Recalls & safety ratings

1996 HYUNDAI ACCENT

Every NHTSA recall campaign covering the 1996 HYUNDAI ACCENT, and the crash-test ratings for the body styles that were tested.
  • 4
    Recalls
  • 121
    Owner complaints
  • 3
    Investigations

Sourced from NHTSA recall and safety-rating data — last checked 4 September 2026.

4 recall campaigns

A campaign usually covers only part of a model year's production, so it may not apply to a particular car. Check the VIN to be certain.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

NHTSA campaign 02V341000 · HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY

Summary

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 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. DURING WINTER MONTHS, LARGE QUANTITIES OF SALT ARE USED TO DE-ICE ROADS. THIS ROAD SALT COULD RESULT IN CORROSION OF THE FRONT LOWER CONTROL ARMS.

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 FRONT WHEEL LOCATION INCREASES THE RISK OF A CRASH.

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 REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Notes

HYUNDAI RECALL NO. 058. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

VISIBILITY:WINDSHIELD WIPER/WASHER:MOTOR

NHTSA campaign 97V026000 · HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Summary

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.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION: OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN MARCH 18, 1997. NOTE: OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-829-9956. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:SPRINGS:COIL SPRINGS

NHTSA campaign 98V245000 · HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Summary

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 VIRGINIA, AND WISCONSIN. DURING WINTER MONTHS, THE ROAD SALT USED TO DE-ICE ROADS CAN RESULT IN CORROSION THAT CAUSES PITS TO FORM ON THE LOWER COIL OF THE FRONT SPRINGS ALLOWING CRACKS TO DEVELOP. THIS CAN RESULT IN BREAKAGE OF THE LOWER SPRING COIL.

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.

Notes

OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN NOVEMBER 25, 1998. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-829-9956. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

NHTSA campaign 96V113000 · HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Summary

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.

Notes

SYSTEM: SUSPENSION; CONTROL ARM; LOWER. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES SOLD AND OPERATED IN PUERTO RICO. OWNER NOTIFICATION: OWNER NOTIFICATION IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING AUGUST 1996. NOTE: OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI DE PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-800-424-9393.

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings

NHTSA crash-tests vehicles and rates them out of five stars. More stars mean a safer car. Ratings are per body style, so a model can appear more than once below.

1996 Hyundai Accent 4-DR.

Overall
Not rated

Frontal crash

Not rated
Driver
Passenger

Side crash

Not rated
Driver
Not rated
Passenger
Not rated
Pole
Not rated

Rollover

Not rated

0% chance of rollover in a single-vehicle crash.

  • Electronic stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No

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