IllustrationTRANSMISSION STARTED FAILING WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE, EVER TIME IT WENT OVER 10 MPH IT LUGGED BACK AND THEN WENT FORWARD. BOUGHT THE CAR USED WITH 42K MILES AND THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO KEEL THE CAR TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION OR CHANGE A PART.
2004 Hyundai Accent
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2004 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
90–25K
725–50K
250–75K
575–100K
0100–150K
0150K+
23 reports with mileage · 10 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 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
11 crash reports2 fire reports10 injury reports
What owners actually said
33 reports1) DRIVING ON A HILLY, TWISTY ROAD. WHILE APPROACHING A DOWNHILL TURN IN THE ROAD, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE TACH DROPPED TO "0" AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. SINCE THE ENGINE WAS NO LONGER RUNNING, I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES SUDDENLY. I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WENT OFF THE ROAD, CRASHING INTO A GUARDRAIL. …
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1) DRIVING ON A HILLY, TWISTY ROAD. WHILE APPROACHING A DOWNHILL TURN IN THE ROAD, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, THE TACH DROPPED TO "0" AND THE CAR SHUT OFF. SINCE THE ENGINE WAS NO LONGER RUNNING, I LOST MY POWER STEERING AND POWER BRAKES SUDDENLY. I LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND WENT OFF THE ROAD, CRASHING INTO A GUARDRAIL. 2) DAMAGED PARTS: FRONT BUMPER, HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, CORNER LIGHT ASSEMBLY, RF FENDER, HOOD, UPPER RADIATOR CORE SUPPORT. POSSIBLY INNER FENDER ALSO? AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF, AND I WAS NOT INJURED. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT OUT AFTER ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE THE CAR NORMALLY EVER SINCE. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI AND AM WAITING FOR RESOLUTION AND REPAIRS. 3) NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE YET.
THE COMBINATION OF SMALL TIRES AND SOFT SUSPENSION CAUSES A SEVER BODY ROLL PROBLEM WITH MY 2004 HYUNDAI ACCENT. IT GOT WORSE AS MY TIRES STARTED TO SHOW SOME WEAR.
2004 HYUNDAI ACCENT EXPERIENCED TWO SEPARATE INCIDENTS OF BRAKE FAILURE, ONE RESULTING IN VEHICLE VEERING INTO A CREEK.*MR *NM
VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS. WHEN TAKEN TO GET SERVICED THE FIRST TIME CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO GAS FLOODING. THIS HAPPENED A SECOND TIME. WHEN TAKEN TO GET SERVICED AGAIN SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS DUE TO AIR ENTERING THE CLUTCH. CURRENTLY, IT HAPPENED A THIRD TIME.*AK
2003 ACCENT WENT OVER RAILROAD TRACKS HIT A BUMP AND AIRBAGS DEPLOYED,WENT TO DEALER HE SAID THE SENSOR ON BOTTOM OF CAR GOT SCRAPED THAT IS WHY THEY DEPLOYED,FACE,ARM AND CHEST BRUISES.*AK
THE CONSUMER REQUESTED AN AIR BAG ON/OFF SWITCH BE INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. *NM THE CONSUMER HAD TO MOVE THE SEAT UP AS FAR AS IT COULD GO TO GET A BETTER VIEW OF THE ROAD. *TC
I WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. I T-BONED A CAR THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME GOING APPX. 35 MPH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK
HYUNDAI ACCENT 2004. BOUGHT THE CAR LATE FEB 2004. CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT FROM DAY ONE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DROVE IT AND ADMITS IT PULLS TO THE LEFT AND SAID IT IS JUST THE WAY THE ROAD GOES. PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND TOOK TO THE DEALER OCT. 2004. THEY KEPT THE CAR A DAY AND A HALF AND TRIED SEVERAL SOLUTIONS INCLUDING DIF…
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HYUNDAI ACCENT 2004. BOUGHT THE CAR LATE FEB 2004. CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT FROM DAY ONE. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DROVE IT AND ADMITS IT PULLS TO THE LEFT AND SAID IT IS JUST THE WAY THE ROAD GOES. PROBLEM GOT WORSE AND TOOK TO THE DEALER OCT. 2004. THEY KEPT THE CAR A DAY AND A HALF AND TRIED SEVERAL SOLUTIONS INCLUDING DIFFERENT TIRES ETC. STILL PULLS TO THE LEFT. THEY TOOK ME IN A NEW ACCENT AND SHOWED ME IT DOES THE SAME AND IT IS HOW THEY ARE MADE. WITH THE TORQUE STEERING AND A SMALL CAR IT DOES THAT AND IT IS BEYOND REPAIR. *NM
DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AFTER BEING STRUCK. MANUFACTURER AGREED TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE.*AK *TC
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.