The 1998 Hyundai Accent has 1 safety recall and 47 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is engine and engine cooling (15 complaints).
Recalls1safety recalls
Complaints47filed by owners
Crashes · fires6 · 0reported in complaints
Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints
Safety recalls
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
NHTSA recall 00V314001 · Oct 2, 2000 · 66,086 vehicles
Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ACCENT GT MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DOHC ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 19, 1996 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997; 1998 ACCENT MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 6, 1997 THROUGH JUNE 25, 1998; 1997 SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 1996 THROUGH JULY 9, 1997 AND 1998 SONATA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JULY 9, 1997 THROUGH APRIL 24, 1998. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER COULD NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.
Risk: FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.
Fix: DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF IT IS CRACKED, A NEW FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP THAT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED. NOTE: THE 1997-1998 SONATA FUEL TANKS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED CRACKING. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE FOR THE CRACKING HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN AFTER HYUNDAI HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURE.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
1998 Hyundai Accent 4-DR.
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Accent
28mpg combined
City / highway
25 / 33 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.5 L · 4 cyl · Manual 5-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,400/year to fuel
Accent
26mpg combined
City / highway
23 / 32 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.5 L · 4 cyl · Automatic 4-spd · Front-Wheel Drive · about $2,600/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Engine and engine cooling Engine › Gasoline; Engine
15
0
0
0
70,000 mi
Fuel system, gasoline Storage › Tank assembly; Storage › Tank assembly › Filler pipe and cap
Steering Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections; Linkages › Tie rod assembly
3
1
0
0
—
Service brakes, hydraulic Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
2
0
0
0
—
Fuel system, other Storage › Fuel gauge system
2
0
0
0
—
Seat belts Front › Anchorage; Rear/other
2
0
0
0
—
Wheels
1
0
0
0
—
Vehicle speed control
1
0
0
0
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
Mar 14, 2014 · 178,543 milesFuel system, gasoline ON YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY CAR(FUEL TANK)IF MY MECHANIC FIX IT WILL THE MANUFACTURE REIMBURSE ME. IT IS A EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT LEAKS OUT NOW. *TR
Apr 1, 2006 · 100,000 milesFuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE IN HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE GASOLINE FUEL SYSTEM STORAGE TANK ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS ON RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS HAD THE RECALL ALREADY REPAIRED; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS BEFORE, THEN IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED WITH A DEFECTED PART. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS BELOW 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
Jul 11, 2004 · 50,000 milesElectrical system WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (50-75 MPH) THE OVERDRIVE WOULD DISSENGAGE. IN TURRN THE RPM WOULD RAMP UP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY. SOMTIMES PULLING OFF AND TURNING CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN TEMPORARILY FIXED PROBLEM. FINALLY, WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. HE FOUND THAT THE WIRING UNER THE STICK (AUTOMATIC) WERE BARE AND TOUCHING. HE FIXED THE WIRING AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. I HAVE NOTED MANY OTHER ENTRIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB
Dec 1, 2003Power train › Automatic transmission DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 50 MY RPM IS AROUND 4000 A FEW MONTHS LATER DECEMBER 2003 TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NOW JANUARY 2005 RPM IS ACTING UP AGAIN, I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AT THE GARAGE WHERE MY TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN AND THEY SEE NO PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL, THEY THINK MAYBE IT IS ELECTRICAL???? DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS....I HATE CARS!!!! *JB
Oct 12, 2003 · 55,000 milesSeat belts › Rear/other THE REAR SEAT BELTS DON'T EXTRACT. DRIVERS SIDE HAS BEEN REPLACE THREE TIMES, JUST REPLACED AND WITHIN A WEEK WAS DOING IT AGAIN. *NM
Sep 5, 2004 · 79,000 milesFuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly A CRACK WAS PRODUCED IN THE FUEL TANK. AS A RESULT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FUEL FUMES SEEPED THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT.*AK *TC
Aug 17, 2004 · 62,000 milesFuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly A RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED, AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE FUEL FILTER CAP REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER CAP SINCE THERE WAS NO CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MANUFACTURE REFUSED TO COOPERATE. *AK
Apr 3, 2004 · 73,000 milesEngine and engine cooling I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND EACH TIME I WOULD STATE HOW THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR JERKS AND THEN IT RESUMES NORMALLY AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME ISSUE AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS ALL SAY THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IT HAD NEVER BEEN REPORTED BEFORE. NHTSA NEEDS TO GET ON THE CASE AND NOTIFY WHOMEVER NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED. *NM
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
RQ00017 · opened Sep 16, 2000 · closed Oct 20, 2000 · led to recall 00V095002FUEL TANK CRACKING There is no summary currently available