Problems · NHTSA complaints

2017 Hyundai Accent problems

Owners filed 68 complaints about the 2017 Hyundai Accent with NHTSA between Jun 2017 and Jul 2026. The most-cited component is engine (23).

Complaints
68
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Engine23
  2. Air bags21
  3. Electrical system9
  4. Power train6
  5. Service brakes5
  6. Fuel/propulsion system4
  7. Structure4
  8. Vehicle speed control3
  9. Exterior lighting2
  10. Engine and engine cooling1
  11. Seat belts1
  12. Wheels1
  13. Steering1
  14. Other / unknown16

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
20172
20186
201911
20208
20218
20226
20239
202410
20254
20264

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

Engine

23 reports1 fire
“I have replaced the GDI engine on the 2017 Hyundai Accent once. I have also had the catalytic converter replaced 3x. The car lunges as if there will be another catalytic converter issue soon. Hyuandi recommended a fuel induction completion to prevent the issue from occurring again, but it did. This is a safety issue because the car and stall out at any given time. The cause of this issue has yet to be detected. It is believe a recall is needed on the GDI engine and catalytic converter.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 17, 2026EngineODI 11751176

Air bags

21 reports7 crashes
“While traveling on a public roadway under wet conditions, the vehicle was unable to stop within a safe distance despite brake application, resulting in a rear-end collision with the vehicle ahead. The primary concern is that the airbags did not deploy during the impact, despite significant front-end damage. The collision caused severe deformation of the hood and extensive damage to the front-left area, including the fender, bumper, and headlight assembly, with visible intrusion into the engine compartment. The vehicle was subsequently determined to be a total loss, which raises concerns about whether the airbag system functioned as intended under these impact conditions. Prior to the incident, there were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications of a malfunction. The issue has not been reproduced or evaluated by a dealer or independent service center due to the extent of the damage. The incident was documented by responding law enforcement, and the vehicle has been reported to an insurance carrier. The failure of the airbags to deploy in a collision resulting in severe front-end damage may have increased the risk of injury to the driver. The…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 2, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11741551

Electrical system

9 reports1 fire
“Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 115,000. It was later discovered upon checking the Carfax Report, that the mileage was 176,504.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 28, 2026Electrical systemODI 11713961

Power train

6 reports
“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that on several occasions while the vehicle was idling, she depressed the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle hesitated and then lunged forward. The contact stated that while the vehicle was shifted into neutral, the engine revved but then failed to engage in a timely manner when shifted to the intended gear. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 44,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 29, 2022Power trainODI 11499365

Service brakes

5 reports1 crash
“My car is making a weird sound, and feel like the brakes are dragging something. But I have no lights on the dash board and keep up with the maintenance. I Also received a new transmission for city world hyundai before all of this.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 8, 2021Service brakesODI 11432100

Fuel/propulsion system

4 reports
“I have had this vehicle for 5 years and even replaced the engine in this vehicle for it to end up with the same issue. I take very good care of it and get its maintenance done. But the car is slow to get up to speed and misfires really bad. I replaced the spark plugs in it and they were coated in oil. The airbag sensor will come on indicating it’s not operating properly. Overall a very unreliable vehicle that has multiple issues. It has ended in catastrophic engine failure twice now”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 4, 2026Air bags, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11721938
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.