2021 Hyundai Accent Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Jul 1, 2025 · 16 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Accent years
Far fewer complaints than other years 27th of 28 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
4 out of 5 stars

Owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Hyundai Accent. That ranks 27th out of 28 Accent model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is seat belts (6 complaints, 38%). Complaints mention 1 fire, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Hyundai Accent
2017 Hyundai Accent (RB4 MY17) Active hatchback. Photographed in Fremantle, Western Australia , Australia.. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: EurovisionNim, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2021 Hyundai Accent problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Seat Belts6
Wheels5
Engine4
Electrical System2
Service Brakes1
Steering1
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Seat Belts638%———
Wheels531%———
Engine425%———
Electrical System213%———
Service Brakes16%———
Steering16%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2022, with 7 complaints
2021: 1202112022: 7202272023: 4202342024: 2202422025: 220252

n = 16 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2021 Hyundai Accent recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Seat belts:front; seat belts:pretensionerMay 19, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V354000 · 230,233 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioners may explode upon deployment.

Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.

Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.

Steering:columnMay 6, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V311000 · 2 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Accent vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.

Risk: Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect and tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 5, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 226.

Seat belts:pretensioner; seat belts:frontFeb 9, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V069000 · 354 vehicles

Problem: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Accent vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.

Risk: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.

Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 24, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 219. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-796. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinderDec 2, 2021 · NHTSA campaign 21V937000 · 76 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Risk: Reduced braking performance can cause longer brake pedal travel or extend the distance required to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: 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. Hyundai's number for this recall is 213.

To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture (RQ22003) — opened Aug 8, 2022, closed May 26, 2023, led to recall 23V094000.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 40 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed; however, the contact was informed there was no…

Engine · received Jul 1, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11670511

Hard time stopping and controlling the vechile

Service Brakes · received Apr 26, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11656989

The contact leased a 2021 Hyundai Accent through Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power for about 5 seconds while accelerating and decelerating through traffic. The contact stated that he was able to duplicate the failure five times and…

Engine · received Oct 1, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11617490

During a tire swap, another lug nut broke off while trying to remove it. This issue has occurred before, and it seems that the faulty lug nut problem is still present. The car has only been serviced at Hyundai dealerships, and the tires were last rotated during a service at an authorized Hyundai…

Wheels · received May 11, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11588250

My 2021 Hyundai accent has randomly not started a in more than 10 different times. The lights go on and you can hear it trying to start but it never catches to actually start. It’s under warranty but the dealer says if they can’t see it when it’s happening then they can’t fix anything. I…

Engine · received Nov 21, 2023 · NHTSA complaint 11556330

Other Hyundai Accent years

← 2020 Accent · 2022 Accent →

See all Hyundai Accent problems by year, every Hyundai model, or the Hyundai VIN decoder.

Similar Hyundai models

Embed this 2021 Hyundai Accent badge on your site

Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2021 Hyundai Accent?

Owners most often report seat belts, wheels, engine problems. The top one, seat belts, accounts for 6 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2021 Hyundai Accent?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2021 Hyundai Accent a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Accent model years, the 2021 has far fewer complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.