slow down when I tried to take my foot off the accelerator in response to it drifting, it choked like it was going to stall. It behaved like a stick but its an automatic. And it was like the tires "bounced" in the snow. Its those little tires. The reasons to not own this car just keep adding up. I'm terrified how I'll get through the rest of the winter based on driving last night. I've never felt so out of control in such conditions. It wasn't that bad out. I should have had more control. This vehicle should not be allowed on the road in the winter time. They should recall the vehicle or have to buy them back at the cost owed. I can't believe it's legal to allow a vehicle that performs so poorly in moderate winter weather to be on the road. How will I get through the winter? I now want to get rid of this vehicle asap before I end up dead.
- Clarkston, MI, USA
My wife and I, both over sixty, were driving back from Ohio to Connecticut on the penn rt 80, it was snowing and the road surface was slippery but drive-able. About five miles before the milesburg, pa exit, the car began to loose power and the windshield and the wipers iced up such that our visibility was impaired. I had to stop on the unplowed shoulder of the highway to clear the ice. It was very dangerous as large speeding trucks and cars were passing close by. The traffic included an irate penn state plow driver who beeped and yelled at us. When we restarted our trip, the Hyundai Accent would not go faster than about 15 - 18 miles per hour. We managed to get off the exit while riding on the snow covered shoulder after a very long and strenuous ride. The next day we drove the car, which ran perfectly, to the Hyundai dealer at state college. The car checked out fine. The dealer guessed that the car went into a "limp home" mode because of the road conditions. I concerned that this car company would design a system that would put a couple of senior citizens in such life threatening peril. I feel that we were very lucky, any one of those big rigs could have easily crushed us. Other drivers, put in the same situation, may not be so lucky. Why was this unsafe "limp home" approved by the government?
- Monroe, CT, USA
August 2011 purchased 2010 Hyundai Accent auto. 4 door sedan. VIN [xxx]. as previously reported to the NHTSA, in March 2012 a better business bureau arbitrator ruled that the car had suffered manufacturer defect transmission mounts. The dealer did replace the two mounts which substantially reduced a front end and passenger compartment vibration and shaking. Some vibration remained; I took the car back to the dealer. At two dealers I was told by about six Hyundai employees that the remaining vibration was "normal". but I went for another inspection, the mechanic noted the vibration and said it was normal. But thirty minutes later, the service dealer wrote vibration "cannot be duplicated". so the arbitrator and Hyundai corporate consultant [xxx] in writing witnessed the constant vibration and made such ruling after Hyundai dealer said "could not be duplicated." October 2012 Hyundai's [xxx] said vibration had been fixed; this was not true. The defective mounts need to be the subject of recall for the safety of other Hyundai owners. The 2013 Accent. Purchased August 2012. The owner manual says check for vibration in the steering wheel; and have loose bolts checked at 15,000 miles. By online appointment I asked the dealer: "engine idle is erratic, not smooth, please adjust; with air conditioning running, car idling in park, vibration felt thru steering wheel, please adjust; when put in gear, engine moves, please adjust motor mounts." La Hyundai at lax cancelled the appointment and with corporate [xxx] refused to inspect the vehicle August 15 in person on. See site youtu.be/zaklz5_rrwi. Hyundai says free inspection of safety components; I was denied all warranty inspection including mechanical inspection. NHTSA needs to order safety and customer service training of all Hyundai dealers. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
Aug 2011 bought 2010 Accent automatic with 38,000 miles. After I complained of vehicle vibration [a known problem to Hyundai] dealer and manufacturer replaced two transmission mounts as defective but refused to fix erratic idle and passenger area vibration at idle. Non-Hyundai mechanics said vibration caused by defective upper engine mount. The better business bureau and Hyundai consultant verified the vibration was still there but Hyundai refused to fix it. I read newspaper article that said Hyundai engineers worked hard on models to fix the vibration and other suspension problems so I traded the 2010 dog in August 2012 for 2013 Accent SE 5-door automatic, thinking lightning cannot strike twice in the same spot. Now about 1000 miles and 2 months and there is play in motor mounts, vibration in steering wheel with compressor on, erratic idle, rough ride and bouncy floating suspension, and other small items, but vibration in passenger area 90% gone. Fuel economy not as advertised. I took car for inspection after online appointment with most conveniently located dealer L.a. Hyundai at lax [not selling dealer] and manufacturer ; three employees including owner and service manager would not inspect the car, shouting match ensued, they called police to remove me and car from the lot. See youtube site legaladvocate71 for videos and site attorney-ethics-elderly-abuse.com. Police ordered me off the lot. Still have not gotten inspection. Hyundai does not back their cars and will lie, retaliate, and threaten you with arrest if you seek service. This is a horrible auto buying experience. This does not include what happened at the selling dealer. Without availability of warranty service, the car is worthless now and forever in all areas. Hyundai will order you arrested if you complain.
- Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Fresno, TX, USA