IllustrationWHEN I START MY CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES OFF
2003 Hyundai Accent
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2003 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
70–25K
625–50K
450–75K
375–100K
0100–150K
1150K+
21 reports with mileage · 16 unknown
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.
- Air Bags. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports1 fire reports8 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
15 reportsTHE PASSENGER SEATBELT AIRBAG SENSOR WIRE WAS CAUGHT AND CUT IN NORMAL USE OF THE CAR, WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND SO WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO A 3RD PARTY MECHANIC TO FIX IT. WHEN HE ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PART THROUGH HYUNDAI, THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS ALT…
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THE PASSENGER SEATBELT AIRBAG SENSOR WIRE WAS CAUGHT AND CUT IN NORMAL USE OF THE CAR, WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND SO WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO A 3RD PARTY MECHANIC TO FIX IT. WHEN HE ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PART THROUGH HYUNDAI, THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS ALTERATIONS WHICH FIX THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE ISSUE. SO THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WON'T FIX IT. WHEN IT IS BROKEN THE CAR DOESN'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR AND SO THE AIRBAG WOULD NEVER GO OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,763.
FRONT CRASH ..NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND SIDE IMPACT CRASH ... NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED TWO SEPARATE CRASHES WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES TO VEHICLE BUT NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT . *TR
NON-DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS AFTER RUNNUNG INTO FREEWAY CONCRETE EMBANKMENT. *TR
I WAS TAKING MY KIDS OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAY, WE STOPPED AT A REST AREA IN INDIANA, LEFT REST STOP PROCEEDED TO PROPER SPEED HIT A DEER AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CAR IS A WRECK AND BEYOND REPAIR, SEEKING A LAWYER TO SEE WHAT POSSIBLE ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN. COULD'VE LOST MY KIDS BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. …
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I WAS TAKING MY KIDS OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAY, WE STOPPED AT A REST AREA IN INDIANA, LEFT REST STOP PROCEEDED TO PROPER SPEED HIT A DEER AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CAR IS A WRECK AND BEYOND REPAIR, SEEKING A LAWYER TO SEE WHAT POSSIBLE ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN. COULD'VE LOST MY KIDS BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. *JB
IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT APPROX. 35 MPH OUR AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN OUR 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT 2DR HATCHBACK. THE CAR WAS TOTALED, MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AFTERWARDS WITH SEVERE BRUISING AND SWELLING. WE STILL HAVE BACK PAINS AND STOMACH PAINS FROM THE IMPACT. THE INSURANCE CO. IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE FAULT…
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IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT APPROX. 35 MPH OUR AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN OUR 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT 2DR HATCHBACK. THE CAR WAS TOTALED, MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AFTERWARDS WITH SEVERE BRUISING AND SWELLING. WE STILL HAVE BACK PAINS AND STOMACH PAINS FROM THE IMPACT. THE INSURANCE CO. IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE FAULT, BUT DON'T SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI USA AND THEY'VE SENT ME A PACKAGE SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT AND INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A LARGE COMMERCIAL TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A VOLKWAGEN SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE D…
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DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A LARGE COMMERCIAL TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A VOLKWAGEN SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED.
I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO-LANE ROAD IN PHOENIX. A VEHICLE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON THE SAME ROAD WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE VEHICLE (A FORD EXPLORER) TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF ME AND CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THAT VEHICLE. MY CAR (HYUNDAI ACC…
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I WAS TRAVELING SOUTHBOUND IN THE RIGHT LANE OF A TWO-LANE ROAD IN PHOENIX. A VEHICLE TRAVELING NORTHBOUND ON THE SAME ROAD WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ONTO A SIDE STREET. THE VEHICLE (A FORD EXPLORER) TURNED LEFT IN FRONT OF ME AND CAUSED ME TO COLLIDE WITH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THAT VEHICLE. MY CAR (HYUNDAI ACCENT) WAS HIT ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS SERIOUSLY DAMAGED AND WINDSHIELD CRACKED. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE I HIT HAD MINIMAL DAMAGE, YET ITS AIRBAGS DID DEPLOY. I WENT TO THE ER WITH CHEST AND NECK PAINS. THE X-RAYS SHOWED SWELLING TO MY NECK AND A BRUISED UPPER CHEST. THE CAR WAS DECLARED TOTALED BY A CLAIMS ADJUSTER.
WHILE DRIVING THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THERE WAS NO MODULE INSTALLED. THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS NOT DETERMINED. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.