2017 Hyundai Accent Owner Complaints

I have replaced the GDI engine on the 2017 Hyundai Accent once. I have also had the catalytic converter replaced 3x. The car lunges as if there will be another catalytic converter issue soon. Hyuandi recommended a fuel induction completion to prevent the issue from occurring again, but it did. This is a safety issue because the car and stall out at any given time. The cause of this issue has yet to be detected. It is believe a recall is needed on the GDI engine and catalytic converter.

NHTSA ID

11751176

Incident

Jun 20, 2026

While traveling on a public roadway under wet conditions, the vehicle was unable to stop within a safe distance despite brake application, resulting in a rear-end collision with the vehicle ahead. The primary concern is that the airbags did not deploy during the impact, despite significant front-end damage. The collision caused severe deformation of the hood and extensive damage to the front-left area, including the fender, bumper, and headlight assembly, with visible intrusion into the engine compartment. The vehicle was subsequently determined to be a total loss, which raises concerns about whether the airbag system functioned as intended under these impact conditions. Prior to the incident, there were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications of a malfunction. The issue has not been reproduced or evaluated by a dealer or independent service center due to the extent of the damage. The incident was documented by responding law enforcement, and the vehicle has been reported to an insurance carrier. The failure of the airbags to deploy in a collision resulting in severe front-end damage may have increased the risk of injury to the driver. The vehicle is no longer available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11741551

Incident

Jun 2, 2026

I have had this vehicle for 5 years and even replaced the engine in this vehicle for it to end up with the same issue. I take very good care of it and get its maintenance done. But the car is slow to get up to speed and misfires really bad. I replaced the spark plugs in it and they were coated in oil. The airbag sensor will come on indicating it’s not operating properly. Overall a very unreliable vehicle that has multiple issues. It has ended in catastrophic engine failure twice now

NHTSA ID

11721938

Incident

Feb 25, 2026

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 115,000. It was later discovered upon checking the Carfax Report, that the mileage was 176,504.

NHTSA ID

11713961

Incident

Jan 28, 2026

Mileage

176,504 mi

For the past year I keep having to replace the catalytic converter, ignition coils and spark plugs every 2/3months. I just replaced the catalytic converter in October with a tune up. A month later had to replace spark plugs.

NHTSA ID

11703911

Incident

Nov 18, 2025

I purchased my car in February I was told everything was fine, my car does this jerking everytime I drive sometimes acceleration is slow at first I took my car to carmax and was told the issue was fixed unfortunately my car is still having this issue it’s upsetting because this is my first car & I shouldn’t have this issue when it was supposed to be fixed before my warranty ended.

NHTSA ID

11691442

Incident

Apr 30, 2025

On [XXX] driving home from Crestline to Covina. My car died to get onto the on ramp at the [XXX] I had to pull over to a side street. My brakes weren’t working no indication light came on. I had it towed to Fontana Hyundai where they did a diagnostic And said my catalytic converter was the problem they had one in stock they replaced it sidenote, I had an oil change the week before. I took the car home. I drove back to Crestline on Monday. My family was with me. My car was throwing smoke on acceleration. I took it back to the dealer. I left it the next day I had no phone call despite sending a text and a phone call message with no response. I picked up the car the following day at three. I was told they drove it and they had no problems And that the problem was my fault basically. I was told I needed a new engine. They didn’t know when it would happen. I filed a complaint with Hyundai. I requested a Goodwill request and was just informed today. It was denied due to not enough maintenance records. I had the oil changed regularly on that car. I had no prior problems with the engine. I am left now without a car and a $2500 bill and still no car and I’d like to know if there’s any action I can take moving forward. I did not get a phone call to say that my Goodwill claim was denied. It was just an email. Thank you in advance, Laura. I have more oil change receipts here. I also lived in the inland Empire for a while, and probably have more in those cities, but I don’t know where I got the oil changes and I didn’t have copies in my car. They denied my claim because I didn’t have enough maintenance records although I maintained the car and their catalytic converter broke my engine and I have no car now. We’d I took my car to Sako’s auto. He checked my oil. I had no oil in the engine and that was after my catalytic converter was repaired. My car is broken. They won’t fix it. I need to know what to do. I am not happy with this decision. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B

NHTSA ID

11681977

Incident

Jul 22, 2025

To preference, I have only owned this vehicle for less than six months, and that the only major issue concerning the vehicle was the replacement of the catalytic converter manifold. On the afternoon of [XXX] I was coming to a complete stop at a very busy 4-way located in Peach County, GA when the power to the entire vehicle was shut down. There was difficulty attempting to turn over the key in ignition, so with the help from a passerby I was able to push my vehicle to a safe location nearby as my vehicle was idle in the middle of a populated 4-way intersection, putting my and others’ safety at risk. As I go to check under the hood, I look for any components out of place and to check fluids. I check my oil dipstick to notice that there was metal residue in my oil, something that was not present previous to my commute in the area. As I am now able to turn over the ignition, a sputtering noise begins to emit from the engine, a noise that was also not present previous to my commute. Within the hour I was able to move my car, albeit slowly to a U-Haul location; it should also be known that my check engine light appeared in the process (no warning lamps were present on the vehicle prior to the engine failure). I returned home and instantly got in contact with my technician who does repairs to my car and he confirmed after inspecting the oil and noise from the engine that it was engine failure and that there may have been a ‘recall on the engine’ as did another mechanic I advised with. I called my local dealership about any recalls on my vehicle to which they said no, I then called the customer service hotline to begin a claim on my vehicle: I asked questions in relations to warranty, the previous owner, service history that may have went undocumented all with it being that the conclusion from the operator was that the warranty that was attached to the vehicle was expired and that it would not have covered the repair of the engine anyway. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.

NHTSA ID

11661204

Incident

May 10, 2025

I had two different mechanics I trust tell me that this car has a particular engine that had an error in manufacturing, but Hyundai didn't correct it, because it would cost them too much. The error is heavy oil burning, such that it destroys the catalytic converter. I am now on my third catalytic converter in this car, and the check-engine light is beginning to flicker. Mechanic recommended contacting Hyundai corporate to file a complaint. He knows of others with this same engine, and dealers in New Hampshire have been able to get new engine replacements. I tried to call Hyundai corporate, but they refuse to take any information from me and tell me I would have to buy a new engine if I want to replace it. Mechanics have said that the cost would be heavy for Hyundai if they admitted the problem. But they must be aware of the problem, since they have replaced some engines for people who have the time and money to chase them around. The problem developed well before the 100,000 mile warrantee expired. The car is now over that limit, but the issue was first reported before that limit was reached.

NHTSA ID

11625791

Incident

Feb 15, 2022

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated while the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's vehicle was involved in a head-on collision. The contact stated that the oncoming vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign, and resulted in a head-on collision. In addition, the contact stated that it resulted in a five-vehicle crash. The contact's vehicle was severely damaged to the entire front of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact's vehicle was towed to the local tow yard. The paramedics and the police arrived on the scene. A Police Report was filed, however the information was unavailable. There were a total of four occupants in the vehicle. There were two adults seated in the front seats and two minor children seated in the rear seat. All four passengers were transported to the local medical center. All four passengers sustained concussions and received medical treatment. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 144,000.

NHTSA ID

11624719

Incident

Nov 11, 2024

Mileage

144,000 mi

My catalytic converter failed on my car and will eventually needed a new engine. I was driving a busy road doing about 55 miles per hour and my car suddenly dropped down to 3-5 miles per hour without warning now flashing light on the dash nothing. I could have been killed or hit causing a multi car accident. I was so scared and it was so hot I thought my engine was going to blow. I coasted back into the auto place that just preformed my oil change thinking they had done something wrong. They did a throughall diagnostic of my car and my car was read that my catalytic converter was bad. So I then got my car to the Pearson Hyundai dealership where there formally diagnosed my car stating that I needed to replace my catalytic converter for 2500 - 3000, but I had done my research and new it was a known problem. People in several Hyundai Forums have been complaining about this same issue. I asked for assistance in getting my car repaired from Pearson Hyundai, Hyundai USA, and I even wrote a letter to the CEO of Hyundai to no avail. I have been without my car since June. Hyundai has a real issue with oil consumption, bad catalytic converters and they need to replace my engine warranty or not. I feel my vehicle is very unsafe and I am nervous to drive it. I can't drive it if I wanted to more then a few feet because it chokes up and the goes 3-5 miles per hour feel like it is going to die at any moment. I am asking that Hyundai take ownership of it's faulty car parts and do the right thing by its consumers. Anything could have happened to me in that day in June and it seems nobody is worried about it. Hyundai can not just pick and chose who gets a replacements when other models are having the same issue. There were no prior warning lights or signs other than the error code that the auto place provided.

NHTSA ID

11623218

Incident

Jun 8, 2024

Passenger air bag dosent work. Dosent sense when someone is in the seat, the air bag light is on the dash.

NHTSA ID

11604577

Incident

Jan 18, 2023

Bad engine crankshaft, engine is still under 150k miles. Experiencing same issues as other models with this engine have. Other vehicles have received a recall for engine and extended warranty protection but not this model Pressing on gas throttle but low acceleration or none in some instances

NHTSA ID

11595882

Incident

Jun 2, 2024

Blown engine. Hole in engine block. Defective engine.

NHTSA ID

11595225

Incident

May 29, 2024

I have already submitted a report here and never had any follow up and I don't see it in the reported complaints section of this website with newer incidents already showing so I know it isn't that there is a back log. my car caught on fire while I was in the car, asleep. I have reports from the fire department, I have struggled with Hyundai for months and ultimately was denied any assistance due to I was missing one of two service records. the fire report clearly stated that fire started in the cabin of the car not the engine so a lack of an oil change shouldn't have been the reason this happened. this event has traumatized me and continues to be an enormous burden on me and my family and their lack of caring is beyond disheartening. I easily could have died that day, by all accounts I should have. I would greatly appreciate some sort of follow-up as I feel like I'm just being completely ignored and discredited. I would gladly provide more information as to the actual incident if needed but like I said I have already done so in another report and don't want to do it again if it's just going to be ignored a second time.

NHTSA ID

11578557

Incident

Sep 23, 2023

Side marker light in the passenger side (PS) headlight assembly IS NOT working. Headlight (high beam and low beam) and combination turn signal/parking light ARE working. First noticed Feb 2024. Malfunctioning marker light will cause vehicle to fail annual state safety inspection. Problem is not intermittent. Car hasn't been inspected by dealer or other shop, dealer wants $169 to inspect/troubleshoot. Owner evaluation, PS headlight assy, marker light bulb and socket are undamaged, there is no corrosion, car has not been in a crash, functioning bulb/socket from DS installed in PS did not function. Hyundai has issued (at least) 2 technical service bulletins for excessive moisture in headlight assys. Electrical circuit for malfunctioning light is internal to the light fixture. Since 2 of the 3 lights in the headlight assy ARE working, suggests the headlight assembly is at fault. I have yet to check if there is 12V at the wire harness plug on the pin that supplies electricity to the marker light.

NHTSA ID

11577125

Incident

Feb 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated after the failure. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove to the dealer; however, the vehicle stalled twice while in transit to the dealer. The dealer replaced the engine cylinder, catalytic converter, and various other engine parts. Months after the repair, the contact stated that the failure returned, and the vehicle was taken back to the dealer. The contact was informed that the compression in the engine was low and that the engine needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a claim was filed; however, the claim was later denied. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 138,400.

NHTSA ID

11573442

Incident

Aug 22, 2023

Mileage

138,000 mi

My car slowly started losing power and was not able to accelerate. My car would not go over 5 miles an hour as I pushed on the peddle. The engine was making noises every time I pushed on the peddle. My check engine light was also on. I got my car towed to AAA where they informed me that there was no oil in my engine and my engine was severely damaged. My last oil change was October 24, 2023 at 102,132 miles. I was advised my next oil change would be around 106,000. My car was reported with no oil on December 30, 2023 at 104,349 miles. My car is deemed ineligible for an extended warranty for my engine despite the recent engine recalls for Hyundais and having my car experience similar symptoms as other Hyundais with the same engine problem.

NHTSA ID

11563569

Incident

Dec 29, 2023

October 2017 I purchased a 2017 Hyundai Accent. During my very first month driving this car right bumper clip broke. As I was under warranty took car in complained to the dealership. A tech came out and basically wacked it back in place. So now I notice both left and right sides of bumper are off track. My son is a licensed mechanic. Before I took it back to dealership he had checked and said mom your clip is broke. So he looks back under it again and now BOTH clips are broke. On 9/13/17 go back in. Hyundai notes in my paperwork clips are broke but failed to repair again at a little over 30,000 miles they note it again and failed to repair. This is a safety issue and I feel it should be a recall. The clips are cheap plastic and if it comes off I fear I will be in an accident.I have also been throwing PODS module defect codes and they just keep resetting it.This air light and OCS mat defect has shown up since I first purchased the car. So for 6 years code just keeps getting reset. After calling Hyundai they are FINALLY going to repair it. So my family has been endangered for 6 years. I'm also throwing a catalytic code and that's been going on since a little over 50,000.I called a local Hyundai dealership and was told warrenty only covers a certain part of the converter. I'm at 79,000 and fed mandates say manufacturer must cover it up to 80,000. I don't know what to do and all codes just keep being reset. Car is currently undergoing a fuel consumption test as it's been eating oil like crazy since a little over 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11561024

Incident

Dec 20, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passenger’s side air bag warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after a visual inspection of the vehicle, she became aware that the vehicle was leaking oil. The check engine warning light was also illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with failures to the passenger’s side occupant sensor and the catalytic converter. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11557888

Incident

Jan 15, 2017

Like many of the other complaints, in 2 years I have now replaced 3 catalytic converters. Everything will be fine and then BAM car stops working. No one can find any other issues. The car is in the shop again after the engine misfire light came on. Let’s see what it is this time. I am guessing it is an engine problem but no matter how many times I look, there are no recalls. Not sure what else I can do

NHTSA ID

11557579

Incident

Nov 29, 2023

1. The engine loses power at different random times, for no apparent or obvious reason. This loss of power has happened at low and high speeds. Nothing seems to proceed the loss of power, it can happen at interstate speeds and at low speeds such as 25mph zones. 2. Driver side seat belt does lot stay latched. It unlatches when any pressure at all is applied.

NHTSA ID

11555503

Incident

Sep 13, 2023

This car has a GDI engine, which is now known to be defective due to excessive oil consumption. I bought the car used, with Hyundai's certified inspection before selling it to me. While my daughter was driving the car on the highway, the engine suddenly balked and stopped. She pulled over to the side of the road and called for assistance. As I write this, there is still no recall on anything pertaining to the car. The mechanic said that the catalytic converter was destroyed. Oil consumption had damaged and then destroyed it, which was becoming a known thing about the GDI engines. Hyundai refuses to acknowledge the problem officially, but there is anecdotal information that some drivers with GDI engines are being given new, replacement engines to keep everything under the radar. NOTE: the first catalytic converter went bad before the 100,000 mile warrantee, but Hyundai said that the warrantee didn't cover it. I called a local dealer for an inspection; they told me that they had no one in the bays and they'd call me back. I never received any call back. I cannot afford to buy a new car, so I had a new catalytic converter installed. As predicted, the replacement converter was destroyed, also by oil consumption. I had to replace that one after the warrantee expired. I am now driving on a third catalytic converter, and suspect that it will be destroyed in about another year or so. Meanwhile, I've passed the warrantee period, and Hyundai never even took a look at it before the expiration time. My mechanic told me that Hyundai is trying to keep this quiet, because it would cost them a huge amount of money to replace those GDI engines. Meanwhile, there is a danger that if someone has that engine and doesn't know to keep pouring oil into it, they could seize up on the highway and crash. And they'll have to replace catalytic converters if the engine is not fixed or changed.

NHTSA ID

11554336

Incident

Aug 25, 2023

My airbag check engine light kept going on and off for a couple weeks. A diagnostic was done on it at the auto repair shop and they told me the pods module came back with an error. They said with this malfunction none of the airbags will deploy if there's an accident, which is a huge safety risk. They said it will cost $2500 to fix but Hyundai had an airbag recall out where the airbags will not deploy in an accident, it just didn't include 2017 Hyundai Accent. I believe this may be part of a recall, that 2017 may need to be included in the formal recall. I have an appointment scheduled with a Hyundai dealership to get another diagnostic at the end of November but I'm sure they will say the same thing is wrong. I just want to see if 2017's are actually part of the recall and save other people the trouble of driving a faulty car and having to pay over $2000 for an issue that's actually a recall. This is my family's only car and I won't be able to afford to fix this issue right now, so I'm worried about using the car with faulty airbags and risking everyone's life.

NHTSA ID

11552290

Incident

Oct 10, 2023

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal knocking sound with the check engine and oil warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle stalled and her granddaughter was able to pull the vehicle off to the shoulder of the roadway. Due to the failure, the vehicle was initially towed to the contact's home. The contact called the dealer but was offered no assistance. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with engine failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle remained in the possession of the independent mechanic unrepaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA ID

11539201

Incident

Aug 13, 2023