This 2021 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 4 recalls affecting the seat belts system.
Key Factor:seat belts recalls
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Safety Alert
Safety Alert: This model has a higher recall frequency (4) than the average HYUNDAI vehicle (1.7). Owners should prioritize checking these components.
4 recalls for this vehicle1.7 avg. recalls per vehicle (brand)
📋Why This Matters
Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.
Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.
Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis
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Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
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Primary Risk Area:Warning
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Vs Brand: Worse than avg (1.7)
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Summary:
Safety & Reliability Score
62/100
Score Breakdown
Recall Impact-32
Complaint Impact-0.8
Investigation Impact-5
Technical Specifications
Key specifications for the 2021 HYUNDAI Accent
Model Year2021
MakeHYUNDAI
ModelAccent
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle
Safety History Timeline
Scroll for more →
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Feb21
RECALLRecall Issued
Aug21
ISSUEFirst Report
Jun22
RECALLRecall Issued
Sep22
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Consumer Complaint Analysis
⚠️
Most Reported Issue
1 complaints (6% of total)
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Complaint Trend
Stable
No trend data
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Safety Incidents
No critical incidents
Complaint Severity Distribution
Breakdown of 16 consumer complaints by severity level.
🟠High
1(6%)
🟡Medium
1(6%)
🟢Low
14(88%)
Mileage Failure Analysis
⚙️Engineering Insight
Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 25,300 miles.
📊 Mileage data extracted from 1 of 16 complaints (6% coverage)
0-20k
0 reports (0%)
20k-40k
1 reports (100%)
40k-60k
0 reports (0%)
60k-80k
0 reports (0%)
80k-100k
0 reports (0%)
100k+
0 reports (0%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.
🛠️ DIY Diagnosis Center
Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).
Primary Risk Areas
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULICSEAT BELTSSTEERING
Official Safety Recalls (4)
Campaign: 21V937000
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER
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Summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Accent vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.
Consequence
Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 213.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 22V069000
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
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Summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Consequence
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 24, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 219. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-796. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 22V311000
STEERING:COLUMN
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Summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Accent vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Consequence
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 226.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
Campaign: 22V354000
SEAT BELTS:FRONT
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Summary
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.
Consequence
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Remedy
Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
Additional Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.
NHTSA Investigations
1 investigation
Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 Accent.
INV-2021-1000🟢 Closed
NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Accent performance issues.
Opened: Affected Units: 31,386
Consumer Complaints
16 total complaints
Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 Accent.
Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis
Warning6%
Acceleration Issues6%
Battery6%
Stuck6%
Fire6%
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 40 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed; however, the contact was informed there was no fault found with the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Electrical🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,SERVICE BRAKES
Hard time stopping and controlling the vechile
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ENGINE
The contact leased a 2021 Hyundai Accent through Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power for about 5 seconds while accelerating and decelerating through traffic. The contact stated that he was able to duplicate the failure five times and related the failure to the engine; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact returned the vehicle to Enterprise Rent-A-Car and `informed them about the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Steering/Suspension🔵 Low
WHEELS
During a tire swap, another lug nut broke off while trying to remove it. This issue has occurred before, and it seems that the faulty lug nut problem is still present. The car has only been serviced at Hyundai dealerships, and the tires were last rotated during a service at an authorized Hyundai dealership before this incident. The affected lug nut this time was on the front passenger side.
Engine/Powertrain🔵 Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE
My 2021 Hyundai accent has randomly not started a in more than 10 different times. The lights go on and you can hear it trying to start but it never catches to actually start. It’s under warranty but the dealer says if they can’t see it when it’s happening then they can’t fix anything. I bought a new battery with dealer recommendations but I still hace they problem. I only have 25,300 miles on this 2 year old car.
Steering/Suspension🔵 Low
WHEELS
This is the fourth lugnut/stud that has failed. This time it was during routine maintenance at an authorized dealership during tire rotation.
Steering/Suspension🔵 Low
WHEELS
Fifth lug nut failure within a span of less than 6 months. Today during winter to summer tire snow change, front passenger side lug nut broke while it was being removed. This is the 4th incident in my vehicle with regards to the lug nuts. Less than two weeks ago, during routine maintenance at a Hyundai dealership, another lugnut broke and I have also registered a complaint here.
Safety Systems🔵 Low
SEAT BELTS
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Accent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V354000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Safety Systems🔵 Low
SEAT BELTS
UNKNOWN (RECALL SEATBELT)
Steering/Suspension🔵 Low
WHEELS
The studs and the lug nuts have consistently cross-threading and corrosion issues in a barely-year-old vehicle. I have had to visit the dealer twice to have this problem fixed and paid out of pocket. This started to happen ever since my last service at a Hyundai dealership. I suspect that this is because of low quality or defective lugnuts/studs that are being used, which is causing the lugnuts to be stuck and break off while trying to remove them. 2 of the lugnuts and studs in the vehicle had to be broken off to be removed last week (11/28/22). Yesterday (12/04/2022) during a tire change, another lugnut/stud broke off during removal. Hyundai should look into this faulty lugnuts/stud problem and have it resolved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any recalls for the 2021 HYUNDAI Accent?
Yes, the 2021 HYUNDAI Accent has 4 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:MASTER CYLINDER, SEAT BELTS:FRONT, STEERING:COLUMN.
Is the 2021 HYUNDAI Accent safe to drive?
The 2021 HYUNDAI Accent has 4 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.
Where can I check if my 2021 HYUNDAI Accent has open recalls?
You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local HYUNDAI dealer.
📊Year-over-Year Context
➡️Stable Pattern
Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.
🎯Risk Areas & Recommended Actions
Based on recall data, these components require verification:
1
Seat belts
Issue: increases occupant injury risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm seat belts recalls are complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all seat belts recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaigns:22V06900022V354000
2
Service brakes, hydraulic
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm service brakes, hydraulic recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all service brakes, hydraulic recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:21V937000
3
Steering
Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk
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If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm steering recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.
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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all steering recalls are completed before purchase.
Campaign:22V311000
💡Visit NHTSA.gov or contact your HYUNDAI dealer to verify recall completion status.
🧭What This Means for You
Families with young passengers, pregnant drivers, or those with frequent highway commutes should prioritize this information.
If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.
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If You Own This Vehicle
Verify all 4 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your HYUNDAI dealer.
If any recalls are open, schedule service immediately—recall repairs are always free.
Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used
Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.