Most common 2001 Hyundai Accent problems
Share of the 112 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 →
2001 Hyundai Accent recalls (2)
Structure › Frame and members
Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "occupant protection in interior impact." during testing, the 3-door hatchback exceeded the performance criterion in the standard midway along the length of the windshield support pillar (a-pillar).
Remedy: Dealers will install new energy management brackets to support the a-pillar covers and increase the energy absorbing performance of the a-pillar in the relevant area. Owner notification began October 28, 2002.
Vehicle speed control
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles equipped with 1.5 liter or 1.6 liter engines that were originally sold in or currently registered in the states of alaska, colorado, idaho, illinois, indiana, iowa, kansas, maine, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, north dakota, nebraska, new hampshire, new york, ohio,…
Remedy: Dealers will install a new, relocated pcv hose and will additionally install a heated throttle body on the 2000-2001 accents equipped with 1.5 liter engines that were produced through January 31, 2001.
What 2001 Hyundai Accent owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 21 →
Dt: contact states his car was lunging forward. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who said they couldn't do anything with the vehicle until the transmission failed. The dealer refused to replace transmission due to warranty coverage. They had the car with 29,000 miles the point where they were saying the oil should have been changed, and did not change the oil, even though contact had records indicating it has been changed every 3,000 miles. Contact felt dealer was negligent by not acknowledging there was a problem at the beginning. The consumer explained that the dealer didn't recommend or suggest transmission fluid changes even when it was time for one. The dealer refused to provided any assistance until the manufacturer was supplied with transmission service records of fluid changes.
Since we bought the car, it has been to the dealership repair shop 5 times, for the same problem. The car begins to have problems shifting gears, it loses power, as not going higher than 20-30 miles. When the gas pedal is applied, the car gets stuck for several seconds before it jerks and begins to run again. Everytime we take it in they repair the pulse generator. The pulse generator has been changes two time in the last three months alone (June, August), and now its ready to go back into the shop again. It is getting worse, it is becoming a safety issue because it gets stuck anywhere, and can get hit from behind, or get into an accident when it stops in the middle of a cross section.
Air bags all 21 →
My family was driving our 2001 Hyundai Accent in which another vehicle collided with ours except the dash board air bags didn't inflate. Afterwards within two weeks I stopped at the nearest dealership and asked who should I inquire why the air bags didn't work. The vehicle was totaled and I did send an email to the address the dealership provided but have heard nothing. My wife and daughter got banged up but are okay now. My concern is that it could of been much serious and why I haven't heard anything from Hyundai. The accident occurred on October 20, 2009 in el centro, california. Thank you.
While driving at 55 MPH consumer slammed on the brakes and rear-ended the car stopped in the middle of the expressway. Both driver and passenger front airbags did not deploy. Vehicle's front-end sustained damage. Already being serviced at a Hyundai dealership and aware of the problem. Will receive a diagnostic of the airbag system after vehicle has been repaired.
Suspension
Repair shop did not perform alignment requested on 2001 Hyundai Accent. One reason was: "Cradle is rusted through" Similar recalls exist for Hyundai Elantra (similar design) and Sonata (engine cradle) for same model year. This represents a dangerous condition. Vehicle is operated in Wisconsin, where roads are salted in winter.
Tl* - the contact owns 2001 Hyundai Accent. While driving at 45 MPH on a very nice day the vehicle began drifting on the road. The front passenger tire went off the road and the rear tire went off the road as well. The vehicle slowed down to approximately 40 MPH when the driver lost complete control. He stated that only the driver's side tire was steering correctly, the other tires were going side to side. The contact could not control the vehicle and was rear ended. He sustained minor injuries. The contact had taken some pictures, and said that there was a bolt that sheared off. The rubber bushing was wide open and deformed. The contact had a police report. The current and failure mileage were both 100,000.
2001 Hyundai Accent engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 24 / 33 / 28 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 23 / 34 / 27 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 32 / 25 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 22 / 32 / 25 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2001 Hyundai Accent a good car?
Based on 112 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2001 Accent rates average: 1.4× as many complaints as 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 2001 Hyundai Accent?
The transmission & drivetrain — 21 complaints, 19% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the air bags (21) and suspension (16).
How many recalls does the 2001 Hyundai Accent have?
There are 2 recalls for the 2001 Hyundai Accent, the most recent from June 25, 2002 (frame and members). 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 2001 Hyundai Accent problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 53,000 miles; 49% 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.