The Hyundai Excel marked the entry of the South Korean brand into the front-wheel-drive compact car segment, and its success led the brand to replace it with the even better Accent sedan. Being an affordable compact car, the Accent has been spectacularly reliable and it is evident from the official list of complaints and recalls against the car to date. For the 2011 model year, the Accent has faced only 33 complaints along with a single recall. The recall was issued to address a brake light switch problem while the number of affected units was just 500 units shy of 100,000. The 2011 Hyundai Accent sedan has faced complaints majorly against its powertrain, airbags, and electrical system. The car competes with other affordable compact cars in its class such as the Chevrolet Aveo, the Ford Fiesta, the Toyota Yaris, and the Kia Rio.
Hyundai Accent user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Ignition coil failure: The ignition coil failure issue has been reported against a handful of 2011 Hyundai Accent sedans. The ignition coil failures caused acceleration problems and failed prematurely. The damaged coils were replaced by the dealerships.
- Sudden and unintended accelerations: Some instances of these problems were reported against the 2011 Accent. The owners faced the issues while driving or entering parking spaces at slow speeds.
Safety problems
- Non-deployment of airbags: In a few instances, the airbags of the affected vehicles failed to deploy. Even though the impacts were quite high during the crashes, the airbags failed to deploy, causing significant injuries to the drivers and the occupants.
- Premature brake pad wearing: One case of premature brake pad wearing was reported against the 2011 Hyundai Accent. Due to the wearing, the owner had to replace the brake pads frequently since the brakes would become less effective.
Electrical problems
- Brake light switch failure: The brake light switches of some 2011 Hyundai Accent units failed. Due to the malfunctions, the taillamps failed to illuminate while the brake pedals were depressed on the affected vehicles.
Miscellaneous problems
- Steering failure: The owner of a 2011 Accent reported steering failure on his vehicle. While driving, the steering wheel of the car became too loose and started to vibrate and rattle.
- Wiper motor failure: One owner reports this issue with his 2011 Accent sedan. While driving in the pouring rain, the wiper motor of the car failed. The owner further mentioned that there were many reports on unofficial forums from other owners who faced this issue with their vehicles too but the brand did not issue any recall to fix it.
2011 Hyundai Accent recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
September 8, 2015 |
15V566000 |
Brake Light Switch may not Function |
Failure to illuminate the brake lights during braking or the inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. |
Hyundai will notify the owners, and the dealers will replace the brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on October 21, 2015. |
Should you buy a used Hyundai Accent?
The Hyundai Accent has been and is a trustworthy city car. However, it might disappoint with its subpar crash scores with both the NHTSA and the IIHS along with the scarce number of safety techs that are offered as standard. Then again, its price tag puts it on the most preferable list of shoppers on a tight budget and its zippy powertrain with the manual transmission along with its commendable reliability makes up for its drawbacks. Getting a used Accent poses no threats and a thorough inspection for the ignition coil issues and the wiper motor issues would get you a reliable city companion.
