IllustrationI START THE CAR AND THE AIR BAG SENSOR COMES ON AND STAYS ON, THEN THE PASSENGERS SEAT BELT COMES ON WHIEN I HAVE A PASSENGER SEATED THERE. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFTEY ISSUE AND HYUNDAII SHOULD FIX IT!!!! I CONTACTED HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SUPPORT, THEY STATED ITS MY PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP.
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.
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
230–25K
1325–50K
1650–75K
1775–100K
18100–150K
3150K+
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
Seat Belts complaints
2 reportsTAKATA RECALL. MY WIFE WAS SIDESWIPED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER AND RAN OFF THE ROAD ONTO A ROUGH VACANT FIELD. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUFFERED A SKULL FRACTURE. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHE STARTED HAVING MEMORY PROBLEMS AND HAS SUFFERED 5 STROKES AND A CT SCAN SHOWS BRAIN DAMAG…
Read full complaint
TAKATA RECALL. MY WIFE WAS SIDESWIPED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER AND RAN OFF THE ROAD ONTO A ROUGH VACANT FIELD. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUFFERED A SKULL FRACTURE. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHE STARTED HAVING MEMORY PROBLEMS AND HAS SUFFERED 5 STROKES AND A CT SCAN SHOWS BRAIN DAMAGE. THIS HAS GONE ON SINCE APRIL OF 2012 AND THE CAR WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IT DID ABOUT $ 8000.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE WHICH WAS NEVER REPAIRED RIGHT UNTIL ALFA INSURANCE COMPANY IN ALABAMA SENT US TO THE BEST BODY MAN AROUND AND HE REPLACED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE OUTER PANELS AND ALL OF THE UNDERSIDE SUPPORTS AND MATCHED THE PAINT PERFECT. I EXPECT MY WIFE TO EITHER BE IN A NURSING HOME OR MORE STROKES MAY KILL HER. I DON'T HAVE THE ACCIDENT REPORT SINCE IT'S BEEN ALMOST 4 YEARS SINCE THE ACCIDENT. THE HYUNDAI ACCENT IS A DEATH TRAP IN MY OPINION AND SHOULD NOT BE ON OUR UNITED STATES ROADS AT ALL. THAT CAR WILL KILL YOU IN THE SLIGHTEST ACCIDENT AND MY WIFE IS TURNING INTO A VEGETABLE BEFORE MY EYES.THANK YOU, [XXX] . SHE DID HAVE A WITNESS THAT WAS INSTALLING CABLE TV LINES ON A POWER POLE SHE ALMOST HIT. WE DID FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST AND THE ATTORNEY SETTLED FOR ABOUT $10,000.00 AND HE SOLD US OUT. SHE CAN'T HAVE NURSING CARE FOR THAT AMOUNT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TR
Official recalls
223V651000 · 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
1AQ23002 · 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.