2000 Hyundai Accent Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe transmission trouble — erratic or harsh shifting, slipping, and occasional complete loss of drive — frequently at fairly low mileage. Airbag non-deployment in collisions and windshield wiper failures are the next most common themes, and engine cooling/oil-consumption reports tend to appear at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shifting erratically or losing drive

   • 24 complaints (26%)
   • median 27,948 mi at 2.7 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2009

   Complaints describe harsh or delayed shifts, downshifting without warning, slipping, and in some cases the car dropping into a neutral-like state or losing forward motion entirely. Several owners say the transmission was replaced, sometimes more than once, and that dealers initially described the behavior as normal or could not reproduce it. In a few reports the dealer invoice cited a failed transmission range switch and speed sensor codes. Reported from very low mileage up through roughly 120,000 miles, with many under 30,000 miles; no clear weather pattern.

   7 related service bulletins

   What to check: Test drive from cold through several up- and downshifts at highway speed and listen for whine or shudder; ask whether the transmission or range switch has been replaced and whether the specified fluid was used.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Changing gears when the gear shift let go . I had no more gears couldn't drive. Turns out the shifter rod goes into the transmission and is held in place with a shear pin. Shear pin broke I had to replace transmission pins are not supposed to break according to a Hyundai mechanic. But lately they have had a few vehicles with the same problem I think this should be a recall. It cost me 900 because of a pin that's not supposed to break. Thank you for listening . I hope you can do something about it. Thank you.”

   NHTSA complaint #10182527, filed 2007-02, 102 miles

   “My transmission has failed 7 times and replaced 4. It is still presently slipping. The factory rep. Was of no help however, the service department at college park have been extremely polite and understanding. Sam carlin, jim thomas, and jeff peleruzzi. Dispite all that has been done my car does not and has not run right. Might I say also that I got my oil change and because it was done improperly my engine blow in the middle of route 50. Hyundai needs to pay for my lose and suffering.”

   NHTSA complaint #765745, filed 2002-08
2. 2
   Air bags

   Airbags did not deploy in a collision

   • 9 complaints (10%)
   • median 52,500 mi at 4.8 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2008

   Owners report frontal and rear-end impacts at moderate speeds in which neither airbag deployed, with occupants describing injuries and, in some cases, being thrown forward into the windshield. Some complaints add that the seat belt did not hold the occupant. Several say the dealer or manufacturer was contacted and the vehicle inspected, with no clear explanation given for the non-deployment. Reported across a wide mileage range, mostly under about 85,000 miles, in crashes at roughly 20-45 mph.

   What to check: Look for any airbag warning lamp with the key on and ask for a scan-tool check of airbag system codes and whether the vehicle has been in a prior collision with unrecorded airbag repairs.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On june 17 2008 at 445pm, my daughter was returning home from school in her 2000 Hyundai onj the new york state thruway190 north,she was involved in a chain reaction accident,her car rearended a vehicle,and the impact totaled her car. The airbag didn't deploy she was injured bruising and whiplash,I called Hyundai headquarters and asked if they wanted to inspect the vehicle to establish why the airbag did not deploy. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10233057, filed 2008-07, 84,621 miles

   “While driving at 35 MPH on october 7, 2003 the vehicle was involved in a front end collision with another vehicle. The occupant of consumer's vehicle was wearing a seat belt but none of the air bags deployed. The consumer's child was severely injured but the occupant of the other vehicle was not injured.”

   NHTSA complaint #10034280, filed 2003-10, 39,000 miles
3. 3
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Windshield wipers stop working

   • 7 complaints (8%)
   • median 101,000 mi at 8.4 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2000–2011

   Complaints describe wipers that stop mid-stroke, fail to start, or get tangled, most often in rain and sometimes at low speed. Owners who had it inspected were told the linkage had come apart at the ball joint or that the wiper motor needed replacement. Several report the vehicle was not covered by the wiper linkage campaign despite what they describe as the same failure. Reported between roughly 30,000 and 180,000 miles, typically while driving in rain.

   Recall 00V096000Recall 00V0960011 related service bulletin

   What to check: Run the wipers at every speed setting, including in a car wash or with water poured on the glass, and ask whether the wiper linkage campaign repair was ever performed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Recall 00v096 000 concerning windshield wiper assembly. The front windshield wiper on driver's side would intermittently fail to operate or get entangled while operating. Consumer believed this problem related to this recall. Dealer was notified, and dealer informed consumer that recall repairs were done. Any other repairs would be at consumer's expense.”

   NHTSA complaint #10103291, filed 2004-12, 30,000 miles

   “Windshiled control arm on steering wheel broke in half while activating windshield wiper fluid. This has occured 2 times. This happened once on my son's same model for year 2001”

   NHTSA complaint #10060388, filed 2004-03, 101,000 miles
4. 4
   Engine cooling

   Engine stalls or loses power; coolant loss and oil use

   • 8 complaints (9%)
   • median 75,625 mi at 5.4 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2001–2006

   Owners describe the engine cutting out without warning, sometimes with smoke or coolant spraying from under the hood, and one report of an engine replacement after a water pump failure. Others describe ongoing oil burning or leaking that they say was hard to get diagnosed, and repeated oil-consumption testing. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 120,000 miles; includes highway driving at speed.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Check the coolant level and look for residue around the radiator and water pump, check the oil level and condition, and ask about any history of oil consumption testing or engine work.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “For more than two years I have been complaining to my dc-area Hyundai dealership that my car is burning or leaking oil but they failed to diagnose problem, apparently to avoid fixing it under the warranty. It is extremely dangerous for me to drive my vehicle but Hyundai will not honor its much hyped warranty and fix my car and even the district office insists that I keep driving it for its third and *unnecessary* oil consumption test. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10150642, filed 2006-02, 73,250 miles

   “We were driving the vehicle along and all of a sudden, with no warning lights or anything, the vehicle died. When we opened the hood, antifreeze had sprayed everywhere. We had it towed to a local dealer as requested by the warranty company. It took weeks for the warranty rep to inspect the vehicle. There was also a crack in the top of the radiator. The shop first told us that we caused the crack by being involved in a collision - which never took place. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10097952, filed 2004-10, 78,000 miles
5. 5
   Vehicle speed control

   Unexpected engine revving or surging

   • 7 complaints (8%)
   • median 53,500 mi at 5.5 yrs old (4 state mileage, few)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2000–2010

   Complaints describe engine speed rising on its own — while braking at highway speed, while stopped at a light, or as a surge between shifts. Owners report having to hold the brake to keep the car from moving. Some say they were told the vehicle was not covered by the speed control campaign despite similar symptoms. Reported from about 50,000 to 72,000 miles, both at highway speed and at a standstill.

   Recall 01V3460001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the speed control campaign work was completed for this VIN, and during a test drive check that idle is steady and that the throttle returns cleanly when released.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Dt: the contact states there is NHTSA recall campaign 01v346000 concerning the vehicle speed control. This vehicle had the same problems as indicated in the recall, but it was not included in the recall due to VIN. There was an accident as a result of the defect and the vehicle was totaled. A police report taken at the scene. The manufacturer has been contacted. Updated 01/06/06.”

   NHTSA complaint #10143944, filed 2005-11, 52,000 miles

   “While driving at any speed vehicle did not shift correctly. As a result, speed decreased then suddenly vehicle surged forward. The vehicle has been sitting now for 50 days with the same problem.”

   NHTSA complaint #10091828, filed 2004-10, 50,328 miles

Buying note. These are old, high-mileage cars, so condition and service history matter more than the complaint list; have a shop check transmission behavior, cooling system integrity, and airbag system codes before purchase. Confirm by VIN which open recalls or campaigns still apply, particularly the wiper linkage and speed control items.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.