2003 HYUNDAI Accent Problems

Complaints Reported

Complaints by Component

AIR BAGS

15 complaints

WHEN I START MY CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES OFF

May 07, 2018

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.

Apr 11, 2016

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.

Mar 17, 2014

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

Jun 15, 2010

Crash: 1

NON-DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS AFTER RUNNUNG INTO FREEWAY CONCRETE EMBANKMENT. *TR

Feb 15, 2009

Crash: 1

Injuries: 2

+ 10 more complaints for this component

POWER TRAIN

6 complaints

I WAS GETTING ON INTERSTATE 95 & THE CAR JERKED BACK THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED SHIFT IN INTO GEARS & HAS NO REVERSE.

Dec 10, 2015

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

Apr 29, 2011

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION PULLED AND PUSHED WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH. THE DEALER REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 84,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000. UPDATED 03-04-08 *BF

Jun 15, 2007

CONSUMER VEHICLE JERKS INTO HIGHER GEARS. TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES SLIPS OUT OF GEAR AND DRAGS. *TS THE VEHICLE ALSO MADE A LOUD NOISE WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A FAST JERKING MOTION. *NM

Oct 13, 2005

TRANSMISSION SLIPS IN LOW GEARS WITH LOW ACCELERATION. AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DOES NOT CONTINUE INTO HIGH GEAR AND ENGINE RUNS AT HIGH RPM. NO PARTS REPAIRED DEALER SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG.*AK

Sep 12, 2004

+ 1 more complaint for this component

SUSPENSION

2 complaints

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

Sep 16, 2015

THE VEHICLE'S RIGHT REAR SPINDLE OR CARRIER ASSEMBLY FAILED. *NM *JB

Feb 07, 2005

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE

2 complaints

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.

Jan 20, 2011

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.

Nov 24, 2010

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

2 complaints

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

Apr 01, 2008

MY 2003 HYUNDIA ACCENT ALREADY HAD TWO FAILURES OF THE EMIISION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE SECOND FAILURE ONLY SHOWED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FOR A FEW SECONDS THEN SHOWED ALL SYSTEMS NORMAL AGIAN. EACH FAILURE WAS FOUND BY DIFFERENT DEALERSHIP BUT THE SAME PROBLEM. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED THE COMPUTER KEPT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON UNTIL THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED IT BUT THE SECOND TIME THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS, ALMOST LIKE THE CAR WAS PRGRAMMED TO IGNORE THE PROBLEM. *NM

Nov 22, 2005

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

2 complaints

THE KEY WILL TURN IN THE IGNITION , BUT THE ENGINE FAILS TO TURN OVER. THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WOULDN'T START. WHEN THIS OCCURRED THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE THE ECM CHIP WAS REPLACED. THE ECM CHIP WAS REPLACED TWICE, AND I CURRENTLY BEING REPLACED FOR THE THIRD TIME. *AK

Mar 09, 2005

CONSUMER PARKED VEHICLE IN PARKING LOT. LATER, NOTICED A FIRE TRUCK COMING INTO PARKING LOT. CONSUMER WENT TO CHECK, AND SAW FIREMEN PUTTING FLAMES OUT FROM CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. *AK

Oct 23, 2003

Fire: 1

EXTERIOR LIGHTING

1 complaint

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

Feb 28, 2010

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE,POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

1 complaint

HTTP://HOME.COMCAST.NET/~ALTAIR1972M/SCREW_HYUNDAI.MHT. 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT. ORIGINAL POSTING WAS 3395 CHARACTERS. MUST CUT TO 2000. DID NOT GET THE ADVERTISED MILEAGE TO THE GALLON. THE ACCELERATOR STUCK IF YOU FLOORED IT, AND NOT LONG AFTER I BOUGHT IT, TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING OUT. I REPORTED PROBLEMS. THEY WERE ABLE TO FIX TRANSMISSION SLIP SIMPLE DIAGNOSTIC. COMPUTER PROBLEM. ACCELERATOR STICKING COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED AND THEY HAD TO GIVE ME BACK THE CAR IN DEATH TRAP CONDITION. MY BRO IN LAW'S 16 YO BRO CHECKED IT OUT. FOUND MAT WAS CATCHING THE ACCEL. 2 FREEHOLD HYUNDAI TECHS COULD NOT FIND THE PROBLEM, BUT A 16 YEAR OLD COULD. FYI, NHTSA COMPLAINTS LIST HAS BOTH COMPLAINTS FROM SOMEONE ELSE. OVER TIME NOTICED THAT AT WAY MARK, CAR IS SHOWING LESS AND LESS MILEAGE @ SAME AMOUNT OF GAS. WAS 190 MILES WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. TODAY AROUND 160. FLASH FORWARD A FEW YEARS. HAD SOME TROUBLE WHERE THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DROP DOWN TO 0 AND THEN NOT MOVE. I WOULD SMACK THE DASHBOARD, HARD, AND IT WOULD CATCH AND BEGIN TO MOVE, BUT CALIBRATED TO NEW SPEED I WAS GOING WHEN I HIT IT AND IT TOOK. AT STOP I'D HEAR CLICK, CLICK AS IT RECALIBRATED ITSELF TO CORRECT SPEED WHEN IT TRIED TO GO PAST 0. TOOK IT IN NEAR IT'S 57K MARK FOR THE PRE 60K INSPECTION. FH DID A DIAGNOSTIC AND FOUND NOTHING. A FEW DAYS LATER WAS DRIVING THE CAR AND THE TACH WAS DOING THE SAME THING. TOOK PICS. CALLED FH AND ASKED IF THIS SPEED AT RPM WAS EVER POSSIBLE IN THIS CAR. IT WAS NOT. DEMANDED REPLACEMENT OF GAUGES. HOWEVER, WHEN THE FAILED AFTER 7 DAYS TO FIND THE PROBLEM, THEY WIPED DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. THEY PULLED OUT THE GAUGE CLUSTER, WIGGLED THE WIRES, AND DID SOMETHING WITH THE SENSOR. FILED A COMPLAINT WITH HYUNDAI MOTOR CORP. CALLED THEM LATER IN THE WEEK TO TELL THEM FUEL GAUGE NOT WORKING. TOOK MORE PICS. *TR

Oct 14, 2007

STEERING,ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

1 complaint

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH ON DRY ASPHALT ROADS, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY, FOLLOWED CLOSELY BY TIGHTNESS IN THE STEERING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE STALLED AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SEEN BY A DEALER FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT.

Nov 22, 2006

SEAT BELTS

1 complaint

MY SON WAS DRIVING A 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT THAT WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH WITH A FULL SIZE PICK-UP TRUCK. DURING THE CRASH THE SEAT BELT BROKE AND HE WAS THROWN INTO THE PASSENGER DOOR RESULTING IN INJURY. HYUNDAI'S INVESTIGATOR CHECK THE CAR AND SAID THE SEAT BELTS HAD BEEN CUT BY EMS. WE CHECKED WITH EMS AND THEY SAID IT IS THEIR POLICY NOT TO CUT SEAT BELTS. THEY ALSO SAID NOBODY CUT OUR SEAT BELT. THIS WAS A NEW CAR WITH APPROXIMATELY 2,500 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. *NM

Oct 20, 2005

Crash: 1

Injuries: 1

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

1 complaint

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WAS RUNNING ROUGH.CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION. *AK

Oct 06, 2004

EQUIPMENT

1 complaint

FLOOR MAT ON DRIVER'S SIDE WAS INTERFERING WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WHEN DRIVING THE FLOOR MAT GOT CAUGHT IN BETWEEN THE PEDAL, AND DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ALSO, FLOOR MAT CAUSED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO STICK INTERMITTENTY WHILE DRIVING. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK *TC

Aug 17, 2004

STRUCTURE,TIRES

1 complaint

VEHICLE IS LOW TO THE GROUND AND STALLS WHEN THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE TOUCHES THE GROUND. DEALER SAYS THERE IS NO REMEDY FOR THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS IS HOW THE VEHICLE IS DESIGNED. *AK CONSUMER ALSO EXPERIENCED DIFFICULTY IN STEERING. ALSO, CONSUMER BELIEVED TO BE A DESIGN DEFECT BY MANUFACTURER AND POINTED OUT THAT VEHICLE USES 13 INCH DIAMETER TIRES COMPARED TO THE OTHER MODELS, BUT DIFFERENT TYPE, WHICH USES A 14 INCH DIAMETER TIRE. *LA

Mar 23, 2004

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR

1 complaint

CONSUMER CALLED COMPLAINING ABOUT BRAKE PROBLEMS. STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 70 MPH SHE STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT. DEALER WAS CONTACTED, AND HAS FIXED THE WHOLE BRAKING SYSTEM. *AK

Jul 01, 2003

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many problems does the 2003 HYUNDAI Accent have?

The 2003 HYUNDAI Accent currently has 37 owner-reported complaints according to NHTSA database. These complaints are organized by component to help identify common issues.

What are the most common problems with 2003 HYUNDAI Accent?

The most common problems reported for the 2003 HYUNDAI Accent are organized by component above. Each component section shows owner-reported issues, crash reports, and fire incidents to help identify patterns and problem areas.

Where does this 2003 HYUNDAI Accent problem data come from?

All problem and complaint data for the 2003 HYUNDAI Accent comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database. These are real complaints submitted by actual vehicle owners.