Hyundai Accent 2006–2011
3rd generation (MC)
NHTSA data through 13 August 2026597 complaints, 489 with mileageMethod
- Reports with mileage
- 489
- Median of reported failures
- 62,000 mi
- Most-reported system
- Airbag system (24.5%)
- Recalls
- 2
Before-you-buy checklist ↓Check this VIN — NHTSA ↗
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 32,000 and 82,000 miles.
Figure 1 · Hyundai Accent 2006–2011 · 489 reports with mileage
Mileage at failure
Complaints per 10,000-mile bin, 0 to 200,000 miles, equal bins on a linear scale. Tallest bar = 67 complaints.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 10%
- 8,000
- 25%
- 32,000
- Median
- 62,000
- 75%
- 82,000
- 90%
- 101,803
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–10,000 | 51 | 10.4% |
| 10,000–20,000 | 38 | 7.8% |
| 20,000–30,000 | 29 | 5.9% |
| 30,000–40,000 | 40 | 8.2% |
| 40,000–50,000 | 38 | 7.8% |
| 50,000–60,000 | 36 | 7.4% |
| 60,000–70,000 | 48 | 9.8% |
| 70,000–80,000 | 67 | 13.7% |
| 80,000–90,000 | 51 | 10.4% |
| 90,000–100,000 | 30 | 6.1% |
| 100,000–110,000 | 23 | 4.7% |
| 110,000–120,000 | 5 | 1.0% |
| 120,000–130,000 | 13 | 2.7% |
| 130,000–140,000 | 2 | 0.4% |
| 140,000–150,000 | 6 | 1.2% |
| 150,000–160,000 | 5 | 1.0% |
| 160,000–170,000 | 4 | 0.8% |
| 180,000–190,000 | 2 | 0.4% |
| 190,000–200,000 | 1 | 0.2% |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain. Complaint counts reflect what owners reported and are not a measure of failure rate per vehicle sold.
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 597 complaints with NHTSA about the 2006–2011 Hyundai Accent, and 489 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 32,000 and 82,000 miles. The median is 62,000 miles.
The most-reported areas are the airbag system (24.5% of complaints, typically around 70,000 miles), visibility/wiper (9.9% of complaints, typically around 57,000 miles), the exterior lighting (9.4% of complaints, typically around 64,000 miles).
2 recall campaigns cover this generation.
If you arrived asking “is it reliable?” — this page answers the version of that question the data can support: which problems owners reported, and at what mileage.
How many miles does a 2006–2011 Hyundai Accent last?
Half of the failure reports on the 2006–2011 Hyundai Accent were filed by 62,000 miles and 90% by 102,000 miles — figures drawn from 489 NHTSA complaints that record an odometer reading, so they time reported failures, not the cars whose owners never filed one.
Before you buy a 2006–2011 Accent: the 3-minute check
Generated from 489 mileage-tagged complaints, 2 recall campaigns, 1 documented problem area. Print this page — the checklist survives print.
- Run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. 2 campaigns cover this generation; an open recall is a free repair you can make the seller's problem.
- Check engine on 2006–2011 cars. Timing belt driven engine with CVVT; belt and tensioner service is the dominant maintenance-related failure. No large-scale systemic defect campaign specific to this generation in the US.
- End with a pre-purchase inspection of this car. Aggregate data describes the population; the example in front of you has its own history.
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 32,000 and 82,000 miles, with a median of 62,000. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the airbag system and visibility/wiper are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. Visibility/wiper in particular shows a median failure mileage of 57,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
What fails, and when
Figure 2 · Hyundai Accent 2006–2011
When each system fails
Bar spans the middle half of reports; the notch inside each bar is the median. Miles at failure on a proportional scale — equal distances are equal ratios, not equal miles.
- Visibility/wiper59 reports57,00035,000–75,000Visibility/wiper: 59 reports, median 57,000 miles, middle half 35,000 to 75,000 miles.
- Visibility equipment31 reports59,00032,000–75,000Visibility equipment: 31 reports, median 59,000 miles, middle half 32,000 to 75,000 miles.
- Electrical system49 reports60,00045,000–77,000Electrical system: 49 reports, median 60,000 miles, middle half 45,000 to 77,000 miles.
- Exterior lighting56 reports64,00043,000–77,000Exterior lighting: 56 reports, median 64,000 miles, middle half 43,000 to 77,000 miles.
- Engine33 reports65,00040,000–90,000Engine: 33 reports, median 65,000 miles, middle half 40,000 to 90,000 miles.
- Airbag system146 reports70,00029,000–92,000Airbag system: 146 reports, median 70,000 miles, middle half 29,000 to 92,000 miles.
- Brakes46 reports76,00050,000–88,000Brakes: 46 reports, median 76,000 miles, middle half 50,000 to 88,000 miles.
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it in “Where your car sits”
Ordered by median mileage, earliest first. The first 12,000 miles are shaded: that is the boundary this site uses between a manufacturing defect and ordinary wear, not a property of the world.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbag system | 146 | 24.5% | 70,000 | 29,000–92,000 |
| Visibility/wiper | 59 | 9.9% | 57,000 | 35,000–75,000 |
| Exterior lighting | 56 | 9.4% | 64,000 | 43,000–77,000 |
| Electrical system | 49 | 8.2% | 60,000 | 45,000–77,000 |
| Brakes | 46 | 7.7% | 76,000 | 50,000–88,000 |
| Engine | 33 | 5.5% | 65,000 | 40,000–90,000 |
| Visibility equipment | 31 | 5.2% | 59,000 | 32,000–75,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 27 | 4.5% | 78,000 | 37,000–95,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 16 | 2.7% | 35,000 | 7,000–100,000 |
| Body structure | 16 | 2.7% | 39,000 | 8,000–80,000 |
Where your car sits
Failure reports by the odometer reading they were filed at. Pick the anchor nearest your car — or type the exact mileage: your marker lands on this curve and on the timing chart above.
Figure 3 · Hyundai Accent 2006–2011 · 489 reports with mileage
Share of reports below each mileage
Share of mileage-tagged reports filed at or below each odometer reading. Steps rise only at bin edges, by exact counted shares.
- 60,000 mi — 47% of reports below
- 90,000 mi — 81% of reports below
- 120,000 mi — 93% of reports below
- Median — the staircase crosses the 50% line here
- Your odometer — appears after you enter it below
Nothing is smoothed or interpolated. Linear axis, same as Figure 1.
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, public domain.
At 60,000 miles
47% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
In the reporting window
- Airbag system — middle half 29,000–92,000 mi
- Visibility/wiper — middle half 35,000–75,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — middle half 43,000–77,000 mi
- Electrical system — middle half 45,000–77,000 mi
- Brakes — middle half 50,000–88,000 mi
- Engine — middle half 40,000–90,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — middle half 32,000–75,000 mi
At 90,000 miles
81% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Visibility/wiper — median 57,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 64,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 60,000 mi
- Brakes — median 76,000 mi
- Engine — median 65,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 59,000 mi
In the reporting window
- Airbag system — middle half 29,000–92,000 mi
At 120,000 miles
93% of the failure reports on this generation came below this mileage. That describes reports, not your odds.
Reported earlier than this mileage — ask for repair records
- Airbag system — median 70,000 mi
- Visibility/wiper — median 57,000 mi
- Exterior lighting — median 64,000 mi
- Electrical system — median 60,000 mi
- Brakes — median 76,000 mi
- Engine — median 65,000 mi
- Visibility equipment — median 59,000 mi
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 62,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The airbag system accounts for 24.5% of complaints (146 reports, 122 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 70,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 29,000 and 92,000 miles.
Visibility/wiper accounts for 9.9% of complaints (59 reports, 50 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 57,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 35,000 and 75,000 miles.
The exterior lighting accounts for 9.4% of complaints (56 reports, 44 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 64,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 43,000 and 77,000 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 8.2% of complaints (49 reports, 40 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 60,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 45,000 and 77,000 miles.
The brakes account for 7.7% of complaints (46 reports, 36 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 76,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 50,000 and 88,000 miles.
The engine accounts for 5.5% of complaints (33 reports, 24 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 65,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 40,000 and 90,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2008 model year drew the most — 135 complaints — while 2006 drew the fewest at 49. The median year sits at 116.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 2 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the exterior lighting (2). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
What owners reported alongside the failure itself, out of 597 complaints against this generation:
- Crashes
- 52 (8.7%)
- Fires
- 4
- Injury reports
- 36
- Fatality reports
- 1
These flags are self-reported by complainants and unverified by NHTSA; one report can carry several flags, so the counts overlap and do not sum to a total. They are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. No chart is drawn here on purpose: overlapping counts spanning very different magnitudes cannot be honestly encoded as lengths.
Documented problems
Engine 2006–2011
Timing belt driven engine with CVVT; belt and tensioner service is the dominant maintenance-related failure. No large-scale systemic defect campaign specific to this generation in the US.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | 49 | 45 |
| 2007 | 113 | 94 |
| 2008 | 135 | 111 |
| 2009 | 128 | 109 |
| 2010 | 119 | 93 |
| 2011 | 53 | 37 |
Recalls (2) — is your car included?
Oct 2015 · 2009–2011 · Exterior LightingFailure to illuminate the brake lights during braking or the inability to disengage the cruise control could…
The defect. Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2009-2011 Hyundai Accent vehicles manufactured March 1, 2009, to February 11, 2011. In the affected vehicles, the brake light switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning brake light 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 brake light switch may also prevent the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position.
What can happen. Failure to illuminate the brake lights during braking or the inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash.
The free fix. Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake switch, free of charge. The recall began on October 21, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai's customer service at 1-855-671-3059 or by visiting www.HyundaiUSA.com/Campaign131. Hyundai's number for this recall is 131. This recall is an expansion of 13V-113.
Apr 2013 · 2006–2009 · Exterior LightingFailure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could…
The defect. 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
What can happen. 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.
The free fix. 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.
What owners reported
I have a 2006 manual transmission Hyundai Accent (gls 4 dr 5 speed) with 36,000 miles. On a trip to vermont, i was driving up rt 7 mountains and accelerating uphill when my manual transmission jumped out of gear, revved up - i was in either third or fourth gear and put it back into gear - this happen around 6-8 time…
2006 · 36 miles · Transmission and driveline
2006 Hyundai Accent right rear caliper on 6/6/2009 brake locked up new brakes and pad put on at midas winterhaven, fl with the manager advising that brake pads disintegrated and manufacturing defect suggested i contact Hyundai which i did. On 10/192009 right rear brake makes grinding noise i took the vehicle home on…
2006 · 66 miles · Hydraulic brake circuit
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…
2006 · 500 miles · Visibility equipment
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…
2006 · 37,000 miles · Airbag system
Built from 489 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-18 · open data · reproduce this page