There are 6 owner-reported engine complaints for the 2008 Hyundai Accentin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I have a 2008 Hyundai Accent. It only has 55,000 miles. However, the engine is failing. After doing reading, it is obvious that this vehicle has manufacturer engine defects. I am 81 years old. What do I do now. I did not want to purchase another vehicle. I would like Hyundai to replace this engine without cost to me. I have own cars with 89,000 miles that did not have engine defects.
ON NOVEMBER 14, 2014, AFTER COMING TO A STOP,THE ENGINE SHUT OFF ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, REQUIRING ME TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO PARK OR NEUTRAL TO RESTART IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED 19 TIMES SINCE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS MAY HAPPEN WHILE I AM IN MOTION AND THAT IF IT DID IT MIGHT CAUSE ANOTHER VEHICLE TO CRASH INTO MINE. I HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE INTO OUR LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED USED IN JULY 2014 TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM FIXED. THE ENGINE CAME TO A STOP WHILE IT WAS ON THEIR LIFT BEING CHECKED OUT. HOWEVER, THE COMPUTER DID NOT PROVIDE ANY CODE TO ENABLE THEM TO FIX IT. THEY SUGGESTED PUTTING 2 BOTTLES OF DRY GAS IN THE TANK BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALERTED THEM THAT THIS CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT SINCE THE COMPUTER FINDS NOTHING WRONG. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP ALSO CONSULTED HYUNDAI TECHNICAL SERVICE TEAM AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE THEM ANY SOLUTIONS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO HYUNDAI CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE ON APRIL 10, 2015. I ASKED ABOUT THE 100,000 MILE DRIVETRAIN WARRANTY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE MILEAGE IS OVER 60,000 THERE IS NOT MUCH THEY CAN DO FOR ME. THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD TRY TO LOOK INTO THIS AND NOTIFY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT. THE CUSTOMER SERVICE CASE MANAGER ([XXX]) ASKED ME WHAT I WOULD LIKE OUT OF THIS SITUATION. I TOLD HIM I WANTED TO GET IT FIXED AS IT IS A POTENTIAL SAFETY CONCERN AS WELL AS A CONSTANT WORRY EVERY TIME I AM COMING TO A STOP. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
MY 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT GS WAS HAVING TROUBLE STARTING SO I TOOK IT TO THE SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A FUEL PUMP. I HAD IT REPLACE. THE CAR WORKED FINE FOR ABOUT A WEEK UNTIL I WENT TO PUT GAS IN IT. I'VE GOTTEN STUCK AT THE GAS STATION 3 TIMES AFTER I HAVE PUT GAS IN MY TANK. IT SEEMS THAT EVERYTIME I PUT GAS IN IT DOES NOT WANT TO START. IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS CAN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT. I'VE SEEN ONLINE THAT HUNDREDS OF HYUNDAI VEHICLE OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. AND I FEEL THAT HYUNDAI NEEDS TO RECALL THIS CAR. IT'S HORRIBLE. I'VE HAD COUNTLESS ISSUES WITH IT SINCE I'VE BOUGHT IT. AND I PURCHASED IT BRAND NEW FROM THE DEALER. PLEASE HELP! *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER OVER NINE TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER STATED EACH TIME IT WAS A DIFFERENT DEFAULT CODE WHENEVER IT WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH ANYONE AT THE HYUNDAI MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE VEHICLE HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE SERVICE PERFORMED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.
I RENTED AN HYUNDAI ACCENT FOR ONE DAY, AND OCCASIONALLY WHEN I BRAKE TO STOP FOR TRAFFIC OR FOR A RED LIGHT THE CAR ENGINE WOULD SURGE AND YOU HAD TO PRESS HARD ON THE BRAKE TO KEEP IT FROM MOVING. THE ENGINE WOULD SURGE TO 2,000 RPMS WHILE IN DRIVE, AND WHEN I SHIFTED IT TO NEUTRAL ONCE IT SURGED TO 5,000 OR 6,000 RPMS. I REPORTED IT TO THE RENTAL COMPANY WHEN I RETURNED IT, BUT THOUGHT THAT I SHOULD ALSO REPORT IT HERE. I DO NOT KNOW THE YEAR OF THE CAR, BUT IT HAD 15,000 MILES ON IT, SO I WOULD GUESS THAT IT WAS A 2008. IF YOU DID NEED TO CONFIRM THE YEAR OF THE CAR, IT HAD MASSACHUSETTS PLATES WITH THE LICENSE NUMBER 2JN280. I WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING ANYTIME IT SURGED, BUT PERHAPS A SMALLER PERSON OR AN OLDER PERSON WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING. SEVERAL YEARS AGO I RENTED A CAR OF A MODEL I DO NOT RECALL AND THE SURGE WAS SO STRONG THAT I COULD NOT KEEP THE CAR FROM MOVING, BUT THIS WAS NOT AS BAD. *TR
MY 2008 HYUNDAI ACCENT IS BRAND NEW WITH 2,000 MILES ON IT AND ITS BEEN IN SHOP 3 TIMES WITH ENGINE MISFIRES...CODES PO300 AND PO301...CAR IS LOSING POWER GOING DOWN HIGHWAY AND A HORRIBLE SOUND WHEN I START IT..THEY CLAIM THEY FIXED IT BUT HERE IT IS A WEEK LATER AND CAR HAS TO GO BACK AGAIN....ITS UNDER WARRANTY.....CANT THIS CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF IM GOING 65 ON A HIGHWAY AND IT LOSES POWER AND CAR JUMPS DOWN TO ABOUT 45 AND I HAVE GAS PEDAL TO FLOOR AND IT TAKES A FEW MINUTES FOR CAR TO ACCELERATE AGAIN...THEY JUST RESET COMPUTER AND FEW DAYS LATER...SAME PROBLEM. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 26, 2026