Brake complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | 12% | — |
| 2021 | 1 | 6% | — |
| 2018 | 2 | 11% | — |
| 2017 | 5 | 7% | 3,000 miles |
| 2016 | 8 | 8% | 15,000 miles |
| 2015 | 12 | 17% | 102,000 miles |
| 2014 | 25 | 32% | 110,000 miles |
| 2013 | 42 | 30% | 60,000 miles |
| 2012 | 37 | 24% | 50,000 miles |
| 2011 | 3 | 8% | 79,000 miles |
| 2010 | 23 | 26% | 46,000 miles |
| 2009 | 15 | 15% | 73,000 miles |
| 2008 | 12 | 12% | 68,000 miles |
| 2007 | 5 | 6% | 53,000 miles |
| 2006 | 3 | 7% | 86,000 miles |
| 2005 | 11 | 22% | 68,000 miles |
| 2004 | 3 | 9% | 12,000 miles |
| 2003 | 2 | 5% | — |
| 2002 | 15 | 11% | 9,000 miles |
| 2001 | 10 | 9% | 27,000 miles |
| 2000 | 7 | 8% | 61,000 miles |
| 1999 | 3 | 5% | 78,000 miles |
| 1998 | 2 | 4% | 41,000 miles |
| 1997 | 4 | 7% | 74,000 miles |
| 1996 | 7 | 7% | — |
| 1995 | 8 | 6% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
My car is making a weird sound, and feel like the brakes are dragging something. But I have no lights on the dash board and keep up with the maintenance. I Also received a new transmission for city world hyundai before all of this.
The braking system is defective in my 2017 Hyundai Accent. I have had it to the headquarter Hyundai dealership on 3 separate occasions to have the dangerous problem fixed. After the 3rd time I experienced the problem, I took it again back to the dealership. The car is under factory warranty. The problem is the brake pedal goes all the way to the floor board as my brakes lock up causing the front tires to lock up thus causing my car to continue forward without any ABS system being used by the car braking system to keep the front tires from locking up. On the third time I brought the car into the service department the service manager was able to duplicate the problem 9 out of 10 times.) not at high speeds. In fact he said he could make the wheels lock up going less than 3 MPH.) however he stated because the computer analysis reported no issues, he could not replace the defective part. …
The Emergency brake light, ABS light, and esc light all come on while driving & speedometer goes to 0. The speedometer also stops tracking mileage when these lights come on. This used to happen on & off, but now it's almost permanent. Hundreds are reporting the same exact issue online, but mechanics cannot figure out what the problem is. Me and countless others have taken the vehicle to mechanics multiple times with no resolve and thousands of dollars worth of diagnostics that are incorrect and don't resolve the issue. It is dangerous because we don't know how fast we're going, and we don't know if your abs, emergency brakes, & esc are all working properly. This issue is impacting Hyundai Accents years 2015, 2016, & 2017 based on the multiple threads & posts online. …
The car was rented by a Turo host with defectuous brakes and worn-out tires. During 3 weeks and 3400 Mi, forward disk brakes produced a thud of metallic grinding without effective braking at each brake. Forward tires were measured 2/32" and 'Replace Tire' marking were noticed on the treads. Rear tires were measured 3/32" and 'Replacement Tire Monitor' marking were noticed on the treads. A rear tire exploded on a straight line, between 55 and 60 Mph, the burst fortunately did not cause any swerve and the vehicle was able to be stopped on a few meters. During the journey, the driver's seat belt sometimes unlocks unexpectelly, even if initial locking has been checked by pulling on the buckle.
The contact owned a 2015 Hyundai Accent. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard a loud pop sound. The contact pulled the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated the fire originated from under the hood area. The contact's son and some nearby samaritans attempted to extinguish the fire. The police and fire department arrived on the scene. A fire report was filed and a police report was not filed. The contact's son injured his hand. The Fire Department wrapped the contact's son's hand. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. …
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle in the garage, approximately four hours later the contact was awakened by the dog and discovered flames coming from the garage. The fire department was called to the home and extinguished the flames. During the incident the home was partially destroyed and deemed unlivable and the vehicle was also destroyed. A fire report was taken at the scene. The home insurance inspector later indicated that the fire originated from the engine compartment of the vehicle. No physical injuries were reported, but the contact had experienced severe stress and anxiety from the incident. The manufacturer was not contacted regarding the incident. The local dealer was notified. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000(Service Brakes, Hydraulic). …
Las luz de ABS comenz a verse encendida en el Dashboard en ocasiones la de ABS junto a la de Emergencia. Lleve el auto a inspeccionar en el diagnostico result que el problema posiblemente podr a estar en el HECU. Me indican que lo llevara en esos d as porque al ser algo complejo tomaria tiempo asi verificar con exactitud que era lo que estaba haciendo que me encendieran las luces para entonces ser remplazado. Antes de poder llegar el dia para poder verificarlo salgo a hacer una diligencia y al regresar a mi casa se encienden las luces nuevamente seguido por un ruido al presionar el pedal de frenos. Me estaciono frente a mi casa al rato salgo a buscar el papel del diagnostico que me hab an dado que lo hab a dejado guardado en la v scera del carro y me percato que se escuchaba algo encendido a n ya con el carro apagado. …
The contact owned a 2014 Hyundai Accent. The contact received notification of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 70 MPH, other drivers motioned for the contact to pull over, however, the brakes became inoperable. The emergency brake was used to stop the vehicle and the front tires popped. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire and observed fire coming from the hood. The Fire department was called and extinguished the fire. There was no fire department report filed. The police department declined to file a report, however, there was an incident report filed. No injuries were sustained. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was later towed to a junkyard where it was diagnosed as a total loss. …
Related recalls (2)
Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Control unit/module
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Accent vehicles. The brake master cylinder may have been manufactured with sharp edges that can damage the inner oil seal, resulting in reduced braking performance.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the brake master cylinder, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.
NHTSA investigations
Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electronic Control Units (HECU) manufactured by the equipment supplier Mando.
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Accent years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2013 (42), 2012 (37), 2014 (25), 2010 (23) and 2002 (15) model years. Brake complaints make up 30% of all complaints for the 2013.
Is there a recall for Hyundai Accent brake problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 23V-651 (control unit/module, Sep 22, 2023); 21V-937 (master cylinder, Dec 2, 2021). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Hyundai Accent brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 55,000 miles; 44% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the foundation components (18 mentions), followed by the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (9).
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.