Most common 2004 Hyundai Accent problems
Share of the 33 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 →
What 2004 Hyundai Accent owners say
Air bags
Tl* the contact owned a 2004 Hyundai Accent. While driving approximately 30 MPH, another vehicle rear ended the contact's vehicle. The air bags deployed; however, the contact sustained burns on the arm that required medical attention. It was unknown which air bag caused the injuries. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 82,000.
Takata recall on 11/29/2015 driving on pennsylvania turnpike going 60-65 MPH vehicle in front stopped. Impact totaled car. Hood crumbled up, headlight with complete housing destroyed, radiator spilled fluid, engine caught on fire and my head hit windshield. No weather issues. Accident occurred around 12:30 pm. Police report was filed and car towed. Airbags did not deploy.
Transmission & drivetrain
I own a 2004 Hyundai Accent. For the past 3 years the transmission has had significant issues. The automatic transmission will randomly slam into a lower gear or will get stuck in a gear. This causes safety issues during winter driving because the vehicle lurches forward at times when shifting. While attempting to enter into traffic, the car will be stuck in 3 gear which almost has caused an accident several times by pulling out too slow. I have had it in twice to the transmission shop and they could not diagnose the problem without an engine code. They flushed, filled and put a new filter in the transmission but this did not help. Sometimes the car will work fine for months or a year at a time. I have researched the problem on the internet and there seems to be many owners that have voiced similar concerns.
Transmission started failing within the first 30 days of purchase, ever time it went over 10 MPH it lugged back and then went forward. Bought the car used with 42K miles and the service department at the dealership said that they will have to keel the car to replace transmission or change a part.
Steering
At 2,466 miles, car pulls to right, and is difficult to hold steady when turning at high speeds. Taken to burlingame Hyundai dealer for repair. Tires were rotated. Problem not resolved. At 4,782 miles car was brought in again for steering difficulty, feels like there is a tire going flat. Found that left front wheel was bent. Tires rotated again, bent wheel on left rear, replacement part ordered. (under warranty) at 5,393 miles, car shakes at any speed. Bent wheel will not balance. Replacement part supposedly put on car. Problem not resolved. At 25,616 miles car taken to san francisco Hyundai for multi-point inspection. Dealer recommended 2 new tires and alignment. At 25,797 miles, car taken to another service center for alignment and new tires. Customer was told that all 4 tires were rotted and alignment was performed. …
Wife, 64,was driving our one-owner 2004 Hyundai Accent gl on private road approx 15 MPH when airbags deployed without any impact of any sort to vehicle. Wife was badly bruised on arms and face and windshield was shattered by passenger side airbag cover when bags deployed. We were fortunate that she was not on busy street or on interstate as this would have certainly resulted in a wreck with severe bodily injury or possible death. Local Hyundai dealership (perkins motors, colorado springs) refused to do anything. Hyundai hq customer service committed to "sending us a packet of paperwork to be filled out and returned to them by us and they would get back to us in 6 to 8 weeks once it was received to see if they would do anything." no one from Hyundai has expressed any interest in seeing the vehicle or responding to a potentially very hazardous vehicle. …
2004 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 | 25 / 30 / 27 |
| 1.5L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 32 / 26 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 23 / 32 / 26 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2004 Hyundai Accent a good car?
Based on 33 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2004 Accent rates better than average: 62% 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 2004 Hyundai Accent?
The air bags — 10 complaints, 30% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal. Next are the transmission & drivetrain (5) and steering (4).
How many recalls does the 2004 Hyundai Accent have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2004 Hyundai Accent. You can still confirm with your VIN using our 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 2004 Hyundai Accent problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 36,000 miles; 70% 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.