The 1996 Hyundai Accent has 4 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 209,830 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 142 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
SUSPENSION02V3410002002-12-2046,828 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD IN OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST VIRGINIA, WISCONSIN, AND THE…
Consequence
SEVERE CORROSION COULD RESULT IN PERFORATION AND POTENTIAL FRACTURE OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARM. IF THIS FRACTURE OCCURS, THE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY REMAINS CONNECTED TO THE CHASSIS THROUGH THE FORWARD LOWER CONTROL ARM PIVOT POINT AND THROUGH THE STRUT ATTACHMENT TO THE UPPER WHEELHOUSE. REDUCED CONTROL OF THE…
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS AND, IF NECESSARY, WILL REPLACE ONE OR BOTH FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS IF STRUCTURAL DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED. OWNER NOTIFICATION WILL BEGIN ON JUNE 10, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE…
SUSPENSION98V2450001998-10-0664,967 affected
Defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING "SALT BELT" STATES: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA, MISSOURI, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, WEST…
Consequence
IF THE FRONT COIL SPRING BREAKS, IT CAN BECOME DISPLACED FROM ITS SEATED POSITION, AND CAN CONTACT A TIRE. TIRE DAMAGE CAN RESULT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING GUIDE TO PREVENT A BROKEN COIL SPRING FROM CONTACTING AND DAMAGING A TIRE.
VISIBILITY97V0260001997-02-2674,965 affected
Defect
THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY.
Consequence
THIS CONTAMINATION INTERFERES WITH THE ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT CONTINUITY AND PREVENTS THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR FROM OPERATING. INOPERATIVE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAN CONTRIBUTE TO REDUCED VISIBILITY DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER INCREASING THE RISK OF A VEHICLE CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.
SUSPENSION96V1130001996-07-0123,070 affected
Defect
THROUGH CONTACT WITH ROAD HAZARDS AND CURBS, THE LOWER CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY CAN SHIFT FROM ITS ORIGINAL POSITION.
Consequence
THE SHIFTED LOCATION CAN RESULT IN IMPROPER WHEEL ALIGNMENT AND INCREASED STEERING EFFORT INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REINFORCE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MEMBER ASSEMBLY ATTACHMENT TO THE UNDERBODY.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
18
15crashes2fires13injuries
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
17
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
10
TIRES
6
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES:DOORS:LATCH
5
STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
5
SUSPENSION:FRONT
5
SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS
5
1crashes
AIR BAGS
4
VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD
4
Total complaints142
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 hyundai accent. The contact stated that while the driver was traveling 65 mph, the lower control arm failed, the tire turned sideways into the fender and the vehicle dropped to the ground. The vehicle was towed his residence. The vehicle was not inspected or repaired.…”
“Tl*the contact owns a 1996 hyundai accent. While driving 15 mph, the contact lost control of the vehicle and it stopped suddenly. The suspension split in half due to corrosion and the lower control arm collapsed. He was able to place the vehicle in reverse and drove back into his driveway. The…”
“Dt*: the contact stated, the service dealer refused to honor recall # 02v341000 for the front lower control arm. The vehicle was inspected in august of 2003. The front lower control arm on the right side was replaced in 2005 and the left side front lower control arm was replaced in august 8, 2006,…”
“Dt*: the contact stated while the vehicle was being repaired for other recalls, upon inspection it was discovered the front coil springs and upper mounting brackets were cracked. There is nhtsa recall # 98v245000, regarding the front coil springs. The front coil springs were replaced under recall…”
“There was a recall on a 96 hyundai accent, received letter in mail about two years ago, took car to repair center at that time tech said everything was fine. On jan 30,2006 was driving car and front control arm snapped pertaining to the recall that was done. Called hyundai corp was just told to…”
“Manual transmission fails to shift into 2nd gear, 4th gear, or reverse. (into any of the down shifting positions) there seems to be no pattern to predict when this problem will appear. I've experienced problems on surface streets, freeways, and when just starting the car or mid trip. *jb”
“Consumer received recall notice 98v245000 concerning front coil spring. The driver took vehicle to the dealership, and mechanic told consumer that he could not fix it due to the struts being corroded.*ak”
“Consumer received recall notice 98v245000 concerning front coil spring. The driver took vehicle to the dealership, and mechanic told consumer that he could not fix it due to the struts being corroded.*ak”
Defect investigations
InvestigationEA00001 Opened 2000-01-05 · closed 2001-03-09
PASSENGER AIR BAG RELATED
There is no summary currently available
InvestigationPE02055 Opened 2002-07-02 · closed 2002-12-20
FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM
ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2002 HYUNDAI AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC. (HYUNDAI) SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT REGARDING APPROXIMATELY 47,000 1995 AND 1996 HYUNDAI ACCENT VEHICLES REGISTERED IN SALT BELT STATES.ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI, THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH AN…
InvestigationPE02055 Opened 2002-07-02 · closed 2002-12-20
FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM
ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2002 HYUNDAI AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC. (HYUNDAI) SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT REGARDING APPROXIMATELY 47,000 1995 AND 1996 HYUNDAI ACCENT VEHICLES REGISTERED IN SALT BELT STATES.ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI, THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH AN…
InvestigationPE02055 Opened 2002-07-02 · closed 2002-12-20
FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARM
ON DECEMBER 18TH, 2002 HYUNDAI AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER, INC. (HYUNDAI) SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT REGARDING APPROXIMATELY 47,000 1995 AND 1996 HYUNDAI ACCENT VEHICLES REGISTERED IN SALT BELT STATES.ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI, THESE VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER CONTROL ARMS WITH AN…
InvestigationPE99046 Opened 1999-07-07 · closed 2000-01-05
PASSENGER AIR BAG RELATED FATALITIES
ODI IS AWARE OF SEVEN FATALITIES OF CHILDREN (EXCLUDING CHILDREN IN REAR FACING CHILD SAFETY SEATS)THAT WERE CAUSED BY THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAGS IN MINOR OR MODERATE SEVERITY CRASHES INVOLVING MODEL YEAR 1995 THROUGH 1997 HYUNDAI ACCENT VEHICLES.TWO OF THE SEVEN FATALITIES OCCURRED IN PUERTO…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 1996 Hyundai Accent as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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