2021 Hyundai Accent Problems, Recalls & Reliability

22 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2021 Hyundai Accent, alongside 4 recall campaigns and 1 defect investigation. It scores 9/100 on the trouble index — too lightly reported for a fair score.

22Complaints
9/100Trouble index
4Recalls

Few reports

Where 2021 sits among all Accent years

Darker = quieter yearsBrighter amber = more trouble

What owners report

Wheels & tires 8 complaints (36%)
Seat belts 6 complaints (27%)
Engine 4 complaints (18%)
Electrical 2 complaints (9%)
Steering 1 complaints (5%)
Brakes & stability 1 complaints (5%)

Recalls (4)

SEAT BELTS 22V354000 2022

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.

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.…

STEERING 22V311000 2022

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.

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…

SEAT BELTS 22V069000 2022

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.

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…

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC 21V937000 2021

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.

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…

Federal defect investigations

Seat Belt Pretensioners May Rupture RQ22003 opened 2022, closed 2023

Led to recall campaign 23V094000.

Technical service bulletins

49 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and engine — are on file for the 2021 Hyundai Accent. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

See the 2021 Accent TSB list →

Complaint history for this model year

When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.

2021peak 8 in 20222025

Questions buyers ask

Is the 2021 Hyundai Accent reliable?

The 2021 Hyundai Accent drew 22 complaints in federal safety records — too lightly reported for a fair score. Its trouble index is 9/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).

What are the most common 2021 Hyundai Accent problems?

The top reported problems for the 2021 Hyundai Accent are wheels & tires (8 complaints), seat belts (6), and engine (4).

Does the 2021 Hyundai Accent have recalls?

4 recall campaigns apply to the 2021 Hyundai Accent. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.

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Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.