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2008 Hyundai AccentProblems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 101 owner complaints about the 2008 Hyundai Accent, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 1 safety recall.

2008 Hyundai Accent
47
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1.1× the Accent median · #9 of 28 years by complaints
Safety recalls1Free fix at dealersOwner complaints10119 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage54kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through April 14, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2008 Hyundai Accent has problems

101 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags347
Visibility/wiper172
Service brakes101
Exterior lighting100
Electrical system81
Visibility70
Structure61
Engine and engine cooling50
Engine41
15 other systems242

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

1 recall

2008 Hyundai Accent recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

–no report yet

Brake lights: switch

Recall 13V-113 · Apr 1, 2013 · 1,712,336 vehicles

Risk. Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Hyundai.

Mileage at failure

When do air bags problems start?

54kmiles, median

Based on the odometer reading in 28 air bags complaints. 86% were reported before 100,000 miles.

median0k50k100k150k200k+
10under 30k miles24under 100k miles4100k miles or more
Best & worst years

2008 vs. every other Accent year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Accent median. How we score

'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2008 Hyundai Accent safety ratings

2008 Hyundai Accent 2-DR. w/SAB in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: No
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Accent owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

08 ACCENT GS, AIRBAG LIGHT ON WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT OR UNUSUAL DRIVING. ITS A SAFETY ISSUE. HYUNDAI SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS ISSUE SINCE MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM.
Complaint 11387571 · Jan 11, 2021 · 127,100 miles
AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYS ON. WAS INFORMED BY MULTIPLE MECHANICS IN THE AREA THAT IS A KNOWN SAFETY AND SYSTEM MALFUNCTION ISSUE WITH THE 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT HATCHBACK MODELS AND NOT SURE WAY A RECALL HAS NOT BEEN ISSUED.
Complaint 11309847 · Feb 18, 2020 · 100,850 miles
TAKATA RECALL: AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON AND CAR CANNOT BE INSPECTED. ALSO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYS ON. REMOVED PASSENGER AND DRIVER SEATS TO CHECK SENSORS/WIRES BUT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM
Complaint 11191297 · Mar 25, 2019 · 12,500 miles

Own a 2008 Accent?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.