Total Complaints
7 filings
HYUNDAI EXCEL · model year
2001 HYUNDAI EXCEL
7 NHTSA complaints, 4 crash reports for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2001HYUNDAIEXCEL carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 4 crashes, 0 fires, 5 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 2001 EXCEL is air bags:frontal with 2 filings, followed by seat belts:front:retractor (2) and fuel system, gasoline:fuel injection 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 2001 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.
7
Complaints
4
Crashes
0
Fires
5
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
4 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 | 2 |
| SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR | 2 |
| FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH | 1 |
| SUSPENSION:REAR | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20020912CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH NEITHER DRIVER'S OR PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE ADD ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *AK
20020912CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
PASSENGER SEAT BELT FAILED TO LOCK PROPERLY WHILE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL CRASH. PASSENGER RECEIVED INJURIES TO ARM AND FACE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
20020910CrashAIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH VEHICLE INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON IMPACT.ALL OCCUPANTS IN VEHICLE WERE INJURED.*AK
20020910CrashSEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR
WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION AND NONE OF THE SEAT BELTS RETRACTED ON IMPACT, CAUSING ALL OCCUPANTS IN VEHICLE TO BE THROWN FORWARD, CAUSING INJURIES.*AK
20020131SUSPENSION:REAR
REAR CONTROL ARM IS BENT, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED VEHICLE AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK
20010910POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:PARK/NEUTRAL START INTERLOCK SWITCH
TRANSMISSION GOES INTO NEUTRAL BY IT SELF WHEN MAKING TURNS AND WHEN GAS IS APPLIED, ENGINE KEEPS REVVING. TRANSMISSION KICKS IN GEAR CAUSING A CRASH(A GOOD POSSIBILITY) AND WHEEL SPIN WHEN IT IS EQUIPPED WITH TCS!. TCS DOES NOT OPERATE. TRANSMISSION MADE WHINEY NOISE WHEN IT WAS NEW AND CONTACTED DEALER. THEY SAY IT WAS NORMAL(THEY ALWAYS DO! AND NEVER TRY TO FIX THE CAR) I BELIEVE THAT IS TO BLAME FOR THE PROBLEM. ENGINE STALLS AT A STOP. TRANSMISSION NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. MANY OTHER PROBLEMS INVOLVED WITH THE CAR. SEATS MADE NOISE WHEN GOING UP AND DOWN, DEALER LUBED IT 2 TIMES ALREADY AND IT'S DOING IT AGAIN. SUNROOF RATTLES AND DEALER REFUSE TO FIX.*AK
20010521FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM
SAFETY ISSUE,THE VEHICLE IS DISABLED WHEN THIS FUEL CHIP FAILS, HOW CAN I SAFELY PULL OFF THE FREEWAY WITHOUT CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT IF THERE IS NO THROTTLE RESPONSE TO POWER MY VEHICLE.
Compare 2001HYUNDAIEXCEL to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2001 HYUNDAI EXCEL have?▼
The 2001 HYUNDAI EXCEL has 7 NHTSA complaints, 4 crashes, 0 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2001 HYUNDAI EXCEL?▼
The most-complained component for the 2001 HYUNDAI EXCEL is AIR BAGS:FRONTAL with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SEAT BELTS:FRONT:RETRACTOR and FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Is the 2001 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.