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1998 Hyundai Accent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1998 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

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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: 12 of 47 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 →
  • Fuel System, Gasoline. Review the 11 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

6 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports

What owners actually said

47 reports
Mileage unknown · Jul 22, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

THIS WAS A PROGRAM CAR. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS REPEATEDLY WITH THIS CAR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, IT STARTED USING OIL. THEY REBUILT THE HEAD. THEN ABOUT 8 MONTHS OR SO LATER IT STARTED USING OIL AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY "SAID" THEY PUT ON A NEW HEAD. HOWEVER, I DONT BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE, NOW 8 MONTHS LATER IT I…

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THIS WAS A PROGRAM CAR. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS REPEATEDLY WITH THIS CAR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, IT STARTED USING OIL. THEY REBUILT THE HEAD. THEN ABOUT 8 MONTHS OR SO LATER IT STARTED USING OIL AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY "SAID" THEY PUT ON A NEW HEAD. HOWEVER, I DONT BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE, NOW 8 MONTHS LATER IT IS ONCE AGAIN USING OIL. ALSO, I CAN BE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND THE ENGINE WILL "HICCUP" AND JERK REALLY HARD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTING TO THE DEALER, THAT I HEAR A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS NOT GETTING ANY OIL. BUT, THEY JUST TELL ME THAT I AM HEARING THINGS. I AM PAYING FOR THIS LEMON WITH MY HARD EARNED MONEY. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THEM TO LET ME TRADE IT BACK TO THEM AND BUY A BRAND NEW CAR, BUT THEY INSIST THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MINE. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED CONSUMER AFFAIRS, THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T GET INVOLVED. THAT IT WAS BETWEEN ME AND THE DEALER. I NEED HELP!!! ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS!*AK

NHTSA ODI #748895

Mileage unknown · Jul 17, 2001
Seat Belts

PLASTIC SEAT BELT "CASING" (THAT CONTAINS THE ACTUAL SEAT BELT) OF RARELY USED FRONT PASSENGER BELT HAS CRACKED WITHOUT CAUSE AND LEFT SHARP EDGES TOUCHING THE INTERNAL BELT WEBBING WHICH COULD DAMAGE THE INTERNAL WEBBING OF THE BELT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #748623

Mileage unknown · Jul 3, 2001
Electrical System

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WENT DIM AND POWER DIED ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ODI #891930

Mileage unknown · Jun 1, 2001
Unknown Or Other

AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN. IT THEN, WENT OUT BUT WOULD COME BACK ON. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 8 OR MORE TIMES FOR ENGINE CHECK PROBLEM, EACH TIME MECHANIC REPLACED A DIFFERENT COMPONENT. *AK

NHTSA ODI #889593

Mileage unknown · May 23, 2001
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherCrash

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE, 1998. FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, ENGINE CHECK SENSOR WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A WHILE. SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC FOUND A PROBLEM AND FIXED IT AND TURNED OFF THE LIGHT; SOMETIMES HE TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR; SOMETIMES HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON. LATEST IN…

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PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE, 1998. FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, ENGINE CHECK SENSOR WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A WHILE. SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC FOUND A PROBLEM AND FIXED IT AND TURNED OFF THE LIGHT; SOMETIMES HE TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR; SOMETIMES HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON. LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 15, 2001, WHEN THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON ONCE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP B/C THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THEY'D REPLACED THE PULSE GENERATOR. THERE HAVE BEEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE PAST; SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THEY COINCIDED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM. AFTER 3 YEARS AND MANY VISITS TO THE MECHANIC FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, I'M FACING THE END OF MY WARRANTY AND THE LATEST EXPLANATION FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM IS THAT THE SENSOR IS "TOUCHY." IGNORING THE LIGHT IN THE FUTURE IS AN UNACCEPTEABLE AND UNSAFE SOLUTION, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS AS "TOUCHY" AS IT IS "FAULTY."*AK

NHTSA ODI #745773

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2001
Air BagsCrash

WHILE TRAVELING AT 62 MPH ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT HAD HAZARD LIGHTS ON. CONSUMER TRIED TO GO AROUND, THERE WAS SNOW ON GROUND/NOT ON ROAD, BUT ON SIDE OF ROAD, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A GUARDRAIL, AND TWO OTHER GUARDRAILS ON OTHER SIDE OF ROAD. NONE OF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK CONSUMER HIT GUARDRAIL HEAD ON.*JB

NHTSA ODI #884728

Mileage unknown · Mar 30, 2001
Engine And Engine CoolingUnknown Or Other

WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY VEHICLE SHUT OFF. OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK

NHTSA ODI #884719

Mileage unknown · Mar 20, 2001
EquipmentVisibility

CONSUMER HAD BEEN HAVING SOME PROBLEM WITH AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER FAN. THEY HAD STOPPED WORKING. *AK

NHTSA ODI #883553

Mileage unknown · Feb 28, 2001
Fuel System, Gasoline

WHEN FILLING UP GAS TANK GASOLINE NOZZLE WILL SHUT OFF ALMOST AS THERE IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE. *AK GAS CAP WAS CHANGED A SECOND TIME IN MAY AND RECALL WAS COMPLETE AND PROLEM HAS NOT CAME BACK. *SLC

NHTSA ODI #881663

Mileage unknown · Feb 23, 2001
Air BagsCrash

WHILE TRAVELING AND MAKING A SUDDEN STOP CONUSMER'S VEHICLE RUNNING INTO TAIL END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ODI #881215

Official recalls

1

00V314001 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage:tank Assembly

Oct 2, 2000

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ACCENT GT MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DOHC ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 19, 1996 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997; 1998 ACCENT MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 6, 1997 THROUGH JUNE 25, 1998; 1997 SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 1996 THROUGH JULY 9, 1997 AND 1998 SONATA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JULY 9, 1997 THROUGH APRIL 24, 1998. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER COULD NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF IT IS CRACKED, A NEW FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP THAT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED. NOTE: THE 1997-1998 SONATA FUEL TANKS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED CRACKING. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE FOR THE CRACKING HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN AFTER HYUNDAI HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURE.

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

1

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