Home · 2015 Hyundai Accent 5 · Complaints

What 66 owners told NHTSA about the 2015 Hyundai Accent 5

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 (66)Crash / fire / injury (15)Airbags (25)Engine (18)Brakes (10)Electrical system (9)Body & structure (5)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (5)Transmission & drivetrain (5)Fuel system (2)Seats (2)Steering (2)

Newest first · 66 complaints · page 2 of 3

Feb 17, 2022Airbags

ODS system mat is defective. We are seeing the same cold temperature malfunction of the ODS system that have been reported for other 2015 Hyundai Accent cars. We feel that the recall should expanded.

NHTSA ODI 11452633

Jul 27, 2021Engine

My check engine light came on and stayed on, while the oil light appeared when my car was in idle and the engine began to knock. My AAA approved mechanic determined that the engine had a rod knock and the oil pressure at idle was only 3 psi. In other words, the the engine had completely failed and would have to be replaced. At 36,000 miles !I had the car towed to the local dealership where they confirmed this diagnosis and noted excessive metal debris in the oil and oil pan. My research revealed that an identical engine manufacturing defect had resulted in a class action suit against Hyundai which was settled in 2018. Hyundai was forced to replace the engines with new ones and cover all the owners costs for 3.9 million complainants. They also suffered a huge fine by the NHTSA. Because of Covid lockdowns, I had driven my car very little in 2020, otherwise this catastrophic failure would have occurred well within the the 5 year warranty period. As it was, the warranty had expired approximately 4 months earlier. The dealership contacted Hyundai N.A. and I was offered a "goodwill offer" which allowed me to pay over $3200 for a reconditioned engine with a warranty of only 1 year or 12,000 miles. It is my contention that no reputable car manufacturer would consider an engine life of only 36,000 miles to be acceptable. There is no question that the engine failure was, in any way, my fault and I have the maintenance records to prove it. My "goodwill offer" expired and I towed my car home. Of course, I was fortunate that my engine did not fail on the freeway, at high speed, or burst into flames as some Hyundai engines have been known to do.

NHTSA ODI 11426706

Jun 28, 2021Engine

Engine blew

NHTSA ODI 11422607

Mar 27, 2021Airbags

YESTERDAY, ON MARCH 26, 2021 DURING ROAD TRIP AN AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON WITHOUT NO REASON AND IT STILL STAYS ON. ON MARCH 27, 2021 I CALLED MY DEALER TO GET HELP. I WAS TRYING TO ASK THEM TO WAIVE INSPECTION FEE BECAUSE IT IS SAFETY CONCERN, BUT THEY SAID "NO". MY CAR IS 6 YEARS OLD, 66,000 MILEAGE. I AM FIRST OWNER AND THIS CAR WAS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY CRASH. BECAUSE OF PRESENT COVID19 CRISIS I HAVE NOT ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY UPFRONT FOR SPECIAL INSPECTIONS. I HOPE THAT I WILL GET HELP IN YOUR DEPARTMENT.

NHTSA ODI 11405126

Feb 27, 2021Fuel system

I CHANGE MY OIL ON THE DATE THAT IT'S DUE IT MY MILES WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. I WAS OUT OF TOWN 2-20-21. THE CAR WAS DRIVING REALLY ROUGH.. RED LIGHT CAME IN THEN OFF. THE NEXT DAY, MY BOYFRIEND TOOK IT TO GET AND OIL CHANGE WHICH I STILL HAD 1,000 MILES UNTIL THE NEXT OIL CHANGE. THEY TOLD HIM IT WAS THE OIL PUMP. I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WOULD HAVE HAPPENED BC I FAITHFULLY CHANGE MY OIL. I HAVEN'T BEEN DRIVING IT BC THEY SAID IT WILL BLOW UP THE MOTOR. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO GET IT TOWED AND FIXED. IT'S GOING TO COST OVER $600.00. I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL PEOPLE THEY SAY IT'S TO NEW OF A CAR TO HAVE THE OIL PUMP MESS UP.

NHTSA ODI 11398162

Feb 25, 2021

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE, CAR DECELERATED AND WOULD NOT GO PAST 5 MPH. HAD TO GET IT TOWED. THROTTLE BODY REPLACED AND NOW NEEDS THE THE CATALYT CONVERTER REPLACED IN WHICH I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS. THERE IS AN ONGOING "TICKING/CLICKING" SOUND IN THE ENGINE, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS CURRENTLY ON. WHILE DRIVING AND COMING TO A RED LIGHT, THE CAR ENGINE REVVED AND THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING EVEN THOUGH MY FOOT WAS FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE. CAR MADE A JERKING MOVE SO I THREW THE GEAR INTO N AND THEN PARK TO STOP THE REVVING. CAR IS CURRENTLY PARKED

NHTSA ODI 11397985

Feb 23, 2021AirbagsSeats

PASSENGER SEAT INDICATOR LIGHT.

NHTSA ODI 11397517

Feb 1, 2021Airbags

THE AIRBAG LIGHT WILL NOT SHUT OFF, SHOP CANNOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON AND CAN COST UP TO $1000 TO REPLACE SINCE IT'S WIRED INTO THE SEAT. THIS 100% SHOULD BE RECALLED SINCE THERE ARE DOZENS OF OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SYSTEM ISSUE.

NHTSA ODI 11391039

Dec 2, 2020EngineFire

1 YEAR AFTER PURCHASING CAR, I HAD A CHECK ENGINE SENSOR SHOW UP. I TOOK IT IN AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED AN O2 SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I REPLACED IT AND THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE, SO I TOOK IT BACK AND THEY REPLACED IT AGAIN, AFTER WHICH IT APPEARED TO BE FINE. THEN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS LATER, IT BEGAN TO RUN POORLY AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY AND SEEMED TO NOT BE GETTING FUEL OR OXYGEN OR SOMETHING. I TOOK IT IN AGAIN AND ENDED UP HAVING A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PUT IT FOR OVER $500. IT RAN FINE FOR MAYBE A MONTH AFTER AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AGAIN, IT WAS RUNNING POORLY AGAIN, LOSING POWER ALMOST STALLING OUT WHEN PUSHING ACCELERATOR, IT SMELLED LIKE BURNT OIL. I HAD OIL CHECKED AND CHANGED 3 TIMES DURING THE TIME THIS ALL WAS HAPPENING TOO BECAUSE OF THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL. EACH TIME THE OIL CHANGE WAS DONE THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID IT APPEARED NOT O HAVE BEEN CHANGED BECAUSE IT WAS BLACK AND BURNT AND LOW, WHICH IS NOT POSSIBLE, DUE TO HOW FREQUENTLY I WAS HAVING IT CHECKED AND CHANGED NOT KNOWING WHAT ELSE TO DO!!! ULTIMATELY, ON MY WAY TO MY PARENTS HOUSE THE ENGINE BLEW AND SMOKE POURED OUT FROM UNDER IT AND IT WOULD NOT RUN AGAIN AND IT APPEARED TO BE BURNING. UPON INSPECTION THERE WAS A HOLE MELTED INTO THE ENGINE BLOCK!!!! I AM SO DISAPPOINTED IN THIS VEHICLES PERFORMANCE. I HAD THE VEHICLE FROM 2017 TO MARCH OF 2020, STILL OWE MONEY ON IT AND CANNOT DRIVE IT OR AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. THIS ENGINE FAILURE WAS NOT MY FAULT OR DUE TO MY FAILURE TO PROPERLY CAR FOR THE CAR. THIS IS A HYUNDAI ISSUE AND IT IS TIME SOMEONE BE MADE AWARE THAT THIS HAPPENED TO WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE LONG CONSUMER, BUT NEVER AGAIN!!!!

NHTSA ODI 11377522

Nov 12, 2020Airbags

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT CALLED HYUNDAI OF EL PASO (8600 MONTANA AVE, EL PASO, TX 79925) WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT LINKED THE FAILURE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V218000 (AIR BAGS). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,062.

NHTSA ODI 11374369

Sep 24, 2020Airbags

PASSENGER FRONT AIRBAG IS CONSTANTLY ON. FROM TIME YOU TURN IT ON TILL YOU N IT OFF.

NHTSA ODI 11360959

Jul 12, 2020AirbagsCrash1 injury

I WAS IN AN MVA ON 4/7/2020. I WAS TRAVELING AT 45MPH WHEN I COLLIDED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, WHEREAS ALL OF THE OTHER VEHICLE'S DID. BECAUSE OF THIS, I SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. I RECEIVED EXTREME WHIPLASH, STASHED MUSCLES IN THE CHEST, AND A LARGE CONTUSION ACROSS MY LOWER ABDOMEN. I ALSO RECEIVED INJURY TO MY LEGS.

NHTSA ODI 11338872

Mar 22, 2020Transmission & drivetrainAirbagsEngine

AT FIRST IN THE BEGINNING MY CAR DOES IT ONCE IN A BLUE MOON; HOWEVER NOW EVERYDAY FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS MY CAR WOULD POWER DOWN WHILE BEING AT A RED LIGHT, STOP SIGN, OR IN MOTION. WHEN IT POWERS DOWN THE ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHTS COMES ON. I WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND RESTART MY CAR. IT NORMALLY DOES IT TWICE EVERYDAY. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD FOR MYSELF AND MY BABY. I'M SCARED THAT A CAR WOULD COME UP BEHIND AND HIT ME WHILE MY BABY IS IN THE CAR. I FEAR OUR LIVES. WHEN I TOOK IT TO AUTOZONE FOR THEM TO CHECK AND SEE WHY MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON THE CODE WAS ALWAYS CATALYTIC CONVERTER. I WENT TO GO GET THAT FIX AND MY CAR IS STILL HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. ALSO, WHEN MY CAR IS IN MOTION THE RPM DOESN'T MOVE IT STAYS AT 0. ALSO, THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER AIR BAG ISN'T WORKING. WHEN SOMEBODY IS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS OFF, BUT WHEN SOMEBODY ISN'T SITTING THERE THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON. I HAVEN'T BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ODI 11318953

Mar 19, 2020Airbags

MECHANIC SAYS THAT THE SENSOR IN MY PASSENGER SEAT DOES NOT WORK BECAUSE THERE IS A COMPUTER ISSUE AND THE AIR BAD WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ODI 11318711

Feb 2, 2020Airbags

AFTER HITTING 80,000 MILES OUT AIRBAG LIGHT IS TURNED ON WE HAVEN'T BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT AND IT DOESN'T STAY ON CONSTANTLY.

NHTSA ODI 11306593

Jan 24, 2020Airbags

THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG IS NOT WORKING, THE COST IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY AND NO RECALL FOR MY CAR BUT OTHER 2015 ACCENTS DID HAVE A RECALL. THE COST TO REPAIR IS $1550.

NHTSA ODI 11301697

Oct 2, 2019Airbags

DRIVING ON HWY 6, 6 LANES, HEARD A LOW SQUEAL. HAVEN'T HAD MY HORN/AIRBAG LOOKED AT YET, BUT I HAVE DUCT TAPED THE HORN DOWN TO STOP THE SQUEAL SOUND. GLAD THE AIRBAG DIDN'T DEPLOY! WILL HAVE AN INSPECTION SOON, HOPE IT DOESN'T COST MUCH TO FIX! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

NHTSA ODI 11265618

Sep 11, 2019Airbags

MY CAR WAS STATIONARY IN MY DRIVEWAY AND OFF WHEN MY DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. NOTHING TOUCHED MY CAR, THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THEM TO DEPLOY. MY CAR'S SRS LIGHT IS NOT ON. AS OF NOW THIS CAR IS NOT PART OF THE TAKATA RECALL; I DON'T KNOW WHAT INFLATORS ARE IN MY CAR.

NHTSA ODI 11254680

Jul 8, 2019Body & structureEngine

TAKATA RECALL THE BUMPER COVER IN THE FRONT KEEPS COMING UNDONE I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP BUT THE WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.. ALSO THE AIR CONDITION KEEPS SHUTTING OFF

NHTSA ODI 11230109

Jun 11, 2019Electrical systemBody & structure

CARRIER ASSEMBLY CARRYING ENGINE/AC GOT BROKEN WHILE VEHICLE WAS MOVING IN HUGE TRAFFIC. ALSO, THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS STOPPED FUNCTIONING AND THE COMPRESSOR FAILURE HAS HAPPENED - NO SUPPORT FROM HYUNDAI LOCAL / INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT TEAMS

NHTSA ODI 11219173

Mar 5, 2019Airbags

I'M HAVING ISSUES WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT... KEEPS COMING ON STAYING ON WHEN COLD BELOW 39 DEGREES.. ONE TIME LAST WEEK CAME ON AT 54 DEGREES DOING RESEARCH THE VIN IS NOT ON RECALL LIST BUT SIMILAR MAKE MODEL VERSIONS ARE OVER 2,500 RECALLS I WAS DRIVING TO THE BANK WHEN THIS OCCURRED ABOUT 8PM

NHTSA ODI 11184473

Jan 14, 2019Airbags

MY AIRBAG LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON, ONLY IN COLD WEATHER.

NHTSA ODI 11166793

Dec 18, 2018AirbagsCrash2 injuries

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUFFERED BACK AND CHEST INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE OTHER DRIVER WAS ALSO INJURED AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND BODY REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ODI 11162256

Oct 16, 2018AirbagsCrash

AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER A WRECK THAT AFFECTED FRONT DRIVER SIDE MPH 35, SIGNAIFICANT DAMAGE DONE TO FRONT IN. CAR WAS IN MOTION ANOTHER CAR CUT IN FRONT OF THAT CAR HAD A SMALL DENT.

NHTSA ODI 11140683

Jul 26, 2018AirbagsEngine

AIRBAG WARNING ON DASH RANDOMLY ACTIVATES. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR ENGINE FAILURE(SEIZED CRANKSHAFT) AND WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. TOLD DEALERSHIP ABOUT AIR BAG ISSUE AT THIS TIME. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR A COMPUTER UPDATE THAT I WAS NEVER INFORMED ABOUT. I GOT MY VEHICLE BACK ENGINE RUNS FINE BUT AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS COME BACK ON AGAIN AFTER 5 DAYS. I AM NOTIFYING DEALERSHIP OF ISSUE TOMORROW (7/26/18).

NHTSA ODI 11113714

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Working with the data? Download all 66 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 25, 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 2015 Hyundai Accent 5 verdict →