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
Complaints by component
One complaint can cite several components
- Air bags34
- Visibility/wiper17
- Exterior lighting10
- Service brakes10
- Electrical system8
- Visibility7
- Structure6
- Engine and engine cooling5
- Engine4
- Seats3
- Seat belts2
- Wheels2
- Vehicle speed control2
- 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
When complaints were filed
Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
6
5
8
5
6
17
20
9
9
6
3
3
1
1
0
2
View as table
| Model year | Complaints filed per calendar year |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 6 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2010 | 8 |
| 2011 | 5 |
| 2012 | 6 |
| 2013 | 17 |
| 2014 | 20 |
| 2015 | 9 |
| 2016 | 9 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2019 | 3 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 0 |
| 2023 | 2 |
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
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.”
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”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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”
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.