2002 Hyundai Accent: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 163 complaints
163
Total Complaints
40,000mi
Median Mileage
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Top Issue
30
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

18,750 25th Percentile
40,000 Median Mileage
67,503 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
18
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
15
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
9
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
7
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
6
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
5
SUSPENSION
5
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
4
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
4

Severity Assessment

30
Crashes
3
Fires
36
Injuries
11
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WOULD "BUCK" DURING ACCELERATION WHEN VEHICLE WAS SHIFTED FROM REVERSE INTO THE DRIVE GEAR. ALSO, STATES VEHICLE WOULD MAKE A "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN TRANSMISSION "BUCKED". DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE, AND COULD NOT REPRODUCE PROBLEM. THEN, AFTER CONSULTATION WITH MANUFACTURE..."
"A "CLUNKING" NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DURING APPLICATION OF BRAKES. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED BRAKE DRUMS WERE NOT ROUNDED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FOUR DAYS LATER, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATED...."
"A "CLUNKING" NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE DURING APPLICATION OF BRAKES. DEALERSHIP EXAMINED VEHICLE AND DETERMINED BRAKE DRUMS WERE NOT ROUNDED AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FOUR DAYS LATER, VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH WHEN BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR BEFORE BRAKE SYSTEM ACTIVATED...."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28