← New search

1997 Hyundai Accent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Hyundai Accent do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 64.5.

About this comparison →

How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
Compare all Accent years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 6 of 55 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Power Train. Review the 13 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

4 reports
Clear category filter
73,900 miles · Aug 13, 2007
Service Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE HITTING ROTOR CRACKING THE ROTOR REPLACED ALL AFFECTED PARTS AT OUR OWN EXPENSE REPLACED COIL SPRING,ROTOR,BRAKE PADS. HYUNDAI SAYS THIS VEHICLE NOT IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS REGISTERED IN THE EFFECTED AREA OF THE RECALL THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY LED TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IF IT HAD NOT B…

Read full complaint

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE HITTING ROTOR CRACKING THE ROTOR REPLACED ALL AFFECTED PARTS AT OUR OWN EXPENSE REPLACED COIL SPRING,ROTOR,BRAKE PADS. HYUNDAI SAYS THIS VEHICLE NOT IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS REGISTERED IN THE EFFECTED AREA OF THE RECALL THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY LED TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IF IT HAD NOT BEEN DETECTED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10199394

Mileage unknown · Nov 19, 2003
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER STATED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10048246

Mileage unknown · Jun 20, 2000
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY FELT VERY MUSHY. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND TOOK OVER & DROVE VEHICLE HOME, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALER WAS CONTACTED & BRAKES WERE REPAIRED. THE CYLINDERS ON BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE LEAKING. THE CYLINDERS WERE CHANGED. MECHANIC SAI…

Read full complaint

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY FELT VERY MUSHY. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND TOOK OVER & DROVE VEHICLE HOME, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALER WAS CONTACTED & BRAKES WERE REPAIRED. THE CYLINDERS ON BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE LEAKING. THE CYLINDERS WERE CHANGED. MECHANIC SAID THE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *AK *ML

NHTSA ODI #863832

Mileage unknown · Jul 14, 1999
EquipmentService Brakes, HydraulicSuspension

STRUTS FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ODI #547249

Official recalls

2

98V245000 · Suspension:front:springs:coil Springs

Oct 6, 1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING "SALT BELT" STATES: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. DURING WINTER MONTHS, THE ROAD SALT USED TO DE-ICE ROADS CAN RESULT IN CORROSION THAT CAUSES PITS TO FORM ON THE LOWER COIL OF THE FRONT SPRINGS ALLOWING CRACKS TO DEVELOP. THIS CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE LOWER SPRING COIL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE FRONT COIL SPRING BREAKS, IT CAN BECOME DISPLACED FROM ITS SEATED POSITION, AND CAN CONTACT A TIRE. TIRE DAMAGE CAN RESULT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING GUIDE TO PREVENT A BROKEN COIL SPRING FROM CONTACTING AND DAMAGING A TIRE.

97V026000 · Visibility:windshield Wiper/washer:motor

Feb 26, 1997

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONTAMINATION INTERFERES WITH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND PREVENTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FROM OPERATING. INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

3

RQ00017 · Fuel Tank Cracking

Opened Sep 16, 2000 · Closed Oct 20, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Vehicle Speed Control:linkages

There is no summary currently available

EA00001 · Passenger Air Bag Related

Opened Jan 5, 2000 · Closed Mar 9, 2001

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal

There is no summary currently available

PE99046 · Passenger Air Bag Related Fatalities

Opened Jul 7, 1999 · Closed Jan 5, 2000

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Air Bags:frontal

ODI IS AWARE OF SEVEN FATALITIES OF CHILDREN (EXCLUDING CHILDREN IN REAR FACING CHILD SAFETY SEATS)THAT WERE CAUSED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS IN MINOR OR MODERATE SEVERITY CRASHES INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 1995 THROUGH 1997 HYUNDAI ACCENT VEHICLES.TWO OF THE SEVEN FATALITIES OCCURRED IN PUERTO RICO.THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION HAS BEEN UPGRADED TO AN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS FORFURTHER INVESTIGATION.