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2016 Hyundai Accent

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2016 Hyundai Accent do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 64.5.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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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

51 reports with mileage · 49 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 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 26 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

7 crash reports3 fire reports6 injury reports

Unknown Or Other complaints

15 reports
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Mileage unknown · Apr 12, 2026
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or Other

The engine failed and requires a full engine replacement. The vehicle is currently at ALM Hyundai West, 1990 Thornton Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122, and is available for inspection upon request. Hyundai Motor America has already approved the engine replacement under a goodwill authorization, implicitly confirming the failure is m…

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The engine failed and requires a full engine replacement. The vehicle is currently at ALM Hyundai West, 1990 Thornton Rd, Lithia Springs, GA 30122, and is available for inspection upon request. Hyundai Motor America has already approved the engine replacement under a goodwill authorization, implicitly confirming the failure is manufacturer-related. The engine failure left the vehicle undrivable, forcing me to operate rental vehicles and arrange multiple tows across three dealerships over nearly two years. An engine failure at under 100,000 miles on a well-maintained vehicle poses a direct safety risk a sudden engine failure while driving at highway or city speeds could result in loss of vehicle control, creating a serious risk of collision for the driver and other road users.Yes. The engine failure has been confirmed by three separate authorized Hyundai dealerships: Ed Voyles Hyundai (Marietta, GA), AutoNation Hyundai (Columbus, GA), and ALM Hyundai West (Lithia Springs, GA). Hyundai Motor America's own goodwill approval of a full engine replacement on July 18, 2025 further confirms the failure.Yes. The vehicle has been inspected by three authorized Hyundai dealerships acting on behalf of the manufacturer. Hyundai Motor America's corporate team reviewed and approved the engine replacement as a goodwill repair. All inspection and repair documentation is on file and available upon request.

NHTSA ODI #11730695

Mileage unknown · Dec 15, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or OtherFire

I was driving up a hill on interstate 8 in California and all of a sudden i heard a bang under the hood and see sparks and flames and my hyundai was on fire right there on the freeway. No clue why.

NHTSA ODI #11705165

Mileage unknown · Feb 1, 2025
Electrical SystemEngineUnknown Or OtherFire

The report does not specify the exact component that failed, but the fire originated under the hood of the 2016 Hyundai Accent. The vehicle and related documentation, including the fire department report, insurance claim, and incident photos, are available for review​. The fire under the hood posed a serious safety risk as it o…

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The report does not specify the exact component that failed, but the fire originated under the hood of the 2016 Hyundai Accent. The vehicle and related documentation, including the fire department report, insurance claim, and incident photos, are available for review​. The fire under the hood posed a serious safety risk as it occurred while the vehicle was in motion on a busy highway. Fortunately, the driver evacuated safely, but the incident could have resulted in injury or more severe consequences​ of both driver and other drivers traveling. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Due to the extent of the damage caused by the fire, it is unlikely that the issue can be reproduced or thoroughly examined. The vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic since the incident. The incident was inspected by Chesterfield Fire & EMS (Report No. [XXX]), Chesterfield Police Department arrived on the scene, and an insurance claim is in process. About a week prior to the fire, oil indicator light would flash on and off periodically, unusual noise began, and the engine light came on. At the earliest convenience, the car was taken to a shop for inspection and consultation - with no life threatening concerns or mechanical damages reported. The day of and right before the fire, there was a loud noise and immediate smoke. The exact timing of the believed ignition of the fire started around [XXX] with the fire in full flames by [XXX] on [XXX]​.

NHTSA ODI #11640127

Mileage unknown · Sep 24, 2023
Electrical SystemStructureUnknown Or OtherFire

The car caught on fire while driving on the freeway for no reason, an explosion occurred.

NHTSA ODI #11546277

Mileage unknown · Aug 9, 2022
Air BagsSeatsUnknown Or Other

The air bag warning light comes on frequently while I am driving and the passenger side air bag does not always turn off when there is not a passenger sitting in the passenger seat like it should. It is to the point where I am afraid to drive my car after spending a ridiculous amount of money on our family car. Please help us. T…

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The air bag warning light comes on frequently while I am driving and the passenger side air bag does not always turn off when there is not a passenger sitting in the passenger seat like it should. It is to the point where I am afraid to drive my car after spending a ridiculous amount of money on our family car. Please help us. Thank you in advance.

NHTSA ODI #11478342

Mileage unknown · Jul 30, 2021
Unknown Or OtherInjury

Third brake light was smoking inside car. Pulled over and opened trunk to discover a melted bulb, socket and housing to the whole assembly. Contacted Hyundai USA and have not received a reply. Could have become a dangerous situation.

NHTSA ODI #11427173

Mileage unknown · Jul 28, 2021
Electrical SystemUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

Electrical issues horn doesnt work nor does the speedometer ..

NHTSA ODI #11426892

Mileage unknown · Jul 26, 2021
Electrical SystemUnknown Or Other

When driving the car, the ABS light, emergency brake light, and traction control light will come on. When these come on the speedometer ALWAYS quits working. Sometimes turning off the car will solve the problem but other times it won't do anything. Dealership has not been able to fix it. Other people have had the same problem wi…

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When driving the car, the ABS light, emergency brake light, and traction control light will come on. When these come on the speedometer ALWAYS quits working. Sometimes turning off the car will solve the problem but other times it won't do anything. Dealership has not been able to fix it. Other people have had the same problem with the Hyundai Accent. There are forums about it if you just look them up. Definitely a problem that needs to get fixed that seems to not be able to get fixed.

NHTSA ODI #11426552

51,993 miles · Apr 1, 2020
Service BrakesUnknown Or OtherVehicle Speed Control

MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK, UPON START UP, I GET 3 LIGHTS THAT COME ON AND MOST OF THE TIME DO NOT GO OFF, THE 3 LIGHTS ARE: BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL. WHEN THEN CAR IS IN MOTION, THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T MOVE AND MY GAS GAUGE WILL CHANGE NUMBERS WHILE IN MOTION. IN MOTION, I FEEL LIKE THE BRAKES ARE TOUCHY BUT I DO…

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MOST DAYS OF THE WEEK, UPON START UP, I GET 3 LIGHTS THAT COME ON AND MOST OF THE TIME DO NOT GO OFF, THE 3 LIGHTS ARE: BRAKE LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND TRACTION CONTROL. WHEN THEN CAR IS IN MOTION, THE SPEEDOMETER DOESN'T MOVE AND MY GAS GAUGE WILL CHANGE NUMBERS WHILE IN MOTION. IN MOTION, I FEEL LIKE THE BRAKES ARE TOUCHY BUT I DON'T FEEL THE BRAKES GRIPPING LIKE THE LIGHTS SHOWN AND DON'T FEEL ANY DIFFERENCE IN SPEED OR GEAR SWITCHING.

NHTSA ODI #11319909

Mileage unknown · Jan 2, 2019
Air BagsUnknown Or Other

AIRBAG LIGHT IS ALWAYS ON AND PASSENGER CAN GET IN AND NOT BUCKLE AND LIGHT AND SOUND NEVER APPEAR WHEN CAR IS PARKED OR IN MOTION (ON HIGHWAY OR CITY STREETS), AND NOW THE DOORS WON'T LOCK OR UNLOCK WITH THE KEY FOB OR MANUALLY.

NHTSA ODI #11164494

Official recalls

0

No 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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.