2006 Hyundai ACCENT: complaints, problems and recalls

WE PURCHASED A 2006 HYUNDAI ELANTRA 12/30/2005. TWO DAYS LATER THE WINDSHIELD WIPER WENT OUT, THE NEXT DAY THE OTHER WENT. WE CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT FOR SERVICE. THE SERVICE GUY TOLD US TO TIGHTEN THE WIPER DOWN WITH A WRENCH. THIS WORKED FOR AWHILE BUT WIPERS WENT OUT INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK CAR IN FOR SERVICE. WORKED FOR SEVERAL WEEKS, THEN WENT OUT AGAIN, WHEN MY SON WAS DRIVING ON THE PARKWAY, LUCKILY HE WAS ABLE TO GET OFF ON THE NEXT EXIT AND MAKE IT HOME. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE GUY AND WA…

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10149850 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE PASSENGER WAS SEATED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION, THE AIRBAG ACTIVATION LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE PASSENGER WEIGHED 114 POUNDS. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,480 miles reported. Look up ODI 10165683 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE THAT HAD SUDDENLY STOPPED. BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS SENT TO TOW THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AS SEATBELTS WERE WORN AND A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN. PHOTOS WERE TAKEN OF THE VEHICLE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED.

Owner-reported narrative. 1,464 miles reported. Look up ODI 10172526 at NHTSA ↗

CD PLAYER MALFUNCTIONED, CDS WOULD ENTER THE PLAYER BEGAN AND THEN STOPPED BETWEEN 20-60 SECONDS AND NEVER RESTARTED. WENT TO THE DEALER, SEEMED LIKE IT WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE RADIO WITH A REFURBISHED ONE AT NO COST AS THE RADIO WAS UNDER WARRANTY FOR 3 YEARS. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. 15,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10196718 at NHTSA ↗

MY 21 YR.OLD SON WAS DRIVING HOME AT APROX 2:53A.M. LOST CONTROL OF HIS 2006 HYUNDI BRIO AND CRASHES THE FRONT LEFT SIDE AND LATER FOLLOWED THOUGH TO ANOTHER WALL IMPACTING IT SIDEWAYS . THE FONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND HE LATER DIED AT HOSPITAL OF SEVERE ABDOMIAL TRAUMA , RIBS PUNCTURIG BOTH LUNGS. AS A FATHER HOW CAN I KNOW IF THE FIRST IMPACT WAS STRONG ENOUGH TO MAKE THE AIRBAGS DEPLOY AND IF THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS FOR PROBLEMS CONCERNING AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT FAILURE. THE MODEL OF THE CAR WAS HYUNDAI BRIO.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10202957 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HYUNDAI ACCENT. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY AND OCCASIONALLY TURNS ON AND OFF. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY NINE TIMES WITH NO RESOLUTION. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,900 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,999. UPDATED 11/10/08 *BF UPDATED 11/13/08. *JB

Owner-reported narrative. 1,999 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245703 at NHTSA ↗

MY SISTER AND I WERE ON OUR WAY TO THE STORE, FULL STOP, MY SISTER JUST GOT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE, MY SISTER NOTICED THAT THE PASSENGER AIRBAG DETECTION LIGHT ON THE DASH REMAINED IN THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG DISENGAGE" POSITION EVEN IF MY SISTER WAS SITTING ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. MY CAR IS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A MANUAL PASSENGER AIRBAG DISENGAGE SWITCH OF SOME SORT. SO I ASSUME THAT THE LIGHT GOES ON OR OFF ONLY BY DETECTING SIGNIFICANT WEIGHT ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 37,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10257531 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE 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.

Owner-reported narrative. 42,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10264012 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2009-04-15 (April 15, 2009)

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. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO NOT ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A STOP LAMP SWITCH MALFUNCTION MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFTED OUT OF THE PARK POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS, ALONE OR IN COMBINATION, MAY LEAD TO A CRASH.

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.

Reported: 2009-07-21 (July 21, 2009)

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. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

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.

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 1, 2013)

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. Originally, in April 2013, Hyundai recalled 1,059,824 model year 2007-2009 Accent and Tucson, model year 2007-2010 Elantra, model year 2007-2011 Santa Fe, model year 2008-2009 Veracruz, model year 2010-2011 Genesis Coupe, and model year 2011 Sonata vehicles. In September 2013, Hyundai informed the agency that it was adding more vehicles to this campaign, representing an additional 652,512 units. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,712,336. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake transmission shift interlock feature, preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of Park without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

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.