Most common 1997 Hyundai Accent problems
Share of the 56 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Hyundai Accent complaints by model year
Best Accent years: 2020, 2018, 2021. Years to avoid: 2012, 1995, 2002, 1996. Compare all years →
1997 Hyundai Accent recalls (3)
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Tank assembly
Vehicle description: accent gt model vehicles equipped with dohc engines manufactured from December 19, 1996 through June 30, 1997; 1998 accent model vehicles manufactured from May 6, 1997 through June 25, 1998; 1997 sonata vehicles manufactured from August 1, 1996 through July 9, 1997 and 1998 sonata vehicles produced from…
Remedy: Dealers will pressure check the vehicle's fuel tank to determine if it has cracked. If it is cracked, a new fuel tank will be installed.
Suspension › Front › Springs › Coil springs
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…
Remedy: Dealers will install a spring guide to prevent a broken coil spring from contacting and damaging a tire.
Visibility › Windshield wiper/washer › Motor
The windshield wiper motor circuit breaker electrical contacts were contaminated during assembly.
Remedy: Dealers will remove the contaminants from the windshield wiper motor circuit breaker contacts.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 3 possible defects involving the 1997 Hyundai Accent:
Fuel tank cracking
There is no summary currently available
Passenger air bag related fatalities
Odi is aware of seven fatalities of children (excluding children in rear facing child safety seats)that were caused by the deployment of the front passenger air bags in minor or moderate severity crashes involving model year 1995 through 1997 Hyundai accent vehicles.two of the seven fatalities occurred in puerto rico.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis forfurther investigation.
Passenger air bag related
There is no summary currently available
What 1997 Hyundai Accent owners say
Engine & cooling
On or about March 4, 2000, the subject vehicle was involved in an auto accident, at which time the driver rear ended another vehicle driving at approximately 30-35 MPH. Both the passenger side and driver side airbags failed to deploy. Soon thereafter, the engine light became illuminated. After taking to farrish in manassas, virginia, it was reported that the computer indicated that I the engine was out of time. The timing belt was replaced and did not cure the problem. I was then told I needed a tune-up, which was substantially done and did not cure the problem, which leads to my belief that there is a major problem with the emissions control system. The car now heats and gets hot to the touch at the floor board. The manufacturer has been contacted and has failed to inspect the vehicle. I plan tomorrow to revoke my acceptance of the vehicle.
For the pc system problem, I had noticed that the pc valve was leaking oil around it, so I replaced the component on May 12,2000. By December, I noticed that the car had some sort of problem with a noted drop in performance and fuel economy. So I decided, before bringing the car in for maintenance, to visually check the fluids, and wear components. I ended up finding sludge in the engine, created by water in the oil. When Dodge/Hyundai of paramus checked-out the car they told me the problem was a clogged pc system and it was not covered by any warrany, so I paid for the work. For the transmission problem I noticed that it was leaking, and when the dealer in paramus checked-out the problem, they told me that someone had over-torqued the oil pan, blowing out the gasket. They told me that the problem should be warranteed by altman in n.charleston, since they did the 30K check-up. …
Transmission & drivetrain
Car was returned to Hyundai under warranty in January 2002. Reported to have a bad torque converter and starter. Both replaced under warranty. Last week car wouldnt start again. Our mechanic diagnosed same problem. Was told that if car had been properly diagnosed as having extensive transmission problem while under warranty this would have been properly repaired and not patched up. Hyundai is now refusing to absorb cost since the car is no longer under warranty. Torque converters and starters dont go bad yearly!!! Help!!
For the pc system problem, I had noticed that the pc valve was leaking oil around it, so I replaced the component on May 12,2000. By December, I noticed that the car had some sort of problem with a noted drop in performance and fuel economy. So I decided, before bringing the car in for maintenance, to visually check the fluids, and wear components. I ended up finding sludge in the engine, created by water in the oil. When Dodge/Hyundai of paramus checked-out the car they told me the problem was a clogged pc system and it was not covered by any warrany, so I paid for the work. For the transmission problem I noticed that it was leaking, and when the dealer in paramus checked-out the problem, they told me that someone had over-torqued the oil pan, blowing out the gasket. They told me that the problem should be warranteed by altman in n.charleston, since they did the 30K check-up. …
Air bags
While driving consumer had an accident. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. Consumer was injured. Also, consumer stated that the guiding arm was very weak. This caused problems with the steering.
On or about March 4, 2000, the subject vehicle was involved in an auto accident, at which time the driver rear ended another vehicle driving at approximately 30-35 MPH. Both the passenger side and driver side airbags failed to deploy. Soon thereafter, the engine light became illuminated. After taking to farrish in manassas, virginia, it was reported that the computer indicated that I the engine was out of time. The timing belt was replaced and did not cure the problem. I was then told I needed a tune-up, which was substantially done and did not cure the problem, which leads to my belief that there is a major problem with the emissions control system. The car now heats and gets hot to the touch at the floor board. The manufacturer has been contacted and has failed to inspect the vehicle. I plan tomorrow to revoke my acceptance of the vehicle.
1997 Hyundai Accent engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 33 / 28 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 33 / 27 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1997 Hyundai Accent a good car?
Based on 56 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1997 Accent rates average: 28% fewer complaints than a typical year of the Accent at the same age. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1997 Hyundai Accent?
The engine & cooling — 15 complaints, 27% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (13) and air bags (11).
How many recalls does the 1997 Hyundai Accent have?
There are 3 recalls for the 1997 Hyundai Accent, the most recent from October 2, 2000 (tank assembly). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Hyundai Accent?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2020, 2018 and 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2012, 1995, 2002 and 1996. See the full Hyundai Accent years comparison.
At what mileage do 1997 Hyundai Accent problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 74,000 miles; 0% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.