1997 HYUNDAI ACCENT Recalls, Complaints & Safety

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DOOR LATCHES ON ALL FOUR DOORS OF THE VEHICLE WERE DETACHING. THE DRIVER SIDE DOORS AND LATCHES WERE COMPLETELY INOPERABLE. THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO ENTER AND EXIT THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE PASSENGER DOOR. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

DEAR SIR I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE SURPRISING ISSUE IN FRONT OF YOU RELATED TO HYUNDAI ACCENT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW. I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE 401 EAST HIGHWAY, ONTARIO, CANADA ON 16TH DECEMBER 2007 AT 2.35 P.M. MY WIFE AND MY LITTLE ONE AND A HALF YEAR DAUGHTER WERE ALSO ACCOMPANYING ME. I WAS COMING FROM WINDSOR AND HEADING TOWARDS TORONTO. SUDDENLY THE AIR BAG OF THE DRIVER SEAT BLEW UP WITHOUT ANY COLLISION OF MY CAR WITH ANY THING. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH THAT I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE AND MANAGED TO BRING MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVING LANE. DUE TO ALMIGHTY'S GRACE NO CAR WAS FOLLOWING ME OTHERWISE THAT WOULD HAVE LEAD TO A DISASTER. I WAS AMAZED TO SEE THIS IN FRONT OF MY EYES THAT HOW COULD AIRBAG OF THE CAR BLEW UP WITHOUT ANY COLLISION. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS WOULD HAVE SURPRISED YOU TOO THAT HOW COULD YOU MANUFACTURE SUCH A DREADFUL VEHICLE IN WHICH THE PARTS ACTIVATE AT THE WRONG TIME AND COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS INSTEAD OF ACTIVATING FOR THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS. I AM THANKFUL TO 911 EMERGENCY THAT THEY CAME ON TIME AND TOOK US OUT OF THE SITUATION AND WE MANAGED TO REACH BACK HOME SAFELY. I IMPRESS UPON YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS SERIOUS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I AM ALSO INTERESTED TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS AND LEGAL DEPARTMENTS WHICH HAVE AUTHORIZED YOU TO MANUFACTURE CARS WITHOUT TAKING THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION AND THE PASSENGERS HAVE TO PUT THERE LIVES ON RISK DUE TO YOUR SHEER NEGLIGENCE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO COMPENSATE ME FOR ALL THE HASSLES AND RISK OF LIFE MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND PROVIDE ME WITH OTHER CAR WHICH IS FULLY CHECKED. I SPOKE WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE MS. MITCHEL AT THE HYUNDAI AMERICA NO. SHE HAS REGISTERED THIS SERIOUS ISSUE AND ASSIGNED CLAIM NO. 3182613. I WOULD LIKE THIS MAIL TO BE FORWARDED TO THE CONCERNED PERSON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY. THANKS AND REGARDS RAJAN MALHOTRA *TR

RIGHT FRONT COIL SPRING BROKE HITTING ROTOR CRACKING THE ROTOR REPLACED ALL AFFECTED PARTS AT OUR OWN EXPENSE REPLACED COIL SPRING,ROTOR,BRAKE PADS. HYUNDAI SAYS THIS VEHICLE NOT IN THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS REGISTERED IN THE EFFECTED AREA OF THE RECALL THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY LED TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IF IT HAD NOT BEEN DETECTED. *TR

THE SMELL OF FUEL PROMPTED THE CONSUMER TO MAKE CONTACT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER SINCE THERE WAS A FUEL TANK RECALL. CONSUMER LOCATED A CRACK ON THE FUEL TANK. THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA RECALL 00V314000. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. ALSO, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GUIDING ARM WAS VERY WEAK. THIS CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING.*AK

Crash 1 injured

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. ALSO, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GUIDING ARM WAS VERY WEAK. THIS CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING.*AK

Crash 1 injured

CONSUMER STATED WITHOUT ANY INDICATION REAR BRAKES LOCKED UP.*AK

THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY CAUSE PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT OR NONE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *NLM

CAR WAS RETURNED TO HYUNDAI UNDER WARRANTY IN JANUARY 2002. REPORTED TO HAVE A BAD TORQUE CONVERTER AND STARTER. BOTH REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. LAST WEEK CAR WOULDNT START AGAIN. OUR MECHANIC DIAGNOSED SAME PROBLEM. WAS TOLD THAT IF CAR HAD BEEN PROPERLY DIAGNOSED AS HAVING EXTENSIVE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHILE UNDER WARRANTY THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED AND NOT PATCHED UP. HYUNDAI IS NOW REFUSING TO ABSORB COST SINCE THE CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. TORQUE CONVERTERS AND STARTERS DONT GO BAD YEARLY!!! HELP!!

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND NO WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL HEAVILY JERK AND THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND WILL STAY ON THE REMAINDER OF THE TIME VEHICLE IS BEING OPERATED. DEALER NOTIFIED. NLM

THE PARTS THAT BROKE WERE ON THE SWAY BAR WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE CONTROL ARM. *AK

WHILE STOPPING, WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND PUSHED FORWARD, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER INJURED AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY SMASHED. *SLC

Crash 1 injured

VEHICLE STALLS WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 55MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED OUT AND DIED WITHOUT WARNING. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.*AK

FRONT COIL SPRING HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS. A RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED ON VEHICLE'S MAKE/MODEL. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMAITON.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

ENGINE WILL TURN OVER BUT NOT START THIS HAPPENS SEV TIMES. *AK

FOR THE PC SYSTEM PROBLEM, I HAD NOTICED THAT THE PC VALVE WAS LEAKING OIL AROUND IT, SO I REPLACED THE COMPONENT ON MAY 12,2000. BY DECEMBER, I NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAD SOME SORT OF PROBLEM WITH A NOTED DROP IN PERFORMANCE AND FUEL ECONOMY. SO I DECIDED, BEFORE BRINGING THE CAR IN FOR MAINTENANCE, TO VISUALLY CHECK THE FLUIDS, AND WEAR COMPONENTS. I ENDED UP FINDING SLUDGE IN THE ENGINE, CREATED BY WATER IN THE OIL. WHEN DODGE/HYUNDAI OF PARAMUS CHECKED-OUT THE CAR THEY TOLD ME THE PROBLEM WAS A CLOGGED PC SYSTEM AND IT WAS NOT COVERED BY ANY WARRANY, SO I PAID FOR THE WORK. FOR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM I NOTICED THAT IT WAS LEAKING, AND WHEN THE DEALER IN PARAMUS CHECKED-OUT THE PROBLEM, THEY TOLD ME THAT SOMEONE HAD OVER-TORQUED THE OIL PAN, BLOWING OUT THE GASKET. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE WARRANTEED BY ALTMAN IN N.CHARLESTON, SINCE THEY DID THE 30K CHECK-UP. WHEN I INFORMED ALTMAN, THEY TOLD ME THAT PARAMUS SHOULD HAVE DONE THE WORK AS WARRANTEED. SO, MIKE AT ALTMAN TOLD ME I WOULD RECEIVE A REFUND, BUT I NEVER DID, AND MIKE DOEN'T WORK THERE ANYMORE, AND NO ONE ELSE KNOWS ANYTHING. I TALKED TO HYUN. MOTOR AMER. CUST. SERVICE, AND I AM CURRENTLY WAITING FOR A CALL BACK. WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS IF EITHER OF THESE IS COVERED BY WARRANTY, AND IF SO WHAT THEN?

WE WERE LEAVING FOR VACATION IN NEW JERSEY, DRIVING WESTBOUND ON I-26, AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, JUST EAST OF THE ST. GEORGE EXIT. WHEN THE SOUND OF AIR RUSHING INTO THE CAR BECAME APPARENT. THE SUN ROOF PREVIOUSLY UNOPENED THAT DAY, STARTED SHAKING, AND FLIPPED BACKWARDS DENTING THE ROOF. THE REAR CATCH BROKE OFF AND THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY THEN FLEW OFF INTO TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE WHICH NARROWLY AVOIDED THE ROOF ASSEMBLY PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE AS DID WE. THEY TOLD US THEY WERE ALRIGHT AND WE ALL THANKED GOD THEN THEY WERE ON THEIR WAY. IT WAS RATHER LATE IN THE EVENING BUT WE DECIDED TO GO TO THE DEALER ANYWAY. THE GENERAL MANAGER TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO AND TO COME BACK WHEN SERVICE WAS OPEN, THE NEXT MORNING. WE THEN WENT HOME AND CALLED LOCAL POLICE. THEY CALLED THE STATE POLICE, WHO INFORMED US THAT IT WAS A "FREAK-ACCIDENT" AND TO TALK TO THE DEALER AND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. ON SATURDAY WE WENT TO THE DEALER AND THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, JASON, TOLD US THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO UNTIL MONDAY, WHEN THEY WOULD CHECK FOR A DEFECT. IN THE MEANTIME, HE OBTAINED A RENTAL CAR FROM ENTERPRISE TO CONTINUE OUR TRIP, AND FILED THE CLAIM AS A WARRANTY PROBLEM. UPON TAKING THE CAR HOME WE FOUND THAT THE RENTAL CAR WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO INOPERABLE SIDE MIRRORS, SO WE TOOK OUR OTHER CAR. WE CALLED FROM NEW JERSEY ON MONDAY, BUT JASON WAS NOT IN AND NO ONE ELSE KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE SITUATION AND THEY SAID THEY WOULD HAVE HIM CALL. JASON CALLED THURSDAY TO INFORM US THAT THERE IS NO DEFECT AND THE PROBLEM IS NOT WARRANTEED. HE ALSO SAID THAT WE MUST RETURN THE RENTAL CAR BECAUSE THE COST WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE DEALER SINCE IT IS NEITHER A DEFECT NOR UNDER WARRANTY. JASON TOLD US TO REPLACE THE MOON ROOF THE JOB WOULD COST APPROX. $1500+, NOT INCLUDING SUBSEQUENT DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. WE THEN CALLED HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA CUSTOMER SERVICE, THE REP. TOLD US THAT IT COULD BE COVERED AS GOOD-WILL, WITH RENTAL ASSIST.

WATER PUMP AND HEAD GASKET BLEWOUT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON AND OFF WHILE CONSUMER HAS OWNED VEHICLE. THIS OCCURS MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN GAS TANK IS FILLED TO HALFWAY MARK. DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF VEHICLE, AND STILL HAS NOT RESOLVED PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

TRANSMISSION FAILED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION/ATTACHMENTS.*AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOAD. ALSO, THERE WAS A GASOLINE SMELL AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

Fire

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON A CITY STREET AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON DASHBOAD. ALSO, THERE WAS A GASOLINE SMELL AND VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. *AK

Fire

CAR STALLS, RUNS ROUGH WHEN COMING TO A STOP. I BOUGHT IT FROM THE DEALER ON 9/17/99 FOR $8,068.96 INCLUDING FINANCE CHARGES. IT HAD 45,490 MILES. NOW IT HAS 68,841 MILES. THE DEALER SAID IT WOULD COST $1,600 TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. WHEN I ASKED ABOUT TRADING IT IN, THEY TOLD ME THE VALUE OF THE CAR IS ONLY $2,000. HOW DID IT DEPRECIATE SO MUCH IN ONE YEAR? IS THERE A RECALL ON THIS CAR? IS THE DEALER REQUIRED TO REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION UP TO 100,000 MILES REGARDLESS OF WHETHER I BOUGHT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY?*AK

WHEN TRYING TO START VEHICLE SOMETIMES IT MAKES A LOUD GRINDING NOISE OR IT WILL NOT START AT ALL. CONSUMER HAS HAD 2 STARTERS PUT IN. FIRST ONE WAS WITH IN FIRST SIX MONTHS OF OWNING CAR. *AK

VEHICLE HESITATES WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED, DEALER HAS REPLACED VACUUM LINES, COIL PACK, HOSES, CRANK SENSOR BUT PROBLEM STILL EXIST, DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWED NO ABNORMALITIES. *ET

ON OR ABOUT MARCH 4, 2000, THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT, AT WHICH TIME THE DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH. BOTH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. SOON THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED. AFTER TAKING TO FARRISH IN MANASSAS, VIRGINIA, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT I THE ENGINE WAS OUT OF TIME. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AND DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TOLD I NEEDED A TUNE-UP, WHICH WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DONE AND DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM, WHICH LEADS TO MY BELIEF THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CAR NOW HEATS AND GETS HOT TO THE TOUCH AT THE FLOOR BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS FAILED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. I PLAN TOMORROW TO REVOKE MY ACCEPTANCE OF THE VEHICLE.

Crash

ON OR ABOUT MARCH 4, 2000, THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT, AT WHICH TIME THE DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH. BOTH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. SOON THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED. AFTER TAKING TO FARRISH IN MANASSAS, VIRGINIA, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT I THE ENGINE WAS OUT OF TIME. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AND DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TOLD I NEEDED A TUNE-UP, WHICH WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DONE AND DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM, WHICH LEADS TO MY BELIEF THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CAR NOW HEATS AND GETS HOT TO THE TOUCH AT THE FLOOR BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS FAILED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. I PLAN TOMORROW TO REVOKE MY ACCEPTANCE OF THE VEHICLE.

Crash

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FIRST. DRIVER, MY DAUGHTER STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG THEN DEPLOYED BURNING BOTH ARMS OF MY DAUGHTER. NO FRONTAL CONTACT AT ALL.

Crash 1 injured

ENGINE IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS BEEN REPLACED ON 3 DIFFERENT OCCASSIONS UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO, ALL FOUR WINDOWS HAVE FALLEN ONTO THE DOORS. WINDOWS HAVE BEEN REPAIRED ON 4 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 35MPH APPLIED BRAKES, AND THEY FELT VERY MUSHY. CONSUMER'S HUSBAND TOOK OVER & DROVE VEHICLE HOME, AND BRAKE PEDAL WAS GOING ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALER WAS CONTACTED & BRAKES WERE REPAIRED. THE CYLINDERS ON BOTH FRONT AND REAR BRAKES WERE LEAKING. THE CYLINDERS WERE CHANGED. MECHANIC SAID THE PARTS WERE DEFECTIVE. *AK *ML

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 20 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

Crash

CAR LOT HAS ALREADY REPLACED O2 SENSOR TWICE, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT STILL COMES ON. *AK

TRANSMISSION GEAR GETS STUCK IN PARK AND BECOMES DIFFICULT TO SHIFT INTO DRVE. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED, AND TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

THE TWO LONG ARMS ON EACH SIDE OF THE HATCHBACK WINDOWS, LIKE TWO STRUTS, HAVE A BLACK OILY SUBSTANCE COMING OUT OF THE TWO POLES. CONSUMER HAS TO PROP HATCH BACK UP WITH A STICK, CONSUMER FEELS THAT IF DOOR FALLS ON SOMEONE'S HEAD IT COULD CAUSE SERIOUS HARM. DEALER SAID THEY COULDN'T FIX IT. TOLD CONSUMER THAT THEY COULD FIX IT. *AK

WHEN TURNING THE KEY IN THE IGNITION ENGINE DOES NOT TURN OVER. DEALER HAS REPLACED STARTER/ COMPUTER AN D CRANKSHAFT, BUT PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. *AK