Most common 1998 Hyundai Accent problems
Share of the 47 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 →
1998 Hyundai Accent recalls (1)
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 1998 Hyundai Accent:
Fuel tank cracking
There is no summary currently available
What 1998 Hyundai Accent owners say
Engine & cooling
I have been to the dealer for recall and regular maintenance and each time I would state how the vehicle would stall, the check engine light comes on, the car jerks and then it resumes normally as if nothing ever happened. I have noticed numerous people have complained of the same issue and their dealerships all say they have never heard of such a problem and it had never been reported before. NHTSA needs to get on the case and notify whomever needs to be notified.
This was a program car. I have had the same problems repeatedly with this car. About 6 months after I bought it, it started using oil. They rebuilt the head. Then about 8 months or so later it started using oil again, this time they "said" they put on a new head. However, I dont believe that because, now 8 months later it is once again using oil. Also, I can be going down the highway at about 60 MPH and the engine will "hiccup" and jerk really hard and the check engine light will come on for about 2-3 seconds. I have reported this several times and they find nothing wrong. I have also been reporting to the dealer, that I hear a ticking noise coming from the engine. It sounds like the engine is not getting any oil. But, they just tell me that I am hearing things. I am paying for this lemon with my hard earned money. …
Fuel & propulsion system
Tl contact owns a 1998 Hyundai Accent. The contact smelled a strong odor of raw gasoline in her vehicle. She took the vehicle to the mechanic and they stated that the gasoline fuel system storage tank assembly was cracked. The contact was informed that the defect was on recall. The manufacturer stated that the previous owners had the recall already repaired; therefore, they would not repair the vehicle. The contact believes that if the vehicle is experiencing the same failure as before, then it was previously repaired with a defected part. The failure mileage was below 100,000 and current mileage was 117,000.
A recall notice was received, after taking the vehicle to the dealer for the fuel filter cap replacement, the dealer refused to replace the fuel filter cap since there was no crack in the fuel tank. The manufacture refused to cooperate.
Electrical system
Purchased the vehicle in June, 1998. From date of purchase, engine check sensor would come on and stay on for a while. Sometimes the mechanic found a problem and fixed it and turned off the light; sometimes he told me it was a faulty sensor; sometimes he was unable to determine what was causing the light to come on. Latest incident occurred on May 15, 2001, when the engine check light came on once again. The vehicle had just been to the dealership b/c the check engine light was on and they'd replaced the pulse generator. There have been acceleration problems with the vehicle in the past; sometimes the mechanic said that they coincided with the check engine light problem. …
While driving at highway speeds (50-75 MPH) the overdrive would dissengage. In turrn the RPM would ramp up. This would happen randomly. Somtimes pulling off and turning car off and starting it again temporarily fixed problem. Finally, we took it to a mechanic. He found that the wiring uner the stick (automatic) were bare and touching. He fixed the wiring and never had a problem since. I have noted many other entries with similar problem.
1998 Hyundai Accent engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 32 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Hyundai Accent a good car?
Based on 47 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 Accent rates average: 37% 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 1998 Hyundai Accent?
The engine & cooling — 15 complaints, 32% of all complaints for this model year, most often about engine › gasoline. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (11) and electrical system (8).
How many recalls does the 1998 Hyundai Accent have?
There is 1 recall for the 1998 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 1998 Hyundai Accent problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 25% 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.