Total Complaints
2 filings
HYUNDAI EXCEL · model year
1997 HYUNDAI EXCEL
2 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
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.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 1997 EXCEL is air bags:frontal with 1 filings, followed by visibility:sun/moon roof assembly (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 1997 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.
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 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.