Total Complaints
72 filings
HYUNDAI ACCENT · model year
1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT
72 NHTSA complaints, 8 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998HYUNDAIACCENT carries 72 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 8 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1998 ACCENT is fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly with 11 filings, followed by engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline (8) and power train:automatic transmission (6). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1998 ACCENT, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
72
Complaints
8
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
8 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY | 11 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 8 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION | 6 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 6 |
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 3 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:STORAGE:FUEL GAUGE SYSTEM | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 2 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| WHEELS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20140315FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
ON YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY CAR(FUEL TANK)IF MY MECHANIC FIX IT WILL THE MANUFACTURE REIMBURSE ME. IT IS A EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT LEAKS OUT NOW. *TR
Mileage: 178,543
20080409FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE IN HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE GASOLINE FUEL SYSTEM STORAGE TANK ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS ON RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS HAD THE RECALL ALREADY REPAIRED; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS BEFORE, THEN IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED WITH A DEFECTED PART. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS BELOW 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
Mileage: 100,000
20070301ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (50-75 MPH) THE OVERDRIVE WOULD DISSENGAGE. IN TURRN THE RPM WOULD RAMP UP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY. SOMTIMES PULLING OFF AND TURNING CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN TEMPORARILY FIXED PROBLEM. FINALLY, WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. HE FOUND THAT THE WIRING UNER THE STICK (AUTOMATIC) WERE BARE AND TOUCHING. HE FIXED THE WIRING AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. I HAVE NOTED MANY OTHER ENTRIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB
Mileage: 50,000
20070301POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (50-75 MPH) THE OVERDRIVE WOULD DISSENGAGE. IN TURRN THE RPM WOULD RAMP UP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY. SOMTIMES PULLING OFF AND TURNING CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN TEMPORARILY FIXED PROBLEM. FINALLY, WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. HE FOUND THAT THE WIRING UNER THE STICK (AUTOMATIC) WERE BARE AND TOUCHING. HE FIXED THE WIRING AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. I HAVE NOTED MANY OTHER ENTRIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB
Mileage: 50,000
20050120POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 50 MY RPM IS AROUND 4000 A FEW MONTHS LATER DECEMBER 2003 TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NOW JANUARY 2005 RPM IS ACTING UP AGAIN, I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AT THE GARAGE WHERE MY TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN AND THEY SEE NO PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL, THEY THINK MAYBE IT IS ELECTRICAL???? DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS....I HATE CARS!!!! *JB
20050120ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 50 MY RPM IS AROUND 4000 A FEW MONTHS LATER DECEMBER 2003 TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NOW JANUARY 2005 RPM IS ACTING UP AGAIN, I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AT THE GARAGE WHERE MY TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN AND THEY SEE NO PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL, THEY THINK MAYBE IT IS ELECTRICAL???? DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS....I HATE CARS!!!! *JB
20050119SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
THE REAR SEAT BELTS DON'T EXTRACT. DRIVERS SIDE HAS BEEN REPLACE THREE TIMES, JUST REPLACED AND WITHIN A WEEK WAS DOING IT AGAIN. *NM
Mileage: 55,000
20041005FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
A CRACK WAS PRODUCED IN THE FUEL TANK. AS A RESULT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FUEL FUMES SEEPED THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT.*AK *TC
Mileage: 79,000
20040819FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY
A RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED, AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE FUEL FILTER CAP REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER CAP SINCE THERE WAS NO CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MANUFACTURE REFUSED TO COOPERATE. *AK
Mileage: 62,000
20040404ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND EACH TIME I WOULD STATE HOW THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR JERKS AND THEN IT RESUMES NORMALLY AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME ISSUE AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS ALL SAY THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IT HAD NEVER BEEN REPORTED BEFORE. NHTSA NEEDS TO GET ON THE CASE AND NOTIFY WHOMEVER NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED. *NM
Mileage: 73,000
20040127STRUCTURE
DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND I AM CONCERNED IF THIS CRACK WILL AFFECT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *JB
Mileage: 36,360
20030723POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE ACCELERATING THERE IS A LOUD BANGING NOISE LIKE THE VEHICLE IS BEING KICKED IN THE REAR, AND ENGINE IS STALLING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES. *AK
Mileage: 11,600
20030710ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE CAN BE LEFT IN ANY POSITION AND IT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS. *AK
20030618POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE JERKED THEN CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. *AK *CB *NLM
Mileage: 80,189
20030404SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
THE STARTER WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT BRAKES, OUTER TIE RODS AND THE ENGINE WERE ALL REPLACED. *TS *JB
Mileage: 40,510
20030404STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY
THE STARTER WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT BRAKES, OUTER TIE RODS AND THE ENGINE WERE ALL REPLACED. *TS *JB
Mileage: 40,510
20030404ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE STARTER WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT BRAKES, OUTER TIE RODS AND THE ENGINE WERE ALL REPLACED. *TS *JB
Mileage: 40,510
20030404ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
THE STARTER WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT BRAKES, OUTER TIE RODS AND THE ENGINE WERE ALL REPLACED. *TS *JB
Mileage: 40,510
20030221ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE GEARS WERE CHANGED, THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*JB
Mileage: 70,000
20021002ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETER STATING IF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES IF A CRACK DEVELOPES IN FUEL TANK. CONSUMER STATES LIGHT WAS ON PRIOR TO RECEIVING LETTER. DEALER STATED THEY WERE CHARGING FOR HER FOR CHECKING THE ENGINE LIGHT. CONSUMER FEELS SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A RECALL. NLM
Compare 1998HYUNDAIACCENT to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT have?▼
The 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT has 72 NHTSA complaints, 8 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT is FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:STORAGE:TANK ASSEMBLY with 11 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE and POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
Is the 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.