IllustrationTHE DRIVER SEAT BELT WILL UNBUCKLE ON ITS OWN WHILE DRIVING. THE LIGHT WILL GO ON TO CHECK THE ELECTRICAL WIRING, THE SPEAKER ON THE PASSENGER SIDE GOES IN AND OUT.
2013 Hyundai Accent
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Accent years
Owner complaints for the 2013 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
260–25K
1125–50K
1350–75K
975–100K
9100–150K
2150K+
70 reports with mileage · 71 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 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 24 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 18 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
16 crash reports9 fire reports12 injury reports
What owners actually said
141 reportsON FEBRUARY 24, 2020 I WAS TRAVELING ON I-495 SOUTH DURING PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 8AM WHEN MY 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITH NO WARNING. I MANAGED TO NEGOTIATE THROUGH TWO LANES OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE WHERE THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD. I WAITED A HALF HOUR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY TO BE TOW…
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ON FEBRUARY 24, 2020 I WAS TRAVELING ON I-495 SOUTH DURING PEAK HOUR TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 8AM WHEN MY 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITH NO WARNING. I MANAGED TO NEGOTIATE THROUGH TWO LANES OF HIGHWAY TRAFFIC TO THE BREAK DOWN LANE WHERE THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD. I WAITED A HALF HOUR ON A BUSY HIGHWAY TO BE TOWED TO THE CLOSEST HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP. THEY CHECKED THE CAR AND FOUND METAL DEBRIS SCATTERED ALL OVER THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT. THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS IRREPARABLE AND I WOULD NEED A NEW ENGINE FOR $5000 WHICH I COULD NOT AFFORD.
CAR WOULD RANDOMLY SHUT OFF OR STALL WHILE BEING DRIVEN; CAR WOULD NOT START UP OR TURN OVER RIGHT AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURS. HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER BRINGING IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP; GETTING THE CAR BACK AND SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHILE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT IS UNKNOW…
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CAR WOULD RANDOMLY SHUT OFF OR STALL WHILE BEING DRIVEN; CAR WOULD NOT START UP OR TURN OVER RIGHT AFTER THE INCIDENT OCCURS. HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER BRINGING IT TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP; GETTING THE CAR BACK AND SAYING THAT THEY CAN'T REPLICATE THE PROBLEM WHILE IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT IS UNKNOWN.
THE CAR IS HAS A VERY LOW BODY. AS SUCH, IT GETS DAMAGED EVERY TIME THE CAR GOES OVER A BUMP. THE CAR HAS NOT YET HIT 100,000 MILES AND IT IS ALREADY FALLING APART. I REACHED OUT TO HYUNDAI AND ASKED THEM TO TAKE A LOOK BUT THEY DECLINED. *TR
SPARK KNOCK DUE TO TIMING ERROR IN ECU DEALERSHIP NEEDS TO SEND RECALL NOTICE TO DO FREE UPDATE
THERE IS A RATTLING/CRACKLING NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. HAS HAPPENED SINCE I HAD THE CAR, SOUNDS LIKE A WIRE BEING BLOWN AROUND WHEN ACCELERATING UNDER THE STEERING WHEEL AREA.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE DEALER AND MANU…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.
ALL THREE BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT. WE TRIED EVERY BASIC FIX BUT OUR PERSONAL MECHANIC SAYS POWER IS NOT GOING THROUGH THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE WILL NEED TO HAVE IT SPECIALLY REPAIRED BY A HYUNDAI PROFESSIONAL. WE RECIEVED A CITATION BECAUSE OUR BRAKE LIGHTS UNKNOWINGLY WENT OUT AND NONE OF THE OBVIOUS FIXES SUCH AS BULBS, FUSES, …
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ALL THREE BRAKE LIGHTS WENT OUT. WE TRIED EVERY BASIC FIX BUT OUR PERSONAL MECHANIC SAYS POWER IS NOT GOING THROUGH THE CONTROL MODULE AND WE WILL NEED TO HAVE IT SPECIALLY REPAIRED BY A HYUNDAI PROFESSIONAL. WE RECIEVED A CITATION BECAUSE OUR BRAKE LIGHTS UNKNOWINGLY WENT OUT AND NONE OF THE OBVIOUS FIXES SUCH AS BULBS, FUSES, OR BRAKES SWITCH REPLACEMENT AMMENDED THE ISSUE. WE ARE AT A LOSS AS TO HOW TO FIX THIS BUT SAW RECALLS ON OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS BUT NOT THIS ONE. WE ARE THINKING THIS IS A SIMILAR PROBLEM. THIS HAS LITERALLY RUINED OUR LIVES. WE 100% DEPEND ON THIS VEHICLE AND NOW WE HAVE NOTHING.
ON 5/15/2013 MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A 1 VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 40 EAST IN AMARILLO TEXAS. SHE WAS DRIVING A 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT LEASED NEW IN FEBRUARY. THIS WAS A VIOLENT CRASH IN WHICH THE CAR ROLLED NUMEROUS TIMES. NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. NEITHER HYUNDAI NOR THE DEALER SEEMED WORRIED…
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ON 5/15/2013 MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A 1 VEHICLE ACCIDENT ON INTERSTATE 40 EAST IN AMARILLO TEXAS. SHE WAS DRIVING A 2013 HYUNDAI ACCENT LEASED NEW IN FEBRUARY. THIS WAS A VIOLENT CRASH IN WHICH THE CAR ROLLED NUMEROUS TIMES. NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED AND THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. NEITHER HYUNDAI NOR THE DEALER SEEMED WORRIED ABOUT THE SITUATION. I SPOKE WITH BOTH HYUNDAI AND AMARILLO HYUNDAI AND WAS BLOWN OFF. SAFETY APPARENTLY IS NOT THEIR PRIORITY, JUST THE SALE OF AN UNSAFE PRODUCT. *JS
KNOCK SENSOR MESSED UP AND IS CAUSING THE CRANK SENSOR TO MESS UP ALSO. MY CAR WILL DIE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD WHILE DRIVE AND IT'S VERY DANGEROUS. IT WILL TAKE ROUGHLY 15 MINUTES TO START SOMETIMES.
Official recalls
123V651000 · 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.
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.