IllustrationTRANSMISSION GEAR GETS STUCK IN PARK AND BECOMES DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO DRVE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
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
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
What owners actually said
55 reportsTHE TWO LONG ARMS ON EACH SIDE OF THE HATCHBACK WINDOWS, LIKE TWO STRUTS, HAVE A BLACK OILY SUBSTANCE COMING OUT OF THE TWO POLES. CONSUMER HAS TO PROP HATCH BACK UP WITH A STICK, CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF DOOR FALLS ON SOMEONE'S HEAD IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM. DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD FIX…
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THE TWO LONG ARMS ON EACH SIDE OF THE HATCHBACK WINDOWS, LIKE TWO STRUTS, HAVE A BLACK OILY SUBSTANCE COMING OUT OF THE TWO POLES. CONSUMER HAS TO PROP HATCH BACK UP WITH A STICK, CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF DOOR FALLS ON SOMEONE'S HEAD IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM. DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD FIX IT. *AK
WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER. DEALER HAS REPLACED STARTER/ COMPUTER AN D CRANKSHAFT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK
WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN NOV 1997. THERE WAS A HESITATION PRETTY MUCH FROM THE START...REALLY APPARENT AT 7581. WE BOUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER IN MARCH 1998...THEY ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR IT. IT CONTINUED TO BE A NUISANCE...WE CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO BE REPAIRED ON JUNE 23, 1999. SINCE TH…
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WE BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN NOV 1997. THERE WAS A HESITATION PRETTY MUCH FROM THE START...REALLY APPARENT AT 7581. WE BOUGHT IT BACK TO THE DEALER IN MARCH 1998...THEY ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR IT. IT CONTINUED TO BE A NUISANCE...WE CONTACTED THE DEALER AGAIN. WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN TO BE REPAIRED ON JUNE 23, 1999. SINCE THEN THE SPARK PLUGS HAVE FAILED 4 TIMES (EACH TIME FAILURE WAS ON PLUG #1 AND #3). IT IS NOW JULY 27, 1999. THE IGNITION WIRES WERE REPLACED JULY 02... ONE OF THE WIRES REPLACED ON JULY 02 WAS REPLACED AGAIN JULY 07. WE HAVE REPLACED THE FUEL FILTER, HAD A THROTTLE BODY SERVICE AND A FUEL INJECTION SERVICE ...ALL TO NO AVAIL....THE PROBLEM IS WORSE THAN EVER. THE HESITATION OCCURS MOST OFTEN WHEN THE WEATHER IS AT HIGH TEMPERATURES , BUT CAN ALSO HAPPEN AT OTHER TIMES. I NOTICED THE ELANTRA DOHC ENGINE HAD ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WIRING...DOHC SPARK PLUG WIRE ROUTING PROBLEMS FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. I WONDER IF THAT'S OUR PROBLEM ...OUR ACCENT GT IS ALSO A DOHC ENGINE !
STRUTS FAILED. MJS
AUTOMATIC FRONT SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RELEASE AFTER BEING LOCKED. ALSO, CLUTCH FELL OUT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. VEHICLE LOST CONTROL. ENGINE LIFTERS ALSO WENT OUT. *AK
VEHICLE HESITATES WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED, DEALER HAS REPLACED VACUUM LINES, COIL PACK, HOSES, CRANK SENSOR BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST, DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED NO ABNORMALITIES. *ET
GREASE FROM FITTINGS FOR MASTER CYLINDER FOR CLUTCH GETS IN FLUID CAUSING THE INABILITY TO SHIFT GEARS. MJS
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFO FOR ON/OFF SWITCH FOR AIRBAGS
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON A AIRBAG ON/OFF SWITCH
Official recalls
298V245000 · 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
3RQ00017 · 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.