Total Complaints
2 filings
HYUNDAI EXCEL · model year
1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL
2 NHTSA complaints. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1997HYUNDAIEXCEL carries 2 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 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.
The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 1997 EXCEL is air bags:frontal with 1 filings, followed by visibility:sun/moon roof assembly (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause.
NHTSA currently has 37 investigation files overlapping the 1997 EXCEL, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.
2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 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 |
|---|---|
| AIR BAGS:FRONTAL | 1 |
| VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY | 1 |
Recent Complaints
19990508VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY
SUN ROOF LEAKED AND WAS REPAIRED UNSUCCESSFULLY 3 TIMES BY MISSOULA HYUNDAI.DEALER FINALLY TOOK SUN ROOF OFF AND REPLACED SEAL. WHILE DRIVING ON FREEWAY THE ROOF CAME COMPLETELY OFF AND FLEW OFF. FORTUNATELY IT DIDN'T HIT ANOTHER CAR!! DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX IT BECAUSE THE WARRANTY RAN OUT BY THE TIME WE GOT HOME FROM VACATION(THIS HAPPENED WHILE WE DRIVING TO CA FROM MT). HYUNDAI WON'T FIX IT BECAUSE THEY SAY IT IS THE DEALERS PROBLEM! HELP!!!! TRIED TO GET HELP THROUGH CONSUMER AFFAIRS, BUT DIDN'T GET ANY! *AK
19980820AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH A LARGE PUDDLE IN THE ROAD WAY, THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT FLICKERED AND STAYED ON.
Compare 1997HYUNDAIEXCEL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL have?▼
The 1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL has 2 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL?▼
The most-complained component for the 1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include VISIBILITY:SUN/MOON ROOF ASSEMBLY.
Is the 1997 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 vintage: August 2026. 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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.