Total Complaints
92 filings
HYUNDAI EXCEL · model year
1989 HYUNDAI EXCEL
92 NHTSA complaints, 2 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1989HYUNDAIEXCEL carries 92 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 2 crashes, 24 fires, 2 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 1989 EXCEL is engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline with 13 filings, followed by visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system:heater core (11) and visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system (8). 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 1989 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.
92
Complaints
2
Crashes
24
Fires
2
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
2 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 |
|---|---|
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE | 13 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE | 11 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM | 8 |
| POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION | 6 |
| VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:WINDSHIELD:ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE | 5 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD | 5 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR | 4 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM | 4 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE | 2 |
| SUSPENSION:FRONT | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20010129FireELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 30MPH ON HIGHWAY, AND SHE NOTICED THAT VEHICLE WAS HESITATING/POPPYING, AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY SPEED. ALSO, SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK
20000404CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, TRAVELING 45 TO 50MPH, LOOKED DOWN AND SPILLED FOOD. WENT OFF THE ROAD, HIT A TREE AND DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DIDN'T RETRACT OR HOLD. DIDN'T CONTACT DEALER OR MANUFACTURER. *AK
20000130FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
DEFECTIVE FUEL PUMP CAN CAUSE LARGE AMOUNT OF FUEL TO BE PUSHED OUT OF A HOSE NEAR THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR. THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED INTO A FIRE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECAL. *AK
19980826FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE OVERHEATED, COOLANT ADDED SEVERAL TIMES, FINALLY RESULTED IN FIRE.
19980624FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
ENGINE FIRE AS A RESULT OF ENGINE OVERHEATING. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT). *AK
19980604POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
RECALL 93V167000; 4 MONTHS AFTER THE RECALL HAD BEEN SERVICED THE TRANSMISSION HAS GONE OUT. DEALER SAYS IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. *AK
19980513POWER TRAIN:MANUAL TRANSMISSION
RECALL # 93V167000 POWER TRAIN:TRANSMISSION: STANDARD: MANUAL CAR WILL NOT SHIFT BETWEEN 4TH & 5TH GEAR. THERE WAS NOT A PROLBEM WITH THE GEARS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION FLUID WAS CHANGED IN THE VEHICLE. *AK
19970724POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:AXLE SHAFT
TRANSAXLE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE.
19970724VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
WHEN DEFROST AND LIGHTS ARE TURNED ON, THE GAS GAUGE READS WAY PAST FULL, TEMPERATURE GAUGE GOES TO RED, CLOCK STOPS, AND SOMETIMES DASH LIGHTS DO NOT COME ON.
19970724ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
KNOCKING NOISE IN ENGINE AREA.
19970724STRUCTURE:BODY
DRIVER'S SIDE VISOR CLIP BROKEN AND REPLACED.
19970724STRUCTURE:BODY:HOOD
THE HOOD ROD CLIP BROKE.
19970724STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
MOLDING OVER DRIVER'S DOOR IS BROKEN.
19970723FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
EXHAUST SYSTEM - EGR VALVE: WHILE DRIVING UP A HILL BEGAN TO SMELL FUMES, SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. *AK
19970527EQUIPMENT:OTHER:OWNERS/SERVICE/OTHER MANUAL
MANUAL INDICATES HOW TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION OIL LEVEL BY LOOSENING AND REMOVING THE OIL FILLER BOLT AND USE YOUR FINGER TO FEEL INSIDE THE HOLE TO SEE IF THE OIL LEVEL IS AT THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE HOLE WHICH IS INCORRECT. THE AREA IN TH
19960930SUSPENSION:FRONT
VEHICLE PULLS TO RIGHT.
19960930ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR
ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR PROBLEMS.
19960923VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
HEATER CORE FAILED, CAUSING HOT FLUID TO POUR FROM UNDER DASH.
19960815FireENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
VEHICLE FIRE. (OHIO STATE POLICE REPORT) *DH
19960624ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
COOLANT SYSTEM VALVE FAILED, CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INTO PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. *DH
Compare 1989HYUNDAIEXCEL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1989 HYUNDAI EXCEL have?▼
The 1989 HYUNDAI EXCEL has 92 NHTSA complaints, 2 crashes, 24 fires, 2 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1989 HYUNDAI EXCEL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1989 HYUNDAI EXCEL is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE with 13 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE and VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM.
Is the 1989 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.