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2012 Hyundai Accent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Accent years

Owner complaints for the 2012 Hyundai Accent are substantially higher than the model-year median of 64.5.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

90 reports with mileage · 63 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.

  • Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

13 crash reports8 fire reports10 injury reports

Electrical System complaints

24 reports
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30,000 miles · Nov 30, 2015
Electrical System

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RE…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT TOOK SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO START THE VEHICLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI #10807424

22,102 miles · Aug 19, 2014
Electrical SystemEngineFuel System, Gasoline

7/15/2012, WHILE PULLING OFF FROM A STOP OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE EXPERIENCE SAME PROBLEM. SHUTTING VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING CORRECTED INSTANT PROBLEM. NO FAULT CODES STORED. DEALERSHIP REMOVED, CLEANED AND RE-INSTALLED THROTTL…

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7/15/2012, WHILE PULLING OFF FROM A STOP OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER, VEHICLE EXPERIENCE SAME PROBLEM. SHUTTING VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING CORRECTED INSTANT PROBLEM. NO FAULT CODES STORED. DEALERSHIP REMOVED, CLEANED AND RE-INSTALLED THROTTLE BODY AND SUGGESTED USING ONLY EXXON, MOBILE OR SHELL GASOLINE. 7/17/2014, WHILE SITTING AT A STOP LIGHT, OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE STALLED. WOULD CRANK BUT NOT START. VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. NO FAULT CODES STORED. DEALERSHIP REPLACED HIGH PRESSURE FUEL PUMP. 7/31/2014, PICKED UP VEHICLE FROM DEALERSHIP FOLLOWING FUEL PUMP REPLACEMENT. DROVE VEHICLE 14 MILES, WHEN PULLING OFF FROM A STOP, OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE STALLED. RESTARTED VEHICLE AND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS, OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE STALLED. UPON RESTART VEHICLE WENT INTO "LIMP MODE". DEALERSHIP DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS BEING THE COMPUTER. 7/18/2014 DEALERSHIP CALLED AND ADVISED HYUNDAI TECH LINE DIRECTED REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION RANGE SWITCH NOT COMPUTER. 8/15/2014, WHILE PULLING OFF FROM A STOP OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE STALLED. RESTARTED VEHICLE AND TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. 8/16/2014, NO FAULT CODES STORED. DEALERSHIP ADVISED NOTHING WRONG WITH VEHICLE BUT WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE. 8/18/2014, ABOUT 10 MILES FROM DEALERSHIP, WHILE PULLING OFF FROM A STOP OIL AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND VEHICLE LOST POWER. 8/19/2014, DEALERSHIP ADVISED NO FAULT CODES WERE STORED AND HYUNDAI TECH LINE ADVISED TO REPLACE LOW PASTURE FUEL PUMP, FUEL INJECTORS AND FUEL RAIL. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10626461

21,189 miles · Jul 17, 2014
Electrical SystemEngine

AFTER PULLING OUT FROM A STOP VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WENT TO AN IDLE MODE, OIL LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THE T…

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AFTER PULLING OUT FROM A STOP VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND WENT TO AN IDLE MODE, OIL LIGHT AND BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED AND EVERYTHING WORKED FINE. VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM ABOUT 20 MINUTES LATER. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THE TECH EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM DURING TEST DRIVE. VEHICLE DID NOT STORE A DTC ERROR CODE TO DEALERSHIP CALLED TECH LINE WHO ADVISED TO REMOVE AND CLEAN THROTTLE BODY. VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR 1 1/2 DAYS FOLLOWING REPAIR. TODAY WHILE STOPPED AT AN INTERSECTION SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED, OIL LIGHT CAME ON, BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND VEHICLE WENT TO IDLE MODE. VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10611389

9,279 miles · Dec 3, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DURING THE DAY AND LOOKED DOWN AND MY HIGH BEAMS WERE ON. I WASN'T SURE WHY SINCE MY LIGHTS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. I TRIED PLAYING WITH THE LIGHTING SWITCH ON THE INSIDE OF MY CAR, AND IT FINALLY TURNED OFF AFTER FLASHING THE HIGH BEAMS ON AND OFF WITH THE SWITCH A FEW TIMES. I TOOK A PICTURE, AND …

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I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD DURING THE DAY AND LOOKED DOWN AND MY HIGH BEAMS WERE ON. I WASN'T SURE WHY SINCE MY LIGHTS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. I TRIED PLAYING WITH THE LIGHTING SWITCH ON THE INSIDE OF MY CAR, AND IT FINALLY TURNED OFF AFTER FLASHING THE HIGH BEAMS ON AND OFF WITH THE SWITCH A FEW TIMES. I TOOK A PICTURE, AND THEN STARTED DRIVING, ABOUT A MILE OR SO DOWN THE ROAD, THE HIGH BEAMS CAME BACK ON, SO I HEADED TOWARD THE DEALERSHIP, AND PEOPLE WERE MOVING OUT OF MY WAY ON THE TWO LANE HIGHWAY SINCE MY HIGH BEAMS WERE ON. THE SAID WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE, THEY COULDN'T BE SURE WHY IT HAPPENED. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, I TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WITH IT HAPPENING AND THEY PLAYED WITH THE SWITCH TO GET THEM TO SHUT OFF AND TOLD ME I HAD NO CLUE HOW TO WORK MY LIGHTS, THAT MY DAY TIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE ON, AND WHEN I INFORMED HIM MY CAR DIDN'T HAVE THEM, HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME. I KEPT GOING BACK AND EVEN HAD MY LAWYER GET INVOLVED SINCE THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THERE WERE EVEN TIMES WHEN I STARTED MY CAR WITH THE REMOTE START AND THE HIGH BEAMS CAME ON THEMSELVES, AND I DROVE ALL THE WAY HOME WITH NO OTHER EXTERIOR LIGHTS ON SINCE I HADN'T REALIZED THE LIGHTS WEREN'T ON, SINCE THE HEADLIGHTS HAD BEEN ON. FINALLY WENT TO A SHOP THAT THEY WORK HAND IN HAND WITH TO INSTALL REMOTE STARTERS AND REMOTE DOOR UNLOCKS, AND THEY HAD TO CALL THE DEALERSHIP TO TELL THEM THAT THE LIGHTING SWITCH WAS BAD. BEFORE THEY WERE CALLED, THEY TOLD MY LAWYER I PAID BOTTOM DOLLAR FOR MY CAR AND I MIGHT AS WELL SUBMIT A LEMON LAW REQUEST, BUT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO FIX IT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10554574

Official recalls

2

23V651000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

Sep 22, 2023

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.

20V393000 · Equipment:electrical

Jul 2, 2020

Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2012 Hyundai Elantra and Sonata Hybrid, 2012 Accent and Veloster vehicles. The 12V accessory socket outlet may have been over-tightened during installation, possibly disabling the thermal fuse and allowing the outlet to overheat with prolonged use, such as by using the Tire Mobility Kit air compressor to inflate a tire.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.

Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Tire Mobility Kit accessory outlet plug with a direct-to-battery connection wire harness kit, free of charge. The recall began September 28, 2020. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 193.

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

AQ23002 · Hyundai And Kia Abs Module Fires

Opened Nov 17, 2023 · No close date supplied

Status: open (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:antilock/traction Control/electronic Limited Slip:control Unit/module

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando. The Part 573 Recall Reports contain varying defect descriptions and differing remedy descriptions for the same or similar equipment supplied by Mando. Safety recalls included in this Audit Query (AQ) review include: Hyundai recalls 20V-520, 20V-543, 21V-161, 21V-160, 21V-303, 22V-056, 22V-810, and 23V-651. Kia recalls 16V-815, 20V-518, 20V-519, 21V-137, 21V-331, 22V-051, 22V-800, and 23V-652 The purpose of this AQ is to evaluate the timeliness and scoping of Hyundai and Kia’s defect decision making and adherence with reporting requirements; and understand the varying defect descriptions and remedies between these recalls.