Problems · NHTSA complaints
1998 Hyundai Accent problems
Owners filed 48 complaints about the 1998 Hyundai Accent with NHTSA between Nov 1998 and Mar 2014. The most-cited component is engine and engine cooling (16).
Complaints
48
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
6
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Engine and engine cooling16
- Fuel system, gasoline11
- Power train8
- Electrical system7
- Air bags5
- Steering3
- Seat belts2
- Service brakes, hydraulic2
- Fuel system, other2
- Vehicle speed control2
- Structure1
- Visibility1
- Equipment1
- Wheels1
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
2
9
5
12
6
5
4
2
0
1
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 2 |
| 1999 | 9 |
| 2000 | 5 |
| 2001 | 12 |
| 2002 | 6 |
| 2003 | 5 |
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 2 |
| 2006 | 0 |
| 2007 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2009 | 0 |
| 2010 | 0 |
| 2011 | 0 |
| 2012 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 |
Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.
Top problems in owners’ words
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
Engine and engine cooling
16 reports
“I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND EACH TIME I WOULD STATE HOW THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR JERKS AND THEN IT RESUMES NORMALLY AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME ISSUE AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS ALL SAY THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IT HAD NEVER BEEN REPORTED BEFORE. NHTSA NEEDS TO GET ON THE CASE AND NOTIFY WHOMEVER NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED. *NM”
Fuel system, gasoline
11 reports1 related recall
“ON YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY CAR(FUEL TANK)IF MY MECHANIC FIX IT WILL THE MANUFACTURE REIMBURSE ME. IT IS A EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT LEAKS OUT NOW. *TR”
Power train
8 reports
“WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (50-75 MPH) THE OVERDRIVE WOULD DISSENGAGE. IN TURRN THE RPM WOULD RAMP UP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY. SOMTIMES PULLING OFF AND TURNING CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN TEMPORARILY FIXED PROBLEM. FINALLY, WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. HE FOUND THAT THE WIRING UNER THE STICK (AUTOMATIC) WERE BARE AND TOUCHING. HE FIXED THE WIRING AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. I HAVE NOTED MANY OTHER ENTRIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB”
Electrical system
7 reports1 crash
“DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 50 MY RPM IS AROUND 4000 A FEW MONTHS LATER DECEMBER 2003 TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NOW JANUARY 2005 RPM IS ACTING UP AGAIN, I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AT THE GARAGE WHERE MY TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN AND THEY SEE NO PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL, THEY THINK MAYBE IT IS ELECTRICAL???? DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS....I HATE CARS!!!! *JB”
Air bags
5 reports5 crashes
“WHILE TRAVELING AT 62 MPH ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT HAD HAZARD LIGHTS ON. CONSUMER TRIED TO GO AROUND, THERE WAS SNOW ON GROUND/NOT ON ROAD, BUT ON SIDE OF ROAD, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A GUARDRAIL, AND TWO OTHER GUARDRAILS ON OTHER SIDE OF ROAD. NONE OF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK CONSUMER HIT GUARDRAIL HEAD ON.*JB”
Steering
3 reports1 crash
“THE STARTER WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT BRAKES, OUTER TIE RODS AND THE ENGINE WERE ALL REPLACED. *TS *JB”
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.