Hyundai · Accent · 2003
0
Recalls
37
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2003 Hyundai Accent has no recalls and 37 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: air bags (15 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
WHEN I START MY CAR THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES OFF
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.
I WAS GETTING ON INTERSTATE 95 & THE CAR JERKED BACK THEN COMPLETELY STOPPED SHIFT IN INTO GEARS & HAS NO REVERSE.
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
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.
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.
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.
NON-DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS AFTER RUNNUNG INTO FREEWAY CONCRETE EMBANKMENT. *TR
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
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
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
I WAS TAKING MY KIDS OUT OF TOWN FOR THE HOLIDAY, WE STOPPED AT A REST AREA IN INDIANA, LEFT REST STOP PROCEEDED TO PROPER SPEED HIT A DEER AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CAR IS A WRECK AND BEYOND REPAIR, SEEKING A LAWYER TO SEE WHAT POSSIBLE ACTIONS CAN BE TAKEN. COULD'VE LOST MY KIDS BECAUSE OF THE AIRBAGS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. *JB
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.
IN A FRONTAL IMPACT AT APPROX. 35 MPH OUR AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN OUR 2003 HYUNDAI ACCENT 2DR HATCHBACK. THE CAR WAS TOTALED, MY HUSBAND AND I BOTH WENT TO THE HOSPITAL AFTERWARDS WITH SEVERE BRUISING AND SWELLING. WE STILL HAVE BACK PAINS AND STOMACH PAINS FROM THE IMPACT. THE INSURANCE CO. IS STILL INVESTIGATING THE FAULT, BUT DON'T SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR BAG FAILURE. I CONTACTED HYUNDAI USA AND THEY'VE SENT ME A PACKAGE SO THEY CAN LEARN ABOUT AND INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH A LARGE COMMERCIAL TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED INTO A GUARDRAIL, AND THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. BOTH VEHICLE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR BRUISING INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A VOLKWAGEN SERVICE DEALER, WHERE THE DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. THERE WAS NO POLICE REPORT FILED.
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
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
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
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
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
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2003 Hyundai Accent has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 37 owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Hyundai Accent.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2003 Hyundai Accent.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2003 Hyundai Accent are air bags (15 reports), power train (6 reports), fuel system, gasoline (2 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2003 Hyundai Accent. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.