Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government
holds on this vehicle.
Owners have filed 101 safety complaints
about the 2016 Hyundai Accent with the US government. Of those, 7 describe a crash, 3 mention a fire, 8 people were injured and no death is recorded. No recall campaign has been matched to this year, make and model.
The most complained-about system is the engine,
named in 33 complaints, 33% of the total.
The typical failure was reported at 50,000 miles,
the median across the 51
complaints that gave
an odometer reading.
Compiled from NHTSA's complaint, recall and investigation files
· Covers April 2016 to September 2026 · How this is counted
What is on file
101 complaints on file
101
Complaints
7
Describe a crash
3
Mention fire
8
People injured
0
Deaths
A complaint is an unverified account by the person who filed it, not a
finding of fault. One complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts
them.
No recall campaign was matched to this year, make and model. That is not
the same as a clean vehicle: recalls are issued against production
ranges, and the only reliable check is your own VIN.
Which system owners named
Complaints naming each system
ENGINE 33 · 33%
33 33%
AIR BAGS 29 · 29%
29 29%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 26 · 26%
26 26%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 16 · 16%
16 16%
STEERING 11 · 11%
11 11%
SERVICE BRAKES 7 · 7%
7 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 7 · 7%
7 7%
STRUCTURE 6 · 6%
6 6%
SEATS 5 · 5%
5 5%
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) 4 · 4%
4 4%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 4 · 4%
4 4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING 3 · 3%
3 3%
01531
One complaint can name several systems, so these add up to more than 101.
When the complaints arrived
By the year NHTSA received them
By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures
happened. They peaked in 2022 at 15.
This is the year the complaint was filed, not the year the failure
happened. The range runs from 2016 to 2026, the last of them a part year, which is why its column is drawn faint.
Crash test ratings
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program
NHTSA crashes a car into a barrier and a pole and measures what
happens to the dummies inside. This is what it awarded the 2016 Hyundai ACCENT, and it is a separate
question from what owners report going wrong later.
Test
4 DR FWD
Overall
Frontal crash
Frontal, driver
Frontal, passenger
Side crash
Side barrier
Side pole
Rollover
Chance of rollover
12.4%
Stability control standard Forward collision warning standard Lane departure warning standard
A dash means NHTSA did not rate that test for this vehicle.
In owners’ own words
Quoted from the complaint file
Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the
people who filed them, not findings of fault.
AIR BAGS
3 injured · crash · towed · 9,800 miles
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE COLLIDED WITH AN ELK. ALL THE AIR BAGS IN THE VEHICLE FAILED TO DEPLOY AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK AND HAD BROKEN GLASS IN HER HAIR. THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER SUSTAINED CUTS FROM THE BROKEN WINDSHIELD GLASS AND BACK PAIN. THE REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED HEAD AND BACK INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. ALL OCCUPANTS WERE WEARING SEAT BELT RESTRAINTS. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE …
NHTSA complaint 10980408, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed
I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WITH MY 11 YEAR OLD SON. A WOMAN RAN A RED LIGHT AND WE HIT THE CAR IN THE SIDE COMPLETELY MASHING OUR FRONT END. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED AT ALL NONE OF THEM.WE WERE CROSSING THE INTERSECTION ON A GREEN LIGHT!!
NHTSA complaint 11144304. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
STRUCTURE:BODY
1 injured · crash · towed
MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION YESTERDAY THAT BROKE BOTH HEADLIGHTS, BUCKLED HOOD, KNOCKED THE ENGINE IN TO THE TRANSMISSION, AND BUSTED THE FRONT FAN AND COOLANT. THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND NEITHER DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED WITH HIS LIP, NOSE AND FOREHEAD BUSTED BECAUSE THE SAFETY FEATURES DIDN'T WORK ON THIS VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint 11145123. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
1 injured · crash · towed
FRIDAY JUNE 5,2020 I FAINTED BEHIND THE WHEEL AND REAR ENDED ANOTHER DRIVER AND MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHICH RESULTED IN AN SLIGHT HEAD INJURY
NHTSA complaint 11327650. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Engine failure on a vehicle under 100,000 miles creates a risk of sudden loss of power while driving. A failing catalytic converter & coil packs can cause overheating and potential fire risk. These components were either pre-existing manufacturer defects or were damaged during the engine replacement process at Auto Nation Columbus (Columbus, GA), neither of which was disclosed to me as the owner.
NHTSA complaint 11768028. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
143,000 miles
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that she recently purchased the vehicle from a private seller. When the contact drove the vehicle for the first time, there were no issues or warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. However, when the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an inspection, it was discovered that the airbag module warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 143,000.
NHTSA complaint 11760117. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
AIR BAGS
crash · towed
I got into an accident and my airbags did not go off... my face hit the steering wheel and my hand is broken because the airbags didn't deploy
NHTSA complaint 11730627. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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 …
NHTSA complaint 11730695, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
fire
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 complaint 11705165. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
ENGINE
Engine is failing, oil leaking in the engine that messed up my catalytic converter and O2 sensors now it’s just sluggish , doesn’t accelerate properly, doesn’t idle nearly .
NHTSA complaint 11702589. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.
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. How
many repair attempts it takes, and how long you have to file, is set by
the state you bought in and by nothing on this page.
Complaints: NHTSA's ODI
complaint file, published October 2, 2026. One
complaint is one ODI number, which is how NHTSA counts them.
Recalls: NHTSA's recall
campaign API, no campaign on file for this vehicle.
Investigations: NHTSA's ODI
investigation file, published October 2, 2026.
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.
G
Compiled and maintained by guarledes Independent developer and analyst