1997 Hyundai Accent problems & reliability
55 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 1997 Hyundai Accent. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
4 complaints report injuries (4 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Engine and Engine Cooling → | 15 | 27% |
| Power Train → | 13 | 24% |
| Air Bags → | 11 | 20% |
| Suspension | 7 | 13% |
| Electrical System | 6 | 11% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 4 | 7% |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 3 | 5% |
| Equipment | 2 | 4% |
| Steering | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Latches/locks/linkages · filed Jun 13, 2011
“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…”
Air Bags · filed Dec 19, 2007
“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…”
Service Brakes, Hydraulic · filed Aug 13, 2007
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- FUEL TANK CRACKING
Recall Query RQ00017 · opened Sep 16, 2000 · closed Oct 20, 2000 · led to recall 00V095002
- PASSENGER AIR BAG RELATED
Engineering Analysis EA00001 · opened Jan 5, 2000 · closed Mar 9, 2001
- PASSENGER AIR BAG RELATED FATALITIES
Preliminary Evaluation PE99046 · opened Jul 7, 1999 · closed Jan 5, 2000
Technical service bulletins
55 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 1997 Hyundai Accent. The 10 most recent:
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of…
23-BD-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 30, 2023
Hyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the vehicleâ  s ownerâ  s manual. ï · Use of other ATF may result in improper shift quality or other drivability conditions. ï · Use…
21-AT-006H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2021
This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing. Perform the procedure outlined in this bulletin to fulfill the Bearing Clearance Test inspection requirements to…
21-EM-004H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 30, 2021
This bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service procedures.
21-BR-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 23, 2021
This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
21-EM-003H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 10, 2021
This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area.
20-BR-002H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 30, 2020
This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the â Tire Balance Data Sheetâ must be fully completed including…
20-SS-004H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 19, 2020
This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to moisture accumulation in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. The TSB illustrates the various causes of…
20-BD-014H · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2020
This bulletin provides information on tire maintenance best practices and procedures for dealers and customers to maximize tire life and performance.
20-SS-002H(1) · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 6, 2020
This bulletin describes the general guidelines to help disinfect and protect vehicle exterior/interior surfaces using recommended safe chemical products.
20-BD-007H-1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 1, 2020
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 1997 Hyundai Accent in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 1997 Hyundai Accent?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.