Most common 2006 Hyundai Accent problems
Share of the 43 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 →
2006 Hyundai Accent recalls (3)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz, 2009-2011 Genesis, 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, 2007-2008 Entourage, and 2006-2008 Tiburon vehicles.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 110.
Exterior lighting
Hyundai is recalling 3,011 model year 2005-2007 elantra, tucson, sonata, azera and accent vehicles. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch May cause the brake lights to fail to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or May cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on September 2, 2009. Owners May contact Hyundai of puerto rico customer service at 1-787-999-4310.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
Hyundai is recalling 532,633 my 2006-2007 accent, entourage, sonata, my 2007 azera, elantra and santa fe, my 2005-2007 tucson and my 2007-2008 veracruz vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles May malfunction.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall began on June 29, 2009. Owners May contact the Hyundai customer assistance center at 1-800-633-5151.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2006 Hyundai Accent:
Stop lamp switch failure
By letter dated April 15, 2009, Hyundai notified the agency that it will conduct a safety recall (NHTSA recall number 09V122) to replace the stop lamp switches on many of its model year 2005-2008 vehicles.see recall 09V122 for a complete list. The agency opened its investigation based on five complaints of stop lamp failure across several 2007 Hyundai models.
What 2006 Hyundai Accent owners say
Air bags all 23 →
I have a 2006 Accent. I recently found out it needs a passenger seat sensor panel replaced in order to fix the airbags. (that is, make any of the airbags work) I just now learned I haven't haven't had airbags for 2 years.!!!! (actually our kids haven't --our sons had the car at college, driving home on the interstate for 2.5 hours - with no airbags) the light was on. First 2 years ago. I asked my mechanic. That mechanic never alerted me that I had to go to a dealer. My current mechanic did - so we went to the Hyundai dealer, paying their $80 service fee just for them to tell me it will cost me around $960 to fix it!!! I know from forums that other people have had this problem and we have all been told its a $1000 to fix. Just the part is $700+!!!! I also read that Hyundai had airbag problems with 2006 sonatas and fixed them. Why not the Accent???? …
I'm driving my car for almost two years now and the lights for the air bags are still on and have never went off. So I thought, supposedly May be the fuse needs to be replaced but so far to this date I cannot determine what's the issue other than a faulty air bag system. No I haven't taken the car to a dealer yet, but I need to know am I the only person having this issue.I love the vehicle besides its unintentional poor gas usage I am a satisfied customer. But perhaps maybe its time to start searching for a more efficient newer car. Be careful when buying used cars everybody.
Windows, wipers & sunroof
The driver and passenger sun visors on the 2006 Accent will no longer stay in the upright position. The visors now hang loosely and limit visibility when driving, the swinging back and forth while accelerating and braking can be distracting and is unsafe. I have looked to purchase the original OEM parts to replace, but have discovered that Hyundai no longer uses the original parts and that new visors was manufactured. I have found similar complaints for multiple Hyundai models on this site and on arfc.org. It appears that Hyundai recognized a faulty part that leads to limited visibility and distraction while driving but did not issue a recall. A recall should be issued.
Driving during normal conditions at 45 MPH, for no reason the drivers side sun visor dropped down and impaired my vision. I pulled over to the side of the road and try to return it to its normal position with no success. I have tried velcro and tape but it will not stay up. It is serious driving hazard, and judging by forums on the internet, many, many people are affected by it. Hyundai should do a recall and have the issue fixed.
Lights
Tl contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that the tail lights on the vehicle stopped working. The dealer could not determine the cause of the failure. She is currently unable to drive the vehicle at night due to the failure. In addition, a crash could occur or the contact could be ticketed by the police. The VIN was unknown. The current mileage was 45,170 and failure mileage was 42,000.
The brake/stop lamp switch has failed again. The switch was replaced in 2009 under the first recall issued for this problem. Another recall occurred in April of 2013, for select 2006 Hyundai accents. Mine was not covered in this second recall. The switch has failed again and I believe this should have been included in the second recall.
2006 Hyundai Accent engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 5-speed manual | FWD | 27 / 32 / 29 |
| 1.6L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 25 / 33 / 28 |
EPA ratings. Class: Compact car.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2006 Hyundai Accent a good car?
Based on 43 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2006 Accent rates better than average: 49% 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 2006 Hyundai Accent?
The air bags — 23 complaints, 53% of all complaints for this model year, most often about frontal › sensor/control module. Next are the windows, wipers & sunroof (11) and lights (3).
How many recalls does the 2006 Hyundai Accent have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2006 Hyundai Accent, the most recent from April 1, 2013 (switch). 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 2006 Hyundai Accent problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 61,000 miles; 38% 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.