Total Complaints
17 filings
HYUNDAI EXCEL · model year
1986 HYUNDAI EXCEL
17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1986HYUNDAIEXCEL carries 17 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 1 fire, 7 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 1986 EXCEL is power train:manual transmission with 4 filings, followed by tires (1) and electrical system (1). 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 1986 EXCEL, 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.
17
Complaints
1
Crashes
1
Fires
7
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 4 |
| TIRES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY | 1 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING | 1 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH | 1 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20000114ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE A PART NO. / SERIAL NO. INPRINTED ON THE DISTRIBUTOR, WHICH IS CALLED A SPARKER. WITHOUT THE CORRECT SPARKEER PART NO. CONSUMER CANNOT START VEHICLE/IF THE WRONG ONE WAS PURCHASED IT WILL CAUSE OVERHEATING,BURNING OF THE IGNITION WIRES WHICH COULD RESULT IN A FIRE. (SPARKER P/N 102271200020). *YC
19991214ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
CONSUMER MAY HAVE THE WRONG SPARKER/STRICKER WITHIN THE IGNITION SYSTEM. YH
19970122SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
BRAKE FAILURE.
19970122FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE UPON IMPACT.
19960314POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO NUT INSIDE TRANSMISSION WITHIN INPUT SHAFT, HAVINB THE ABILITY TO BACKOFF, ALLOWI NG DISCONTINUENCE OF POWER. *SD
19960310POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL, RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS. *AK
19960119STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
PASSENGER AND DRIVERS SIDE DOORS WILL NOT CLOSE PROPERLY, WHEN DRIVING WILL COME OPEN. TT
19951205FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:CARBURETOR SYSTEM
ENGINE WOULD FLOOD BECAUSE CARBURETOR CHOKE WOULD NOT PROPERLY ADJUST. TT
19951012CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:WEBBING
CONSUMER WAS IN AN ACCIDENT EQUIPMENT FAILURE DRIVER SEAT BELT. TT
19950913VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
#PE94-003 THE HEATER CORE , RADIATOR WAS REPLACED WITHIN FOUR YEARS AT CONSUMER EXPENSE. TT
19950913ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY
#PE94-003 THE HEATER CORE , RADIATOR WAS REPLACED WITHIN FOUR YEARS AT CONSUMER EXPENSE. TT
19950511ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
HAS ALWAYS HAD A CLICKING SOUND WHICH PRESENTS AN ELECTRICAL SYSTEM PROBLEM. TT
19950511ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES
REPLACED BATTERY CABLE/WIRING. *AK
19950511ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR FAILED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO STALL. *AK
19950403POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP PRIOR TO RECALL (93V-167). *AK
19950331POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
MANUAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE, TRANS LOCKED UP, TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN RECALLED ONCE. TT
19950130TIRES
WAS DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY AT NIGHT AND BACK PASSENGER RIGHT WHEEL CAME OFF IT WAS RAINING HARD AND DEALER DON'T WANT TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. TT
Compare 1986HYUNDAIEXCEL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1986 HYUNDAI EXCEL have?▼
The 1986 HYUNDAI EXCEL has 17 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 1 fires, 7 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1986 HYUNDAI EXCEL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1986 HYUNDAI EXCEL is POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION with 4 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include TIRES and ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.
Is the 1986 HYUNDAI EXCEL 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.