Open safety recalls, the components owners report failing most often, crash-test results and running costs for the 2003 Hyundai Accent, assembled from NHTSA and EPA records.
Everything on this page applies to the model as a whole. Run its VIN to decode that exact car, its engine, trim, assembly plant and factory equipment, alongside these records.
Open a VIN recordRecalls and complaints are filed against a specific model year, so figures differ from one year to the next even within a single generation. See every Hyundai Accent year.
No EPA fuel-economy match for this model. Naming may differ, or it predates EPA records.
NHTSA frontal crash test
Rated configuration: 2003 Hyundai Accent (Early Release) 4-DR.
The parts named most often across 37 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this make, model and year.
11 crashes · 13 injured
1 fire
Complaints are self-reported and skew toward problems people find alarming, so read this as where to look rather than as a defect rate.
WHEN I START MY CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES OFF
THE PASSENGER SEATBELT AIRBAG SENSOR WIRE WAS CAUGHT AND CUT IN NORMAL USE OF THE CAR, WHILE IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY. WHEN I BROUGHT IT IN, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, AND SO WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO A 3RD PARTY MECHANIC TO FIX IT. WHEN HE ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT PART THROUGH HYUNDAI, THE REPLACEMENT PART HAS ALTERATIONS WHICH FIX THE PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE ISSUE. SO THEY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT WON'T FIX IT. WHEN IT IS BROKEN THE CAR DOESN'T KNOW THAT THERE IS A PASSENGER IN THE CAR AND SO THE AIRBAG WOULD NEVER GO OFF.
I WAS GETTING ON INTERSTATE 95 & THE CAR JERKED BACK THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED SHIFT IN INTO GEARS & HAS NO REVERSE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM FRACTURED ALSO, DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ *CN
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 167,763.
MY CAR WAS DRIVEN UNDER 70,000 MILES WHEN MY TRANSMISSION STARTED GOING OUT. I WAS IN THE CAR WITH MY ONE YEAR OLD NIECE AT THE TIME LEAVING TO GO HOME. MY CAR STARTED VIOLENTLY THRUSTING FORWARD WITH ALL OF US IN THE CAR AND WAS JERKING VIOLENTLY. I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET IN AN ACCIDENT WITH THE CHILD IN THE CAR IN MARCH 2006. AS WE PULLED ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR DID THE SAME THING FOR THE FIRST 10 MILES AND WE WERE SURE WE WERE GOING TO DIE. BUT I PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND LET IT COOL DOWN. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT MY PARENTS WE SERVICED THE VEHICLE WHICH I THINK HAD TO BE TOWED AND I WAS GIVEN A REFURBISHED TRANSMISSION IN MARCH 2006. DURING THE FALL OF 2007 THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND THE GEARS WERE ACTING UP AS THEY WERE BEFORE AND THE CAR WAS VIOLENTLY THRUSTING FORWARD AND JERKING. I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WHILE GOING TO WORK WITH MY STUDENTS. I REPORTED IT TO HYUNDAI MOTOR OF AMERICA AND TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIRS IN SEPTEMBER 2007. THEY INSTALLED A REFURBISHED TRANSMISSION AND TOOK CARE OF ANOTHER POWERTRAIN ISSUE AND INSTALLED A NEW ALTERNATOR. HOWEVER IN THE FALL OF 2008 THE BATTERY AND ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AND I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO GET IT FIXED ALTHOUGH THE ALTERNATOR WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. AFTER I TOOK MY HYUNDAI TO THE DEALER TO GET AN OIL CHANGE IN THE FALL OF 2010 I NOTICED THAT IT WAS ACTING STRANGE. NEEDLESS TO SAY MY TRANSMISSION WAS ACTING UP AGAIN AND I ALMOST GOT INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH 3 OTHER CARS DUE TO IT'S VIOLENT THRUSTING AND STALLING IN NOVEMBER 2010, DECEMBER 2010, JANUARY 2011 AND FEBRUARY 2011. IN APRIL 2011 IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT YET AGAIN I HAD TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI SINCE MY TRANSMISSION FAILS EVERY 10,000 TO 70,000 MILES AND THE TRANSMISSION GOES OUT EVERY 1-4YEARS WITH MY CAR SO IT IS CONSISTENT. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT GL (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE FUELING THE VEHICLE, THE FUEL SHOT BACK OUT. SHE HAD TO CONSTANTLY STOP AND RESTART PUMPING GAS TO AVOID THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE BEGAN DECEMBER 2010 AND OCCURRED EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS FUELED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,937.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE FILLING THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL SPILLED OUT ONTO THE GROUND. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE IT TOOK 51 CLICKS TO FILL HIS TANK AND IT WAS NOT ECO-FRIENDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,250.
FRONT CRASH ..NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND SIDE IMPACT CRASH ... NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED TWO SEPARATE CRASHES WITH SIGNIFICANT DAMAGES TO VEHICLE BUT NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT . *TR
2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. RIGHT HEADLIGHT DOESN'T WORK. I REPLACED THE HEADLIGHT TWO OR THREE TIMES, HOWEVER IT STILL DOESN'T WORK. WIRING HARNESS IS IN A POSITION THAT THE WIRE IS TOO TIGHT AND CAN'T BE ADJUSTED OR REPAIRED. NOT SUFFICIENT SLACK IN WIRING HARNESS. *TR
NON-DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS AFTER RUNNUNG INTO FREEWAY CONCRETE EMBANKMENT. *TR
2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT, 85K MILES OIL PAN LEAKS, RUSTED THROUGH HOLE (DEALER CONFIRMED), LOST 3 QT OIL WITHIN 2500 MILES. PURCHASED NEW IN 2003. *TR
Showing 12 of 37 complaints.
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