2011 Hyundai Accent Owner Complaints

The vehicle is subject to Safety Recall 13V-113 (Campaign 131) for problems relating to the brake light switch. The recall repair was attempted in 2016 but the defect has recurred (current symptoms include but is not limited to: brake lights sporadically staying on with car off, key removed and all doors securely closed. This condition has caused the Battery to be repeatedly completely drained and has required a Battery replacement. Domino Effect of a Faulty Signal - Defective Switch causes intermittent, erratic, or "ghost" signals to the vehicles logic relays and computer elements. Logic Processor Confusion and Relay Chatter can mimic a relay or component failure and can lead to PCM, TCM, BCM faults, errors and vulnerability. Additionally and in the present case the ABS and Brake Warning Alert Lights have now come on as well on the Dashboard. These warning lights are not sporadic but are now apparently permanent. The dealership is refusing a second free repair, incorrectly claiming a "one-time fix" limit. Hyundai Corporate Case #42932438 was filed but ignored.

NHTSA ID

11755267

Incident

Jun 5, 2026

Upon opening my driver side door the handle came off in my hand. I went to open the rear driver passenger side door and that handle came off in my hand. A repair shop went to open the rear passenger side door that handle came off. My fourth attempt I went to open my passenger side door and that one opened but loose. I have to get on passenger side and shimmy over to the driver side and then drive. When I go somewhere I have to leave my driver side window down so I'm able to get back in correctly. I'm disabled and it's hard for me to swing my legs over to the driver side. So how many cars out there that have this issue. Mine cannot be the only one!!!

NHTSA ID

11644779

Incident

Jan 1, 2022

My car is experiencing the same issue as the recall on the engines for sonatas and Elantra in my year. My vehicle experienced a stall while in a drive thru the oil light illuminated and ever since then I have a ticking sound in the engine.

NHTSA ID

11584706

Incident

Apr 2, 2024

Key ignition locked, key would not turn and steering wheel locked while driving. Previously checked by Auto nation hyundai in Savannah, GA. They could not get it to lock up. Drove a few weeks and it locked up again while driving and would not unlock. Hyundai could not get it unlocked or the key to turn. Advised this is a major expense. Needs a new steering column and new ignition. This was extremely dangerous locking while driving. I would like this reviewed as a safety danger and a manufacturing problem.

NHTSA ID

11530108

Incident

Jun 20, 2023

The recall issue showed at the inspection center and this vehicle has not been in an incident

NHTSA ID

11499932

Incident

Jan 3, 2023

AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AFTER GETTING HIT IN THE FRONT END. *TR

NHTSA ID

11324093

Incident

May 8, 2020

MY 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT HAS A PERSISTENT PROBLEM WITH IGNITION COIL FAILURE LIKE OTHER COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE EVERY IGNITION COIL. THE FIRST WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, ALL OTHERS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AT COST OF OVER $1000. HYUNDAI ALSO REPLACED THE SPARK PLUGS AT THE SAME TIME. MY CAR ONLY HAS 67000 MILES ON IT, THESE ARE NOT COMPONENTS THAT SHOULD NEED REPLACING SO EARLY AND SO OFTEN. THIS CAUSES FINANCIAL HARDSHIP AS WELL AS A SAFETY RISK AS SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS AND UNSAFE LOW SPEEDS. PLEASE ISSUE A RECALL AS THIS MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS TO THE NHTSA ABOUT THIS VEHICLE HAVE TO DO WITH THIS IGNITION COIL ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11241999

Incident

Aug 4, 2019

Mileage

67,000 mi

AS WITH MANY OTHERS, HAVE ENGINE COILS GOING BAD, WHICH CAN LEAD TO MANY OTHER PROBLEMS IF NOT ADDRESSED QUICKLY. I BOUGHT THIS CAR 18 MONTHS AGO @ 33000 MILES. IT NOW HAS JUST TURNED OVER TO 40000 MILES. FIRST TIME I EVER HAD S COOL GO BAD IN 45 YEARS OF CAR OWNERSHIP. THEN FIND IT'S A HABITUAL ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11173849

Incident

Jan 29, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. AS THE CONTACT BEGAN TO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY TO 50 MPH WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT MOVED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL AND POWERED OFF THE ENGINE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED ONTO THE CURB AND TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 13627256. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

NHTSA ID

11162543

Incident

Dec 13, 2018

Mileage

35,000 mi

THE ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND I HAVE FIXED EVERYTHING FROM THE MECHANICS TO EVERYTHING ELSE IT STILL POPS UP AND THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I AM HAVING A MISSFIRE SOUND WHILE IN MOTION IT WOULD BLONK AND AT TIMES IT WOULD STAY ON AND COME OFF

NHTSA ID

11145124

Incident

May 3, 2018

Mileage

96,783 mi

I WAS DRIVING ALONG ON A CITY STREET GOING ABOUT 40MPH. AS I WAS DRIVING THE GAS PEDAL BECAME SLACK AND THE CAR STARTED ACCELERATING RAPIDLY. I HAD TO DRIVE WITH THE BREAK DEPRESSED IN ORDER TO PULL OFF THE ROAD. WHILE THE CAR WAS IN PARK, THE CAR CONTINUED TO REV. I TURNED THE CAR OFF. WHEN I STARTED THE CAR, IT WAS REVVING AS BADLY AS IT HAD BEFORE I TURNED IT OFF. CURRENTLY, THE CAR IS AT THE USED CAR DEALERSHIP, AND THEY HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO FIX IT OR EVEN HOW IT HAPPENED TO BEGIN WITH.

NHTSA ID

11113538

Incident

Jul 24, 2018

Mileage

40,000 mi

AS I WAS DRIVING WHEN I GOT UP TO A CERTAIN SPEED OVER 60 I WILL HEAR A TICKING NOISE THEN THE MOTOR WILL START TO JUMP AND THEN THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT IT DOWN

NHTSA ID

11101320

Incident

Jun 10, 2018

"TAKATA RECALL" MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR 6 MONTHS AT THE SAME TIME A RATTLE BEGAN IN THE AREA OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. I RECEIVED A CARD FROM TK HOLDINGS GIVING ME A SITE TO CHECK IF MY AIRBAG IS RECALLED. THE SITE DOES NOT WORK. THE SITE INDICATED ON THE CARD IS WWW.AIRBAGRECALL.COM. A PAGE COMES UP TO ENTER VIN BUT WHEN I ENTER IT, IT KEEPS KICKING BAG TO THE ENTER VIN PAGE. I CALLED THE NUMBER AND IT TELLS ME TO GO TO THAT PAGE. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO.

NHTSA ID

11046099

Incident

Jun 15, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND STALLED AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (WAIKEM HYUNDAI, 3748 LINCOLN WAY E, MASSILLON, OH 44646 (330) 478-0281) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A FAULTY IGNITION COIL CYLINDER TWO THAT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THIS WAS AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAD BEEN TAKEN TO WAIKEM HYUNDAI SEVERAL TIMES WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH DIFFERENT IGNITION COIL CYLINDER FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.

NHTSA ID

11010296

Incident

Mar 3, 2013

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.

NHTSA ID

10917471

Incident

Oct 16, 2016

Mileage

95,000 mi

I HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE ENGINE COILS 6 TIMES. THEY USUALLY FAIL ONE AT A TIME AND THE FIRST 5 WERE UNDER WARRANTY. THERE ARE SO MANY ISSUES WITH HYUNDAI ACCENT 2011 OWNERS AND ENGINES COILS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL. THIS IS DESPICABLE HYUNDAI.

NHTSA ID

10882613

Incident

Jun 27, 2016

Mileage

63,700 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V566000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING), THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN AT THE DEALER FIVE TIMES SINCE THE RECALL REPAIR WAS PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 19,850.

NHTSA ID

10810863

Incident

Apr 12, 2015

Mileage

19,850 mi

SINCE 2012 ONE YEAR AFTER THE PURCHASE COILS BEGAN BURNING OUT CAR KEPT STALLING ON THE HIGHWAY, CONTINUED ON 9/18/12, 9/24/12. 2/18/13. 2/17/13. 5/17/13. 1/21/14,1/29/14, 4/3/14, 4/8/14, 12/31/14 TWICE THE LATTER REQUIRED REPLACEMENT OF ALL THREE BELTS AND IGNITION COILS PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AS WELL AS LOCAL STREETS WHICH I HAD TO BE PUSHED BY POLICE OFF THE STREET ON TWO OCCASIONS. AT PRESENT THE CAR IS IN THE HYUNDAI DEALERS' SHOP FOR THE SAME REASONS AS WELL AS I WAS TOLD AFTER COILS WERE AGAIN REPLACE CAR WOULD NOT START AND THAT IT IS PROBABLE THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR NOW I AM WAITING TO SEE WHEN I CAN PICK UP THIS CAR WHICH IS IN MY OPINION A SAFETY HAZARD FOR ME IN ADDITION THE COST ASSOCIATION WITH THE REPAIRS WILL BE DETRIMENTAL TO ME IF I HAD NO INSURANCE IS A RETIRED TEACHER AND STILL NEED TRANSPORTATION TO GET AROUND BECAUSE OF ARITHITIS AND OTHER AILMENTS. I AM TRUTY AFRAID NOW OF DRIVING THIS CAR BECAUSE IT PUT ME DANGER OF GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND WHEN IT CONTINUES TO STALL ON CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS.

NHTSA ID

10790459

Incident

Nov 9, 2015

Mileage

47,549 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE BRAKES PREMATURELY WORE OUT. THE BRAKES REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,000.

NHTSA ID

10786305

Incident

Apr 10, 2015

Mileage

79,000 mi

IT ALL BEGAN IN JANUARY WHEN I HAD TO HAVE ALL FOUR COILS REPLACED. SUDDENLY FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS MY CAR BEGAN BUMPING IN IDLE, OR NOT ACCELERATING FAST ENOUGH. THOUGHT IT WAS THE AC SINCE IT'S BEEN SO HOT LATELY. TOOK IT TO HYUNDAI DEALER, THEY HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON (DIDN'T STOP THEM FROM TACKING ON 5 DIFF SERVICE RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PROBLEM). NOW I'M HAVING RANDOM FALSE STARTING ISSUES. SOMETIMES MY CAR STARTS, SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. HAD AUTOZONE CHECK BATTERY, THEY SUGGESTED I CHANGE BATTERY. BUT I TOOK MY CAR TO A MECHANIC. AS I WAITED FOR AN ORDERED BATTERY, HAD STARTUP ISSUES AGAIN AT WORK. TOOK IT INTO MECHANIC TODAY TO GET MORE IN-DEPTH INSPECTION AND THEY NOTED A ENGINE FALSE-START FLAG FROM HYUNDAI, SAID I SHOULD GO TO DEALER AGAIN. LOOKED ONLINE AND SAW WARNINGS OF RANGE SWITCH/SHIFT INTERLOCK PROBLEMS AND COMPLAINTS FROM LOTS OF 2011-2013 HYUNDAI OWNERS! PLEASE MAKE THIS A RECALL OR AT LEAST SPREAD AWARENESS TO ALL HYUNDAI DEALERS! I LOOK FORWARD TO PAYING MY CAR OFF SO I CAN SELL IT AND GET A CAR THAT WORKS!

NHTSA ID

10749701

Incident

Aug 12, 2015

Mileage

27,422 mi

MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND BEGAN TO RATTLE VERY LOUDLY PARTICULARLY GOING OVER A ROUGH SURFACE. IT SEEMS TO GETTING WORST. THERE IS RECALL FOR STEERING PROBLEMS IN THE 2011 SONATA BUT THE COMPANY SAID MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT ONE OF THEM. FROM EVERYTHING I HAVE READ THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND VERY COSTLY TO REPAIR. THIS HAPPENED WHILE IN NY AND I HAVE TO TRAVEL BACK TO FLORIDA SOON.

NHTSA ID

10732991

Incident

Jul 1, 2015

Mileage

87,000 mi

I BROUGHT MY CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AT 33000 MILES WHEN IT WAS BUCKING AND HESITATING WHEN I ACCELERATED. THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DETECT A CODE AND TOLD ME TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE PART COMPLETELY BROKE DOWN AND A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR SOON WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 25 MPH AND WAS BUCKING UP AND DOWN LIKE A PING PONG BALL. I CRAWLED INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD I NEEDED AN IGNITION COIL REPLACED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THE OTHER COILS WOULD PROBABLY GO BAD ONE BY ONE, BUT I COULDN'T HAVE THEM ALL REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY AT ONE TIME UNTIL THEY MALFUNCTIONED. I WAS VERY NERVOUS DRIVING THE CAR UNTIL IN DECEMBER 2014 ANOTHER COIL STARTED OCCASIONALLY TO ACT UP. ON SOME DAYS THE CAR WILL BUCK AND HESITATE FOR A FEW MINUTES, BUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL NOT COME ON, SO WHEN I BRING THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP, THEY CANNOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG AND THE PROBLEM CANNOT BE DUPLICATED. ON OTHER DAYS THE PROBLEM IS VERY MILD AND ONLY FOR A FEW SECONDS AND STILL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON. WHEN I HAD THE PROBLEM SEVERELY ONE DAY, I DROVE TO ANOTHER MECHANIC IN A CHAIN REPAIR FACILITY AND THEY PUT THE CAR ON A MASTER COMPUTER WHICH DETECTED A PROBLEM IN THE #4 IGNITION COIL. THEY SUGGESTED I RACE OVER TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY COULD CATCH THE PROBLEM ALSO ON THEIR MASTER COMPUTER, BUT THEY COULD NOT DETECT ANYTHING. I WANT THE #4 IGNITION COIL REPLACED UNDER THE WARRANTY BECAUSE I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN AND AM VERY NERVOUS DRIVING MY CAR AROUND IN THIS BROKEN CONDITION. THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DOES NOT COME ON AND THERE IS NO CODE STORED. MY DAUGHTER HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH HER 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. I HESITATE DRIVING MY CAR THE HOUR TO VISIT MY SON FOR FEAR I WILL SUDDENLY NEED A TOW IN AN UNFAMILIAR NEIGHBORHOOD. THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS HERE FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM WARRANTS A RECALL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10692591

Incident

Apr 15, 2014

Mileage

33,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THE REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 61,590.

NHTSA ID

10672848

Incident

Jan 9, 2015

Mileage

61,590 mi

I HADN'T HAD THIS CAR FOR SIX MONTHS BEFORE TWO COILS WENT BAD. THE TWO COILS WERE REPLACED BY THE DEALER, AND WITHIN THE NEXT THREE MONTHS THE OTHER TWO WENT. I HAD TO END OF PAYING A MECHANIC SHOP MYSELF TO REPLACE THE REMAINING TWO COILS DUE TO THE WARRANTY EXPIRING. THIS CAR IS ONLY A 2011 AND I DON'T FEEL THOSE PARTS SHOULD HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED SO SOON. THERE SHOULD DEFINITELY BE A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10661093

Incident

Aug 7, 2014

I WAS DRIVING TO GET ON XPRESSWAY GOING THIRTY FIVE MILES AN HOUR ALL AT ONCE I HAD NO GAS PEBBLE THERE WAS NOTHING LUCKY I COULD PULL OVER ON THE SIDE ALL I HAS WAS A BREAK IF I HAD GOT ON THE INTERSTATE WITH CARS TRAVELING 70 AND 80 MILES HOUR I WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD WITH TWO SMALL KIDS IN THE CAR BECAUSE THE CAR GAS P WAS GOING I GOT A TOW TO TAKE MY CAR IN AND THEY SAY THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD BROKEN , I HAVE NEVER HAS OR HEARD OF THIS HAPPEN THE CAR I TRADE IN WAS SIXTEEN YEARS OLD TOYOTA HAD OVER FOUR HUNDRED THOUSANDS MILES ON IT AND ALL WAS WRONG WITH IT WAS THE AIR THE DEALER SAY THEY NEVER HAD A CAR COME THERE WITH THOSE MANY MILES AND STILL RUNNING GREAT IT WOULD HAVE COST MORE TO REPLACE THE AIR THAN THE CAR WAS WORTH AND WE TRADE IT IN FOR A LEMON THIS CAR HAS GIVEN US PROBLEMS FIRST ALL THREE COILS WITH OUT NO POWER PLEASE CHECK INTO THIS MATTER BEFORE SOMEONEDIES , I DID RESEARCH AND NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF THE CABLE BREAKING ON A CAR . [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10648643

Incident

Oct 8, 2014

Mileage

88,320 mi