1998 Hyundai Accent

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: ACCENT GT MODEL VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DOHC ENGINES MANUFACTURED FROM DECEMBER 19, 1996 THROUGH JUNE 30, 1997; 1998 ACCENT MODEL VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 6, 1997 THROUGH JUNE 25, 1998; 1997 SONATA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM AUGUST 1, 1996 THROUGH JULY 9, 1997 AND 1998 SONATA VEHICLES PRODUCED FROM JULY 9, 1997 THROUGH APRIL 24, 1998. THE EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEMS MAY APPLY EXCESSIVE VACUUM TO THE FUEL TANKS DURING THE CANISTER PURGE CYCLE. MINOR FUEL TANK DISTORTION COULD RESULT. A SMALL CRACK COULD DEVELOP ON THE UPPER FUEL TANK SURFACE. THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT WOULD THEN ILLUMINATE AND, IN SOME CASES, THE VEHICLE DRIVER COULD NOTICE A GASOLINE ODOR.

Risk. FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE CAN RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL PRESSURE CHECK THE VEHICLE'S FUEL TANK TO DETERMINE IF IT HAS CRACKED. IF IT IS CRACKED, A NEW FUEL TANK WILL BE INSTALLED. A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP THAT DECREASES THE AMOUNT OF VACUUM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK WILL ALSO BE INSTALLED. NOTE: THE 1997-1998 SONATA FUEL TANKS HAVE ALSO EXPERIENCED CRACKING. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE FOR THE CRACKING HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED. THIS PORTION OF THE CAMPAIGN WILL BEGIN AFTER HYUNDAI HAS DETERMINED THE CAUSE AND CORRECTIVE PROCEDURE.

ON YOUR WEB SITE I FOUND OUT THERE IS A RECALL ON MY CAR(FUEL TANK)IF MY MECHANIC FIX IT WILL THE MANUFACTURE REIMBURSE ME. IT IS A EMERGENCY BECAUSE IT LEAKS OUT NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF RAW GASOLINE IN HER VEHICLE. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MECHANIC AND THEY STATED THAT THE GASOLINE FUEL SYSTEM STORAGE TANK ASSEMBLY WAS CRACKED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS ON RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE PREVIOUS OWNERS HAD THE RECALL ALREADY REPAIRED; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT BELIEVES THAT IF THE VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME FAILURE AS BEFORE, THEN IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED WITH A DEFECTED PART. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS BELOW 100,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 117,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (50-75 MPH) THE OVERDRIVE WOULD DISSENGAGE. IN TURRN THE RPM WOULD RAMP UP. THIS WOULD HAPPEN RANDOMLY. SOMTIMES PULLING OFF AND TURNING CAR OFF AND STARTING IT AGAIN TEMPORARILY FIXED PROBLEM. FINALLY, WE TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC. HE FOUND THAT THE WIRING UNER THE STICK (AUTOMATIC) WERE BARE AND TOUCHING. HE FIXED THE WIRING AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM SINCE. I HAVE NOTED MANY OTHER ENTRIES WITH SIMILAR PROBLEM. *JB

DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DOING 50 MY RPM IS AROUND 4000 A FEW MONTHS LATER DECEMBER 2003 TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. NOW JANUARY 2005 RPM IS ACTING UP AGAIN, I HAD MY CAR CHECKED OUT AT THE GARAGE WHERE MY TRANSMISSION WAS PUT IN AND THEY SEE NO PROBLEM WITH IT AT ALL, THEY THINK MAYBE IT IS ELECTRICAL???? DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE HAD NO COMPLAINTS ON THIS....I HATE CARS!!!! *JB

THE REAR SEAT BELTS DON'T EXTRACT. DRIVERS SIDE HAS BEEN REPLACE THREE TIMES, JUST REPLACED AND WITHIN A WEEK WAS DOING IT AGAIN. *NM

A CRACK WAS PRODUCED IN THE FUEL TANK. AS A RESULT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND FUEL FUMES SEEPED THROUGH THE PASSENGER'S COMPARTMENT.*AK *TC

A RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED, AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE FUEL FILTER CAP REPLACEMENT, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FUEL FILTER CAP SINCE THERE WAS NO CRACK IN THE FUEL TANK. THE MANUFACTURE REFUSED TO COOPERATE. *AK

I HAVE BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR RECALL AND REGULAR MAINTENANCE AND EACH TIME I WOULD STATE HOW THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR JERKS AND THEN IT RESUMES NORMALLY AS IF NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. I HAVE NOTICED NUMEROUS PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME ISSUE AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS ALL SAY THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A PROBLEM AND IT HAD NEVER BEEN REPORTED BEFORE. NHTSA NEEDS TO GET ON THE CASE AND NOTIFY WHOMEVER NEEDS TO BE NOTIFIED. *NM

DASHBOARD IS CRACKED AND I AM CONCERNED IF THIS CRACK WILL AFFECT THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG. *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE JERKED THEN CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. *AK *CB *NLM

WHILE ACCELERATING THERE IS A LOUD BANGING NOISE LIKE THE VEHICLE IS BEING KICKED IN THE REAR, AND ENGINE IS STALLING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY HAVE REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION 3 TIMES. *AK

CONSUMER STATES THAT VEHICLE CAN BE LEFT IN ANY POSITION AND IT WILL ROLL BACKWARDS. *AK

THE STARTER WAS REPLACED SIX TIMES, THE TRANSMISSION, FRONT BRAKES, OUTER TIE RODS AND THE ENGINE WERE ALL REPLACED. *TS *JB

THE VEHICLE STALLED WHEN THE GEARS WERE CHANGED, THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.*JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL LETER STATING IF CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES IF A CRACK DEVELOPES IN FUEL TANK. CONSUMER STATES LIGHT WAS ON PRIOR TO RECEIVING LETTER. DEALER STATED THEY WERE CHARGING FOR HER FOR CHECKING THE ENGINE LIGHT. CONSUMER FEELS SHE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR A RECALL. NLM

NHTSA RECALL 00V314001 FUEL TANK; EASTRIDGE AUTO PLEX IN CASPER WY., THE CONSUMER WAS ASKED TO MAKE 2 TRIPS, ONE TRIP FOR INSPECTING THE FUEL TANK AND IF IT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT WHICH TIME IT WOULD BE ORDERED. THE OWNER WOULD HAVE TO RESCHEDULE ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND BRING THE VEHICLE BACK. THE RECALL LETTER DOES NOT STATE THIS AS PROCEDURE. *SCC

WHILE DRIVING WAS SMELLING GAS COMING FROM VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD VEHICLE CHECKED BY MECHANIC, WHO COULD NOT DETERMINE PROBLEM. CONSUMER VERY UPSET BECAUSE RECEIVED A FOLLOW-UP RECALL LETTER 00V314001 REGARDING LEAK IN FUEL TANK. CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED ORIGINAL RECALL LETTER. *AK

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING ANOTHER VEHICLE MADE A SUDDEN STOP IN FRONT OF CONSUMER'S VEHICLE, AND DUAL AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY.

THE ENGINE WILL CUT OFF AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, CAUSING THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT TO COME ON. AT THIS POINT THE CAR WILL EITHER RESUME OPERATING OR STALL. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY TELL ME THEY CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AND HAVE NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING BEFORE. I HAVE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

PRIOR TO THE RECALL, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE, THE FUEL FILTER CAP WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTED, CONSUMER STATED THAT EACH TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TESED THE SAME CODE WOULD APPEAR, CONSUMER BELIEVES THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM IS HAVING TO DO WITH THE RECALL WHICH SEEMS THAT WHAT EVER THE DEALER IS DOING IS NOT CORRECTING THE PROBLEM.*YH

THIS WAS A PROGRAM CAR. I HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS REPEATEDLY WITH THIS CAR. ABOUT 6 MONTHS AFTER I BOUGHT IT, IT STARTED USING OIL. THEY REBUILT THE HEAD. THEN ABOUT 8 MONTHS OR SO LATER IT STARTED USING OIL AGAIN, THIS TIME THEY "SAID" THEY PUT ON A NEW HEAD. HOWEVER, I DONT BELIEVE THAT BECAUSE, NOW 8 MONTHS LATER IT IS ONCE AGAIN USING OIL. ALSO, I CAN BE GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60 MPH AND THE ENGINE WILL "HICCUP" AND JERK REALLY HARD AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON FOR ABOUT 2-3 SECONDS. I HAVE REPORTED THIS SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG. I HAVE ALSO BEEN REPORTING TO THE DEALER, THAT I HEAR A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE ENGINE IS NOT GETTING ANY OIL. BUT, THEY JUST TELL ME THAT I AM HEARING THINGS. I AM PAYING FOR THIS LEMON WITH MY HARD EARNED MONEY. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THEM TO LET ME TRADE IT BACK TO THEM AND BUY A BRAND NEW CAR, BUT THEY INSIST THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MINE. I HAVE ALSO CONTACTED CONSUMER AFFAIRS, THEY TOLD ME THEY COULDN'T GET INVOLVED. THAT IT WAS BETWEEN ME AND THE DEALER. I NEED HELP!!! ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE ME WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS!*AK

PLASTIC SEAT BELT "CASING" (THAT CONTAINS THE ACTUAL SEAT BELT) OF RARELY USED FRONT PASSENGER BELT HAS CRACKED WITHOUT CAUSE AND LEFT SHARP EDGES TOUCHING THE INTERNAL BELT WEBBING WHICH COULD DAMAGE THE INTERNAL WEBBING OF THE BELT. *AK

WHILE DRIVING HEADLIGHTS WENT DIM AND POWER DIED ON VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

AFTER DRIVING FOR A WHILE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND REMAIN. IT THEN, WENT OUT BUT WOULD COME BACK ON. HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP AT LEAST 8 OR MORE TIMES FOR ENGINE CHECK PROBLEM, EACH TIME MECHANIC REPLACED A DIFFERENT COMPONENT. *AK

PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN JUNE, 1998. FROM DATE OF PURCHASE, ENGINE CHECK SENSOR WOULD COME ON AND STAY ON FOR A WHILE. SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC FOUND A PROBLEM AND FIXED IT AND TURNED OFF THE LIGHT; SOMETIMES HE TOLD ME IT WAS A FAULTY SENSOR; SOMETIMES HE WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE LIGHT TO COME ON. LATEST INCIDENT OCCURRED ON MAY 15, 2001, WHEN THE ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON ONCE AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD JUST BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP B/C THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON AND THEY'D REPLACED THE PULSE GENERATOR. THERE HAVE BEEN ACCELERATION PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE PAST; SOMETIMES THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THEY COINCIDED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM. AFTER 3 YEARS AND MANY VISITS TO THE MECHANIC FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, I'M FACING THE END OF MY WARRANTY AND THE LATEST EXPLANATION FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT PROBLEM IS THAT THE SENSOR IS "TOUCHY." IGNORING THE LIGHT IN THE FUTURE IS AN UNACCEPTEABLE AND UNSAFE SOLUTION, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IT IS AS "TOUCHY" AS IT IS "FAULTY."*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON EXPRESSWAY VEHICLE SHUT OFF. OIL LIGHT AND ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON. CONTACTED DEALER, AND THE DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG.*AK

WHILE TRAVELING AT 62 MPH ANOTHER CAR IN FRONT HAD HAZARD LIGHTS ON. CONSUMER TRIED TO GO AROUND, THERE WAS SNOW ON GROUND/NOT ON ROAD, BUT ON SIDE OF ROAD, CONSUMER LOST CONTROL AND HIT A GUARDRAIL, AND TWO OTHER GUARDRAILS ON OTHER SIDE OF ROAD. NONE OF AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.*AK CONSUMER HIT GUARDRAIL HEAD ON.*JB

CONSUMER HAD BEEN HAVING SOME PROBLEM WITH AIR CONDITIONER AND HEATER FAN. THEY HAD STOPPED WORKING. *AK

WHEN FILLING UP GAS TANK GASOLINE NOZZLE WILL SHUT OFF ALMOST AS THERE IS TOO MUCH PRESSURE. *AK GAS CAP WAS CHANGED A SECOND TIME IN MAY AND RECALL WAS COMPLETE AND PROLEM HAS NOT CAME BACK. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING AND MAKING A SUDDEN STOP CONUSMER'S VEHICLE RUNNING INTO TAIL END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR A FAULTY AR CRACKED GAS TANK BUT THE DEALER ONLY REPLACED THE GAS CAP, THE INVOICE STATES THE THE TANK WAS INSPECTED AND LOOKED OK, CONSUMER WONDERS IF THE TANK SHOULD BE CHECKED PERIODICALLY. NLM

TRANSMISSION JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND THE GEARS STICKS SOMETIMES. LOW FUEL LIGHT, STOPPED OPERATING/ENGINE OIL SPOT UNDER HOOD, AND ROUGH IDLE. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK THE VEHICLE CRACK IN FUEL TANK. *YH

WHEN I TURN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION SWITCH, THE KEY TURNS BACK AND TURNS THE WHOLE ENGINE OFF, IT WENT OUT ON THE FREEWAY ONE TIME! *AK

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE & LOST CONTROL. HIT A DITCH HEAD-N. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. VEHICLE ROLLED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STOPPING. VEHICLE WAS DECLARED TOTALED. *AK

ENGINE CONTROL MONITOR MELTED, CAUSING VEHICLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED ODOMETER. SIX MONTHS LATER, TRANSMISSION/COMPUTER MODULE MALFUNCTIONED. ; DEALER NOTIFIED, AND REPLACED COMPUTER MODULE. CURRENTLY, CRANK ANGLE SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, CAUSING STALLING / NO START AT ALL, AND ENGINE MISSING WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK ON 6-2-00 THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ENGAGE INTO HIGHER GEAR AT 60 MPH, CONSUMER HAD TO DRIVE ON FREEWAY AT 60 MPH WITH THE RPM GAUGE AT 4500. NLM

MOMENTARY ENG.SHUT DOWN/CHECK ENG.LIGHT ON.RESUMES WITHOUT RESTARTING.CHECK ENG.LIGHT GOES OFF. *AK

INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ENGINE CHECK LIGHT COMES ON . VEHICLE REDUCES IN SPEED WITH A VERY HARD JOLT. THIS ALL HAPPENS WITHIN 2-3 SECONDS. RIGHT AFTERWARDS, THE LIGHT GOES OFF, AND T VEHICLE GOES BACK TO NORMAL AGAIN. PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DEALERSHIP. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION WOULD KEEP SLIPPING. ALSO, ENGINE WOULD KEEP REVVING. RPMS WOULD GO UP WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT/SIGN OR WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STAND STILL. VEHICLE WOULD ALSO HESITATE. ENGINE CHECK LIGHT WOULD KEEP COMING ON. *AK

REAR WHEEL HAD SMOKE COMING FROM T UNDER THE CARRAIGE. *AK

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FUSE BOX DID NOT HAVE THE AIRBAG FUSE IN PLACE. MANUFACTURER WILL BE NOTIFIED. *AK

CONSUMER'S ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON FOR DAYS, TAKES VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP, AND THEY'VE REPROGRAMED THE DASH ELECTRONIC BOARD. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME AND DEALER WILL BE TAKING OUT THE FUEL TANK AND SYSTEM. VEHICLE IS AT DEALERSHIP AT THIS TIME.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 30 MPH DRIVER COULD STEP ON THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN, BUT VEHICLE WOULD STALL, AND THIS HAPPENED ALL THE TIME. *AK

BATTERY DEAD ON THREE OCCASIONS.

RUBBING OF THE POWER STEERING LINES CAUSING GEARS TO GRIND.

GEARSHIFT JUMPS OUT OF REVERSE.

CAR SEEMS TO "HIC-CUP" - THE ENGINE SEEMS TO "SHUT OFF" AND "TURN ON" AGAIN FOR A SECOND OR TWO WHILE DRIVING. AS THIS HAPPENS, THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT STAYS LIT FOR ABOUT 3 SECONDS. I HAVE NOT CONTACTED MY DEALER YET (IT HAPPENED OVER THE WEEKEND), BUT I HAVE SENT AN EMAIL TO HYUNDAI MOTOR ABOUT THE PROBLEM. I HAVE ALSO READ IN SEVERAL POSTINGS ON THE INTERNET ABOUT OTHER 1998 ACCENT OWNERS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM.

THE CONSUMER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH ANTI-LOCK BRAKES. VEHICLE MAKES A LOUD SQUEALING SOUND WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE MANUFACTURER YET TO BE CONTACTED. *AK