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Hyundai · NHTSA safety record

2012 Hyundai Accent

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

153

Complaints

13

Crashes

8

Fires

13

Injuries

1

Deaths

Owners of the 2012 Hyundai Accent have filed 153 safety complaints with NHTSA between August 2011 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the engine, named in 36 of them (24%). The typical failure was reported at 60,500 miles, the median across the 90 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

NHTSA has issued 2 recalls covering this vehicle. A further 1 defect investigation is open and unresolved.

Recalls (2)

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

23V651000 · September 22, 2023

Park outside until repaired

The defect
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.
The risk
An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
The 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.

Hyundai Motor America · up to 1,649,478 vehicles across all model years covered

EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL

20V393000 · July 2, 2020

The defect
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.
The risk
An overheated accessory outlet increases the risk of fire.
The 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.

Hyundai Motor America · up to 272,126 vehicles across all model years covered

Defect investigations (1)

An investigation means NHTSA has decided a pattern is worth examining. A preliminary evaluation is often closed with no action; an engineering analysis is the stage that usually precedes a recall.

Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

AQ23002

Still open audit query · opened November 17, 2023

the hydraulic brakes

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.

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 153.

ENGINE 36 24%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 24 16%
SERVICE BRAKES 20 13%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 19 12%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 18 12%
AIR BAGS 17 11%
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 14 9%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 10 7%
STEERING 9 6%
STRUCTURE 9 6%
TIRES 9 6%
SUSPENSION 7 5%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2020 at 18.

2011 2020 2026
2011 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

1 death · 1 injured · crash · towed

MY SON IN LAW, DAUGHTER, SON, & GRANDSON WERE DRIVING IN THE RAIN & THE CAR HYDROPLANED CAUSING THE CAR TO GO OFF THE ROAD & HITTING A TREE KILLING MY SON IN LAW & SERIOUSLY INJURING MY SON. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE CAR WAS TOTALED & NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED.

NHTSA complaint 10871283. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

3 injured · crash · towed

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, WHEN A DEER RAN INTO HER LANE AND SHE RAN INTO IT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED SHE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES ON HER HIP THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT STATED HER SISTER WAS SITTING AT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE AND MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS REQUIRED THE FOLLOWING DAY BECAUSE SHE HAD A HEADACHE DUE TO WHIPLASH. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED SHE HAD A PASSENGER SEATED AT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE THAT ALSO REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER DEEMED THE VEHICLE WAS LOSS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN

NHTSA complaint 11351696, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

FIRERELATED

2 injured · fire · towed · 80,000 miles

The contact owned a 2012 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, there was a smoke odor present inside the vehicle. The contact decelerated the vehicle and stalled on the side of the road. The vehicle caught on fire in the engine. The contact and the front passenger sustained minor injuries to their knee while exiting the vehicle but did not seek medical attention. The fire was extinguished by the Fire Department. A fire report was filed. A police report was not filed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA complaint 11580676. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

1 injured · crash · towed · 80,000 miles

TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONED ON A SUNNY DAY IN NEIGHBORHOOD CAUSING MY CAR TO FISH TAIL AND FLIP OVER CAUSING LIFE THREATENING INJURIES.

NHTSA complaint 10924153. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
1. ABS warning 2.Nothing happened just got an OBD scan from autozone and the abs code came up 3.Not sure 4.No 5.Abs light is not lit on the dash

NHTSA complaint 11755627. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE
While traveling at highway speeds on [XXX] with three passengers, the vehicle suddenly suffered a catastrophic internal engine failure (severe rod knock), forcing an emergency deceleration in active traffic that put all occupants at risk of a rear-end collision. The sudden breakdown was immediately preceded by a flashing Check Engine Light and violent metallic knocking, despite the vehicle being regularly serviced and having a Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) software update completed just one month prior at Motor Mile Hyundai in Christiansburg. The catastrophic failure and the immediate need for a complete engine replacement have since been confirmed verbally by the Hyundai service

NHTSA complaint 11740739, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

92,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the clutch pedal traveled to the floorboard and the low oil warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the brakes failed to function properly. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed and determined that the slave cylinder had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was concerned that the failure was related to an engine failure recall, and that the dealer and manufacturer had failed to provide the proper repair during the repair, which caused the current clutch and braking system failures. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate

NHTSA complaint 11718560, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:INSTRUMENT PANEL:SPEEDOMETER/ODOMETER

87,840 miles

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2012 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 67,822, and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was 87,840.

NHTSA complaint 11697444. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES
UNKNOWN. I THINK THE ABS MODULE LIGHT APPEARED INSTANTLY ON THE DASHBOARD. IT'S THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES THAT AREN'T WORKING. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED MY HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP WHEN I SAW A BRAKE LIGHT COME UP ON MY DASHBOARD WHEN I WENT TO BRAKE BUT I HAD NONE AND THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND I ALMOST WENT OVER A CLIFF AND DIED OR BADLY HURT OTHERS OR MYSELF IN A CAR ACCIDENT. I'M WILLING TO TRY AND GET IT FIXED AT OTHER INDEPENDENT SERVICE CENTERS IN PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS. THE EVENT HAD HAPPENED A WEEK BEFORE BUT I DIDN'T REPORT THIS INCIDENT TO THE POLICE, INSURANCE REPRESENTATIVES/OTHERS OR ANY OTHER MANUFACTURER BECAUSE THERE WASN'T OFFICIALLY ANY AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENTS. FINALLY,

NHTSA complaint 11685552, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

117,000 miles

The contact owns a 2012 Hyundai Accent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was intermittently illuminated. The local dealer was contacted and stated that the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that parts were not yet available. The failure mileage was approximately 117,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint 11675635. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Hyundai Accent

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2022 16 2 —
2021 16 4 —
2020 12 4 —
2019 29 1 —
2018 19 1 —
2017 68 0 —
2016 99 0 —
2015 69 2 —
2014 79 1 —
2013 140 1 —
2011 38 1 —
2010 87 1 —

Other 2012 Hyundai models

Sonata 1,556 Elantra 651 Santa FE 352 Veloster 295 Genesis 259 Tucson 254 Sonata Hybrid 154 Azera 74

Every Hyundai on this site — 201 vehicles, 276 recall campaigns and 3 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst