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What 152 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Hyundai Accent

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (152)Crash / fire / injury (21)Engine (36)Brakes (33)Electrical system (24)Speed control (18)Airbags (17)Fuel system (12)Body & structure (9)Steering (9)Tires (9)Suspension (7)

11 of 152 complaints match · Airbags · crash/fire/injury only · clear filters

Aug 27, 2020AirbagsCrash3 injuries

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 INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11351696

Apr 10, 2019AirbagsCrash

CAR INVOLVED IN A HIGH SPEED (65MPH) ON THE INTERSTATE. HIT BY 18 WHEELER AND A GUARD RAIL HEADON. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.

NHTSA ODI 11195443

May 27, 2016AirbagsCrash1 injury1 death

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 ODI 10871283

Feb 22, 2016AirbagsSeat beltsBody & structureCrash1 injury

TAKATA RECALL. MY WIFE WAS SIDESWIPED BY A HIT AND RUN DRIVER AND RAN OFF THE ROAD ONTO A ROUGH VACANT FIELD. AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY AND SHE HIT HER HEAD ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND SUFFERED A SKULL FRACTURE. TWO WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHE STARTED HAVING MEMORY PROBLEMS AND HAS SUFFERED 5 STROKES AND A CT SCAN SHOWS BRAIN DAMAGE. THIS HAS GONE ON SINCE APRIL OF 2012 AND THE CAR WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS OLD WITH APPROXIMATELY 8,000 MILES ON THE CAR. IT DID ABOUT $ 8000.00 DOLLARS IN DAMAGE WHICH WAS NEVER REPAIRED RIGHT UNTIL ALFA INSURANCE COMPANY IN ALABAMA SENT US TO THE BEST BODY MAN AROUND AND HE REPLACED THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE OUTER PANELS AND ALL OF THE UNDERSIDE SUPPORTS AND MATCHED THE PAINT PERFECT. I EXPECT MY WIFE TO EITHER BE IN A NURSING HOME OR MORE STROKES MAY KILL HER. I DON'T HAVE THE ACCIDENT REPORT SINCE IT'S BEEN ALMOST 4 YEARS SINCE THE ACCIDENT. THE HYUNDAI ACCENT IS A DEATH TRAP IN MY OPINION AND SHOULD NOT BE ON OUR UNITED STATES ROADS AT ALL. THAT CAR WILL KILL YOU IN THE SLIGHTEST ACCIDENT AND MY WIFE IS TURNING INTO A VEGETABLE BEFORE MY EYES.THANK YOU, [XXX] . SHE DID HAVE A WITNESS THAT WAS INSTALLING CABLE TV LINES ON A POWER POLE SHE ALMOST HIT. WE DID FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST AND THE ATTORNEY SETTLED FOR ABOUT $10,000.00 AND HE SOLD US OUT. SHE CAN'T HAVE NURSING CARE FOR THAT AMOUNT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *TR

NHTSA ODI 10837597

Feb 5, 2016AirbagsCrash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE STOPPED, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE WAS REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A MECHANIC TO ASSESS THE DAMAGES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,281.

NHTSA ODI 10824484

Sep 10, 2015AirbagsCrash1 injury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE DUE TO ANOTHER CRASH. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WAS A POLICE REPORT FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO THE ABDOMINAL AND NORMAL SORENESS THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR BODY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

NHTSA ODI 10762896

Aug 7, 2015AirbagsBrakesCrash1 injury

I WAS TRAVELLING EAST BOUND ON MEMPHIS AVENUE AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH APPROACHING TIEDEMAN ROAD IN BROOKLYN, OHIO. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE BRAKES WHICH GAVE A RUBBING AND GRINDING NOISE AND CAUSED MY 2012 HYUNDAI ACCENT TO REAR END ANOTHER VEHICLE RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS TO MY VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND I WAS TREATED FOR CONTUSIONS TO MY RIBS, ARMS, STOMACH, SHOULDER AND FACE AS WELL AS A SPRAIN TO MY WRIST. MY VEHICLE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND WAS A TOTAL LOSS, SO WHY DIDN'T THE AIR BAGS DEPLOY!!

NHTSA ODI 10747070

Jun 17, 2015AirbagsCrash1 injury

I SLID OF THE ROAD DURING A RAIN STORM AND CRASHED INTO A CONCRETE LIGHT POLE.THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND I SUSTAINED SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES.A BROKEN RIGHT ANKLE,SEVERE WHIPLASH WHICH CAUSED HERNIATED DISCS IN MY NECK AND BACK INJURIES.I HAD MY SEAT BELT ON.THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY EVEN THOUGH MY VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED.. .. .UPDATED 07/21/15 *BF UPDATED 9/22/2015 *JS

NHTSA ODI 10725704

Aug 1, 2013AirbagsCrash

I WAS IN A HEAD ON COLLISION WITH A VEHICLE WHERE I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THERE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE INCIDENT WHICH CAUSED ME TO BANG MY HEAD AGAINST THE SUN VISOR/ ROOF OF THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10533023

May 6, 2013AirbagsCrash1 injury

I HIT AN ELK AT ABOUT 60 MILES PER HOUR. FRONT END OF CAR TOTALED. BUMPER, HEADLIGHTS AND FOG LIGHTS RIPPED OFF. HOOD CRUMBLED UPWARDS. PIECES UNDER THE HOOD DISLOCATED. WINDSHIELD SCATTERED AND PARTIALLY DISCONNECTED. HOWEVER DRIVER'S AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOYED. I WALKED AWAY WITH MINOR INJURIES, BODY SORENESS. BUT CONCERNED THAT THE CAR MIGHT NOT PERFORMED AS IT SHOULD IN THIS SITUATION ONE MORE DETAIL. I WAS TRAVELING ALONE, NO PASSENGER. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10510881

Apr 20, 2013AirbagsCrash1 injury

AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THIS IS THE SECOND CAR AND THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

NHTSA ODI 10512143

Working with the data? Download all 152 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 15, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Hyundai Accent verdict →