Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Hyundai Accent problems

Owners filed 101 complaints about the 2008 Hyundai Accent with NHTSA between Mar 2008 and Apr 2023. The most-cited component is air bags (34).

Complaints
101
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
11
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
9
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags34
  2. Visibility/wiper17
  3. Exterior lighting10
  4. Service brakes10
  5. Electrical system8
  6. Visibility7
  7. Structure6
  8. Engine and engine cooling5
  9. Engine4
  10. Seats3
  11. Seat belts2
  12. Wheels2
  13. Vehicle speed control2
  14. Equipment adaptive/mobility2

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
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20086
20095
20108
20115
20126
201317
201420
20159
20169
20176
20183
20193
20201
20211
20220
20232

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.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Air bags

34 reports7 crashes
“08 ACCENT GS, AIRBAG LIGHT ON WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT OR UNUSUAL DRIVING. ITS A SAFETY ISSUE. HYUNDAI SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS ISSUE SINCE MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2021Air bagsODI 11387571

Visibility/wiper

17 reports2 crashes
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SUN VISOR SUDDENLY CAME DOWN AND OBSTRUCTED THE CONTACT'S VIEW. THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A GUARDRAIL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO AVOID A COLLISION WITH A SECOND VEHICLE. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE DRIVER SUSTAINED AN INJURED LOWER BACK AND NECK. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS NOT RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER (JIM HUDSON HYUNDAI, 310 GREYSTONE BLVD, COLUMBIA, SC 29210) WERE CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. *TT *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 11, 2018Structure, Visibility/wiperCrash reportedODI 11062199

Exterior lighting

10 reports1 related recall
“NOTICED MY AIRBAG LIGHT ON NOT SURE WHY I HAVE NOT BEEN IN ACCIDENT NOR RUN INTO ANYTHING. ONLY ONE OF MY BREAKLIGHTS (PASSENGER SIDE) OUT. RECENTLY HAD STOP LIGHT REPLACED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 24, 2015Exterior lighting, Air bags, Service brakesODI 10730110

Service brakes

10 reports1 crash
“THIS VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE RUST UNDERBODY, AND THE FUEL TANK STRAPS ARE RUSTED ALONG WITH JUST ABOUT THE WHOLE FRAME. THE BRAKES ARE NOW SQUEALING AND RUBBING AFTER AN ALLEGED UNDERBODY RUST TREATMENT, WHICH SPRAYED OVER THE OLD RUST! HYUNDAI HAS OFFERED A "WAX TREATMENT" WHICH IS BASICALLY WAXING MY RUST. THE FUEL STRAPS SEEM TO ME TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE, AS WELL AS THE BRAKES. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT ALWAYS FASTEN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. HYUNDAI REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE SAFETY ISSUES, STATING THE CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, YET THEY ADMIT THE ORIGINAL FRAME COATING WAS TOO THIN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 4, 2017Seat belts, Structure, Service brakesODI 11043280

Electrical system

8 reports1 fire
“my car has been broken into twice in the past three months, with personal items being stolen each time: a child car seat, a child booster seat, an emergency inhaler medication for asthma, multiple charging cords, a bluetooth adapter system, and a workbag which contained medical equipment and scrubs and shoes. I need a new security system for my car with automatic locks.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 25, 2023Unknown or other, Electrical systemODI 11513778

Visibility

7 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUN VISOR WAS ATTACHED BY A THIN WIRE THAT CAUSED IT TO SLIGHTLY DETACH FROM THE ROOF OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUN VISOR OBSTRUCTED THE VIEW OF THE DRIVER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED TO BOTH FRONT SUN VISORS. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HYUNDAI OF AUBURN (823 OPELIKA RD, AUBURN, AL 36830; 334-321-0777) WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE MECHANISM THAT HELD THE SUN VISORS IN PLACE AND THE SUN VISORS THEMSELVES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 38,000. *TT THE CONSUMER STATED THE VISORS WERE DUE TO BE REPAIRED. *JS THE CONSUMER STATED THE VISORS WERE REPAIRED. *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 22, 2017Visibility, StructureODI 11048086
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.