HYUNDAI ACCENT · model year

2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT

156 NHTSA complaints, 13 crash reports for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

4 / 5 ★

New Car Assessment Program

The 2016HYUNDAIACCENT carries 156 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 13 crashes, 9 fires, 14 injuries, and 0 fatalities. For crash performance, NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program gave this cohort an overall 4/5 rating, with 4/5 front crash, 4/5 side crash, and 4/5 rollover scores derived from standardized barrier and dynamic tests.

Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2016 ACCENT is engine with 31 filings, followed by air bags (27) and electrical system (24). 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 2016 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.

156
Complaints
13
Crashes
9
Fires
14
Injuries
0
Deaths
2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT — NHTSA crash-test profile NHTSA NCAP crash-test star ratings for the 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT. Overall composite: 4.0 of 5 stars across 3 safety dimensions. Front CrashSide CrashRollover 4.0 NHTSA NCAP of 5 stars
  • Front Crash 4.0 ★
  • Side Crash 4.0 ★
  • Rollover 4.0 ★
NHTSA overall 4.0/5 stars, with front-crash, side-crash and rollover ratings from standardized NCAP barrier and dynamic tests.

Total Complaints

156 filings

Crashes Reported

13 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

NHTSA NCAP overall: 4/5 — Strong NCAP rating · Front: 4/5 · Side: 4/5 · Rollover: 4/5

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE31
AIR BAGS27
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM24
UNKNOWN OR OTHER14
STEERING9
SERVICE BRAKES7
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL7
STRUCTURE:BODY6
SEATS5
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)4
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM4
POWER TRAIN3
EXTERIOR LIGHTING3
SUSPENSION2
WHEELS2

Recent Complaints

20251215FireENGINE

I was driving up a hill on interstate 8 in California and all of a sudden i heard a bang under the hood and see sparks and flames and my hyundai was on fire right there on the freeway. No clue why.

20251215FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

I was driving up a hill on interstate 8 in California and all of a sudden i heard a bang under the hood and see sparks and flames and my hyundai was on fire right there on the freeway. No clue why.

20251215FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I was driving up a hill on interstate 8 in California and all of a sudden i heard a bang under the hood and see sparks and flames and my hyundai was on fire right there on the freeway. No clue why.

20251202ENGINE

Engine is failing, oil leaking in the engine that messed up my catalytic converter and O2 sensors now it’s just sluggish , doesn’t accelerate properly, doesn’t idle nearly .

20251202POWER TRAIN

Engine is failing, oil leaking in the engine that messed up my catalytic converter and O2 sensors now it’s just sluggish , doesn’t accelerate properly, doesn’t idle nearly .

20251002ENGINE

The vehicle made a loud catastrophic noises stopped running and couldn’t be restarted. Towed car to dealership where it was inspected and denied coverage based on owner not original owner. This 1.6L Gamma GDI Engine is part of the larger Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation II (Case No. 8:18-cv-02223). The settlement provides a 15-year/150,000-mile extended warranty for said engine.

20251002POWER TRAIN

The vehicle made a loud catastrophic noises stopped running and couldn’t be restarted. Towed car to dealership where it was inspected and denied coverage based on owner not original owner. This 1.6L Gamma GDI Engine is part of the larger Hyundai and Kia Engine Litigation II (Case No. 8:18-cv-02223). The settlement provides a 15-year/150,000-mile extended warranty for said engine.

20250724SERVICE BRAKES

The Emergency brake light, ABS light, and esc light all come on while driving & speedometer goes to 0. The speedometer also stops tracking mileage when these lights come on. This used to happen on & off, but now it’s almost permanent. Hundreds are reporting the same exact issue online, but mechanics cannot figure out what the problem is. Me and countless others have taken the vehicle to mechanics multiple times with no resolve and thousands of dollars worth of diagnostics that are incorrect and don’t resolve the issue. It is dangerous because we don’t know how fast we’re going, and we don’t know if your abs, emergency brakes, & esc are all working properly. This issue is impacting Hyundai Accents years 2015, 2016, & 2017 based on the multiple threads & posts online. I think it’s related to electrical issues too because my windshield wipers & blinkers will randomly malfunction while this is happening. A random online user said that it is a “SMART Junction Box” issue

20250724VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

The Emergency brake light, ABS light, and esc light all come on while driving & speedometer goes to 0. The speedometer also stops tracking mileage when these lights come on. This used to happen on & off, but now it’s almost permanent. Hundreds are reporting the same exact issue online, but mechanics cannot figure out what the problem is. Me and countless others have taken the vehicle to mechanics multiple times with no resolve and thousands of dollars worth of diagnostics that are incorrect and don’t resolve the issue. It is dangerous because we don’t know how fast we’re going, and we don’t know if your abs, emergency brakes, & esc are all working properly. This issue is impacting Hyundai Accents years 2015, 2016, & 2017 based on the multiple threads & posts online. I think it’s related to electrical issues too because my windshield wipers & blinkers will randomly malfunction while this is happening. A random online user said that it is a “SMART Junction Box” issue

20250724STEERING

The Emergency brake light, ABS light, and esc light all come on while driving & speedometer goes to 0. The speedometer also stops tracking mileage when these lights come on. This used to happen on & off, but now it’s almost permanent. Hundreds are reporting the same exact issue online, but mechanics cannot figure out what the problem is. Me and countless others have taken the vehicle to mechanics multiple times with no resolve and thousands of dollars worth of diagnostics that are incorrect and don’t resolve the issue. It is dangerous because we don’t know how fast we’re going, and we don’t know if your abs, emergency brakes, & esc are all working properly. This issue is impacting Hyundai Accents years 2015, 2016, & 2017 based on the multiple threads & posts online. I think it’s related to electrical issues too because my windshield wipers & blinkers will randomly malfunction while this is happening. A random online user said that it is a “SMART Junction Box” issue

20250711AIR BAGS

The passenger seat airbag seat sensor does not work properly. The sensor wiring gets loose making the airbag system not work. It’s a common problem in this make and model. So I don’t understand why it hasn’t been recalled yet.

20250605ENGINE

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated the vehicle went into LIMP Mode. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.

Mileage: 180,000

20250201FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The report does not specify the exact component that failed, but the fire originated under the hood of the 2016 Hyundai Accent. The vehicle and related documentation, including the fire department report, insurance claim, and incident photos, are available for review​. The fire under the hood posed a serious safety risk as it occurred while the vehicle was in motion on a busy highway. Fortunately, the driver evacuated safely, but the incident could have resulted in injury or more severe consequences​ of both driver and other drivers traveling. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Due to the extent of the damage caused by the fire, it is unlikely that the issue can be reproduced or thoroughly examined. The vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic since the incident. The incident was inspected by Chesterfield Fire & EMS (Report No. [XXX]), Chesterfield Police Department arrived on the scene, and an insurance claim is in pr

20250201FireENGINE

The report does not specify the exact component that failed, but the fire originated under the hood of the 2016 Hyundai Accent. The vehicle and related documentation, including the fire department report, insurance claim, and incident photos, are available for review​. The fire under the hood posed a serious safety risk as it occurred while the vehicle was in motion on a busy highway. Fortunately, the driver evacuated safely, but the incident could have resulted in injury or more severe consequences​ of both driver and other drivers traveling. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Due to the extent of the damage caused by the fire, it is unlikely that the issue can be reproduced or thoroughly examined. The vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic since the incident. The incident was inspected by Chesterfield Fire & EMS (Report No. [XXX]), Chesterfield Police Department arrived on the scene, and an insurance claim is in pr

20250201FireUNKNOWN OR OTHER

The report does not specify the exact component that failed, but the fire originated under the hood of the 2016 Hyundai Accent. The vehicle and related documentation, including the fire department report, insurance claim, and incident photos, are available for review​. The fire under the hood posed a serious safety risk as it occurred while the vehicle was in motion on a busy highway. Fortunately, the driver evacuated safely, but the incident could have resulted in injury or more severe consequences​ of both driver and other drivers traveling. The problem has not been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center. Due to the extent of the damage caused by the fire, it is unlikely that the issue can be reproduced or thoroughly examined. The vehicle has not been inspected by a mechanic since the incident. The incident was inspected by Chesterfield Fire & EMS (Report No. [XXX]), Chesterfield Police Department arrived on the scene, and an insurance claim is in pr

20241023ENGINE

My 2016 Hyundai accent engine has all of sudden stop working and i have explained to multiple shops and my insurance that i was deployed for a whole year and the car was driving fine and once I came back it just wouldn’t crank. Two Hyundai shops informed me that the engine is locked up but neither shop provided a thorough investigation as to why this has happened. There were two-three major hurricanes in Texas where it was stored while I was deployed in Kuwait and Iraq from march 2023- march 2024 as well as another hurricane in Georgia where i am currently located now which happened September 2024. The engine is locked with no explanation as to how and a Hyundai representative by the name of don who provided the goodwill repair on July 09 2024 and i had it towed to Hyundai in Marietta and they looked and provided the same explanation that the engine is locked and to get it replaced with no detailed reasoning why. My safety has been at risk due to driving across states and town to get

20241023FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

My 2016 Hyundai accent engine has all of sudden stop working and i have explained to multiple shops and my insurance that i was deployed for a whole year and the car was driving fine and once I came back it just wouldn’t crank. Two Hyundai shops informed me that the engine is locked up but neither shop provided a thorough investigation as to why this has happened. There were two-three major hurricanes in Texas where it was stored while I was deployed in Kuwait and Iraq from march 2023- march 2024 as well as another hurricane in Georgia where i am currently located now which happened September 2024. The engine is locked with no explanation as to how and a Hyundai representative by the name of don who provided the goodwill repair on July 09 2024 and i had it towed to Hyundai in Marietta and they looked and provided the same explanation that the engine is locked and to get it replaced with no detailed reasoning why. My safety has been at risk due to driving across states and town to get

20241023ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

My 2016 Hyundai accent engine has all of sudden stop working and i have explained to multiple shops and my insurance that i was deployed for a whole year and the car was driving fine and once I came back it just wouldn’t crank. Two Hyundai shops informed me that the engine is locked up but neither shop provided a thorough investigation as to why this has happened. There were two-three major hurricanes in Texas where it was stored while I was deployed in Kuwait and Iraq from march 2023- march 2024 as well as another hurricane in Georgia where i am currently located now which happened September 2024. The engine is locked with no explanation as to how and a Hyundai representative by the name of don who provided the goodwill repair on July 09 2024 and i had it towed to Hyundai in Marietta and they looked and provided the same explanation that the engine is locked and to get it replaced with no detailed reasoning why. My safety has been at risk due to driving across states and town to get

20240821ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The instrumental panel suddenly malfunctioned the abs, airbag, and check engine lights illuminated, and the speedometer dropped to zero. The instrumental panel returned to normal, but the mileage range reset to 0. This was while I was traveling on a highway going 70mph. While it did not cause an accident this time, it was very upsetting. Further it is concerning that there was a recall on the 2014 Hyundai Accent for wiring issues that could cause a fire in the engine also referred to as an intermittent. We had the car inspected and nothing was found to be wrong with the battery/alternator or starter and nothing we could do in regular maintenance to ensure the safety of this vehicle. Note the mileage of this vehicle is 108k which is interesting considering the powertrain warranty was for 100k miles.

20240820ENGINE

Component/System Failure: The component that has malfunctioned is the engine. This issue is critical and affects the vehicle's overall performance. The malfunctioning engine is available for inspection upon request, and I am willing to facilitate this inspection to substantiate my claim. Safety Risk: The engine's failure poses a significant safety risk, including potential engine stalling or loss of power while driving, which could lead to accidents or collisions. The ongoing issue has compromised my safety and that of other road users. Confirmation of the Problem: The problem has been confirmed by [Dealership Name/Independent Service Center]. They have verified the engine issue and noted it in their service records. I can provide documentation from this service center upon request. Inspection by Manufacturer or Others: The vehicle has been inspected by [Dealership Name] and Hyundai Motor America (HMA) corporate. The problem was also discussed with Hyundai representatives, including Am

Compare 2016HYUNDAIACCENT to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT have?
The 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT has 156 NHTSA complaints, 13 crashes, 9 fires, 14 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What is the safety rating for the 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT?
The 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT received an overall NHTSA safety rating of 4/5, front crash rating of 4/5, side crash rating of 4/5, and rollover rating of 4/5.
What are the most common problems with the 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT?
The most-complained component for the 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT is ENGINE with 31 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 2016 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. The 2016 HYUNDAI ACCENT has an NHTSA safety rating of 4/5. 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.