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2014 Hyundai Accent Recalls, Problems & Maintenance

The 2014 Hyundai Accent carries 1 open NHTSA recall — most recently covering control unit/module. Owners report 6 recurring issue clusters, led by “Steering wheel locks up or becomes stiff while driving.” Hyundai's owner's manual splits service into Normal and Severe schedules. Most US drivers qualify as Severe due to short trips, extreme temperatures, or stop-and-go traffic. Hyundai Assurance covers the first 3 years / 36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance on new vehicles. The Theta II 2.0L and 2.4L engines (2011-2019) are subject to TSBs around oil consumption — strict adherence to oil intervals matters.

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1 Open Recall

Source: NHTSA

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

Campaign #23V651000 · Sep 22, 2023

Issue: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2011-2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe, Sonata Hybrid, 2012-2015 Accent, Azera, Veloster, 2013-2015 Elantra Coupe, Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Equus, 2010-2012 Veracruz, 2010-2013 Tucson, 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell, and 2013 Santa Fe Sport vehicles. The Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module may leak brake fluid internally and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.

Risk: An engine compartment fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.

Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the ABS fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 10, 2024 through October 11, 2024. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 251.

Recall data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

Known issues & problems for this vehicle

What drivers and federal regulators have officially reported about the 2014 Hyundai Accent.

1 active NHTSA investigation

Source: NHTSA

  • Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires

    Action #AQ23002 · opened Nov 17, 2023

    The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received eight Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) and eight Kia America, Inc. (Kia) Part 573 Recall Reports between 2016 and 2023. The combined 16 safety recalls all involve the antilock braking system (ABS) modules or Hydraulic Electron…

    View on NHTSA →

Reported to NHTSA

Steering wheel locks up or becomes stiff while driving

STEERING

5 NHTSA complaints · 2016-08 → 2026-03

“The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds on several occasions, the steering wheel seized. No warning light was illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11723312
“For reasons unknown I was at a stoplight. The car started shaking, and the check engine light started blinking, and then the light went off. Also, the steering wheel locks up at times and I’m unable to to move the steering wheel because it’s locked”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11679167
“PURCHASED THE CAR USED IN 2015 WITH LESS THAN 30,000 MILES AND IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS THE POWER STEERING STARTED MALFUNCTIONING REGULARLY”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10898368

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Brake fluid leak recall parts delay and underhood fire

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

28 NHTSA complaints · 2022-04 → 2024-12

“The contact owned a 2014 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving, the drive stick shift failed to change gears from first gear. The drive stick shift became abnormally stuck when depressing the brake pedal and attempting to shift gears”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11617236
“The contact's father owns a 2014 Hyundai Accent. The owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11602644
“September 22, 2023 recall notice. Told to park outside. Four months later, there has been no remedy. This is too long to require owners to park cars outside due to fire hazard”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11566453

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Excessive oil consumption and rod bearing failure

ENGINE

10 NHTSA complaints · 2021-01 → 2026-07

“After 86,000 miles, the oil consumption per week are 1 quart of gallon. And smell weird”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11441064
“The engine started burning oil at about 105,000 miles, despite it never missing an oil change and never abused”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11437158
“The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a knocking and ticking noise coming from the engine compartment with the check engine warning light constantly illuminated”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11503436

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Sudden stall or loss of power while driving

ENGINE

5 NHTSA complaints · 2018-08 → 2023-07

“The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed and coming to a stop, the vehicle stalled. The RPM dropped to zero”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11531649
“THE ENGINE 1ST STOPPED 2 WEEKS AGO AT A RED LIGHT. I SAY "STOPPED" BECAUSE THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT DID "STOP," NO WARNING LIGHT OR SIGNAL. IT SIMPLY STOPPED”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11121779
“ON 2/11/21, I WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I294 WHEN I SUDDENLY LOST ACCELERATION. I HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WITH A SEMI AND THE VEHICLES BEHIND ME”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11398705

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Air bags failed to deploy in a crash

AIR BAGS

9 NHTSA complaints · 2016-10 → 2024-05

“AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF IN A SERIOUS CRASH. HIT A DITCH GOING 40MPH AND ROLLED SEVERAL TIMES*DT*DT”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11404934
“WHILE DRIVING MY CAR ONE MORNING I HIT A PATCH OF ICE GOING 35MPH IN A 40MPH ZONE. UPON HITTING THE ICE MY CAR SWERVED AND I OVERCORRECTED, CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK OFF OF THE ROAD AND FLIP ONTO ITS TOP, ALL WHILE TAKING OUT A TELEPHONE POLE IN THE PROCESS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11074379
“AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH INTO MEDIAN BARRIER ON A HIGHWAY. SPEED AT ABOUT 50 MPH, WITH A FRONT/SIDE IMPACT, AFTER SPINNING ON ICY ROADS”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #10940126

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Driver seat belt releases or fails while driving

SEAT BELTS

4 NHTSA complaints · 2022-07 → 2024-11

“Driving on city & highway, driver side selt belt will release itself multiple times. On a daily drive to work 12 miles at least 2-3 times!”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11623903
“The seatbelt unbuckles on its own when driving. It is happening each time my husband or I drive the vehicle. I’m concerned that the seatbelt will unbuckle in case of a collision”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11484545
“The driver's seat belt unbuckles randomly while driving. This issue seems to be more prevalent depending on the seat position and dimensions of the driver”
— Owner report, NHTSA ODI #11513933

Read all complaints on NHTSA →

Issues on other model years

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI). Complaint data refreshed Sep 20, 2026. Investigation data refreshed Sep 20, 2026.

We display NHTSA's record with attribution; we don't editorialize on what these complaints mean for any specific vehicle.

Raw data + downloads for this vehicle →

Essential maintenance

Critical for safety and preventing major damage

Engine Oil & Filter

Every 3,750 mi

Severe service: every 3,750 miles. Normal service: 7,500 miles. Theta II 2.0L/2.4L (Sonata, Santa Fe, Tucson 2011-2019): never extend — oil consumption issues are documented in Hyundai TSBs.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$120–$160

Shop

~$85–$115

DIY

~$25–$55

Full synthetic costs more than conventional. 5-quart 0W-20 + filter is the typical bill.

Tire Rotation

Every 7,500 mi

Rotate tires every 7,500 miles. AWD Tucson and Santa Fe owners benefit from rotation at 5,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Often free at the shop where you bought the tires — worth asking before paying.

Brake Inspection

Every 7,500 mi

Inspect brake pads, rotors, calipers, and parking brake every 7,500 miles. Elantra and Sonata front pads typically last 40,000-50,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$85

Shop

~$60

DIY

Free

Most shops do this free as a courtesy with any service. Don't pay separately if you can avoid it.

Brake Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Replace DOT 3 brake fluid every 30,000 miles or 24 months. Required to maintain ABS and ESC pump life.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$180–$200

Shop

~$125–$140

DIY

~$10–$25

DOT 3 or 4 — match the cap. Vacuum bleeders make this a one-person DIY.

Important maintenance

Keeps your vehicle running smoothly and efficiently

Engine Air Filter

Every 30,000 mi

Replace engine air filter every 30,000 miles. Severe service or dusty conditions: 15,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

5-minute job on most cars; the airbox lid usually has clips, no tools needed.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

Every 30,000 mi

Severe service: every 30,000 miles. Normal: 60,000 miles. Use Hyundai SP-IV or SPH-IV — substitutes can cause harsh shifting and torque converter damage.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$330–$500

Shop

~$235–$355

DIY

~$60–$180

Some sealed transmissions have no dipstick — fill is precise and best left to a shop. Many drivers can still DIY drain-and-fill.

Spark Plugs

Every 105,000 mi

Iridium spark plugs are rated 105,000 miles on Theta II, Lambda II, and Smartstream engines. 1.6T (Veloster N, Kona N): 60,000 miles.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$390

Shop

~$200–$275

DIY

~$25–$100

Iridium plugs cost more but last 100k+ miles. V6/V8 access varies wildly — some are tough.

Long-Life Coolant

Every 30,000 mi

Hyundai Long-Life Coolant (pink): first change at 60,000 miles, then every 30,000. Do not substitute green or orange coolant — it damages the cylinder head gasket on GDI engines.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$285–$330

Shop

~$200–$235

DIY

~$25–$60

Use the manufacturer-specified coolant — wrong color/chemistry can damage the cooling system.

Recommended maintenance

Extends the life of your vehicle and improves comfort

Cabin Air Filter

Every 15,000 mi

Replace cabin air filter every 15,000 miles. Located behind the glove box on most Hyundai models.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$60–$95

Shop

~$45–$70

DIY

~$15–$40

Usually behind the glovebox. Shops charge labor for a 10-minute job — easy DIY win.

Drive Belt Inspection

Every 60,000 mi

Inspect serpentine belt and tensioner every 60,000 miles. Replace at 90,000 miles on most models.

Estimated cost — typical U.S. ranges

Dealer

~$195–$235

Shop

~$135–$165

DIY

~$20–$50

DIY-friendly if you can reach the tensioner. Inspect for cracks rather than swap on a strict mileage interval.

Fatal crash history & reported problems

Occupant deaths in fatal crashes (FARS)

57 crashes 1990–2024

How the 57 occupant deaths break down

43

driver deaths

14

passenger deaths

57

occupant deaths

Crash years covered: 1990–2024 This model year first appears in 2014 crashes. Older models have had more years on the road to appear in these crashes, so a higher count here does not by itself mean a vehicle is less safe.

FARS counts every occupant death in a fatal crash, whatever the cause — it does not mean the vehicle was at fault or defective. Counts are not adjusted for how many of each vehicle are on the road. How to read this number

FARS 2024 data is an annual report file. NHTSA revises these records when the final file is published, so this count can change.

Why we show driver deaths too

Every vehicle has exactly one driver seat, so driver deaths line up fairly when you compare one model to another. Occupant deaths include passengers, so a three row SUV can show a higher number than a two seat car simply because it carries more people.

Both figures are plain counts, not rates. A rate would need to know how many of each vehicle are on the road, and that registration data is not public, so we do not publish rates or scores of any kind.

IIHS publishes driver death rates using this same driver only idea, paired with a registered vehicle years denominator we do not have. Their rates and these counts answer different questions, so do not read either number here as a safety rating.

Owner-reported problem signals

Separate from the federal fatality data above: complaints owners filed with NHTSA about this year and model. These are reports of problems, unverified, and are counted here only as signals.

12

complaints mentioning a crash

9

complaints mentioning a fire

Reviewed known issues for this vehicle·Open recalls for this vehicle

Typical U.S. ranges. Actual quotes vary by shop, parts choice, and vehicle condition.

How we estimate: Dealer = OEM parts × 1.4 + labor × $165/hr. Shop = parts + labor × $115/hr. DIY = parts only.

This maintenance schedule for the 2014 Hyundai Accent reflects Hyundai's published service intervals and the Service Reminder system. Your actual service needs may vary based on driving conditions, climate, and vehicle usage. Always consult your owner's manual for model-specific recommendations.

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