IllustrationDAUGHTER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT, TOTALED THE FRONT END OF THE CAR AND THE AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. AM HIRING AN ATTORNEY. *TR
2008 Hyundai Accent
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 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
200–25K
2125–50K
1950–75K
1375–100K
8100–150K
1150K+
82 reports with mileage · 19 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 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility/wiper. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Exterior Lighting. Review the 10 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 reports1 fire reports7 injury reports
What owners actually said
101 reportsON NOVEMBER 14, 2014, AFTER COMING TO A STOP,THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, REQUIRING ME TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK OR NEUTRAL TO RESTART IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 19 TIMES SINCE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN WHILE I AM IN MOTION AND THAT IF IT DID IT MIGHT CAUSE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO MINE. I HAVE BROUGHT T…
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ON NOVEMBER 14, 2014, AFTER COMING TO A STOP,THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, REQUIRING ME TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK OR NEUTRAL TO RESTART IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 19 TIMES SINCE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN WHILE I AM IN MOTION AND THAT IF IT DID IT MIGHT CAUSE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO MINE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO OUR LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED USED IN JULY 2014 TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. THE ENGINE CAME TO A STOP WHILE IT WAS ON THEIR LIFT BEING CHECKED OUT. HOWEVER, THE COMPUTER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY CODE TO ENABLE THEM TO FIX IT. THEY SUGGESTED PUTTING 2 BOTTLES OF DRY GAS IN THE TANK BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALERTED THEM THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT SINCE THE COMPUTER FINDS NOTHING WRONG. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP ALSO CONSULTED HYUNDAI TECHNICAL SERVICE TEAM AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE THEM ANY SOLUTIONS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO HYUNDAI CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE ON APRIL 10, 2015. I ASKED ABOUT THE 100,000 MILE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE MILEAGE IS OVER 60,000 THERE IS NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO FOR ME. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO LOOK INTO THIS AND NOTIFY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CASE MANAGER ([XXX]) ASKED ME WHAT I WOULD LIKE OUT OF THIS SITUATION. I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO GET IT FIXED AS IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERN AS WELL AS A CONSTANT WORRY EVERY TIME I AM COMING TO A STOP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,987.
RED AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD IS ON. I HAD THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR PAD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WENT BAD. THEY SAID THE SEAT BASE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD BE $822.82 FOR PARTS + 1.5 HOURS LABOR FOR A TOTAL OF: $985.00. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT THE…
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RED AIRBAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD IS ON. I HAD THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR PAD IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WENT BAD. THEY SAID THE SEAT BASE WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED AND THAT IT WOULD BE $822.82 FOR PARTS + 1.5 HOURS LABOR FOR A TOTAL OF: $985.00. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT AIRBAG SENSOR WOULD GO BAD IN MY CAR BECAUSE I HARDLY EVER HAVE A PASSENGER.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLICKERED WHEN THE SEAT WAS BEING OCCUPIED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FLICKERED WHEN THE SEAT WAS BEING OCCUPIED. IN ADDITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AIR BAG SENSOR IN THE PASSENGER SEAT FAILED AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. NO REASON HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED. CONCERNED FOR ALL ACCENT DRIVERS, AS THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE IN MANY PLACES ONLINE AND IN THE REAL WORLD. *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON, PLUS PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT SAYS OFF SOMETIMES EVEN WHEN SOMEONE IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. TOOK IN TO DEALER WHO SAYS THE PASSENGER SIDE SENSOR (OCS ) NEEDS TO BE REPLACED CHARGING APPROX $1000 FOR THE PART. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON HYUNDAIS FAULTY OCS , YET ONLY THE SONATA HAS BEEN RECALLED. *TR
SRS, AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON, PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT LIGHTS UP OFF. *TR
PASSENGER SUN VISOR COME OUT. PUT IT BACK IN THROUGH THE HOLE BUT DID NOT STAY. FEW MONTHS LATER, DRIVER SIDE SUN VISOR CAME OUT AS WELL. *TR
LEFT SUN VISOR SNAPPED OFF AS I WAS LEAVING MY DRIVEWAY ON A SUNNY DAY. I DISCONNECTED THE WIRING AND VISOR SO AS TO IMPROVE VISIBILITY. I AM WAITING FOR A RECALL IN ORDER TO HAVE THE REPAIR/REPLACEMENT COMPLETED. *TR
Official recalls
113V113000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch
Apr 1, 2013
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
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.