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Hyundai AccentModel year report

2009 Hyundai Accent Problems

Compared with other Hyundai Accent years

More complaints than typical for this model

66/100 1.5× a typical year · 50 = typical

Nearby years with fewer complaints than typical and no open NHTSA investigation: 2011

Based only on NHTSA complaints, recalls and investigations. Not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold, and not a reliability rating. How this is calculated

Complaints
101filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
71,000miles, 86 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
29 mpgcombined, 1.6L 4-cyl FWD · 27 city / 33 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Hyundai Accent (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often report a passenger-side airbag warning light that stays on, traced by dealers to the occupant sensor in the passenger seat, and a driver-side sun visor that will not stay up. Brake and lighting complaints round out the list, with reports spread across a wide mileage range from low-mileage cars to vehicles past 100,000 miles.

  1. Air bags

    Airbag warning light / passenger seat sensor (OCS)

    • 22 complaints (22%)
    • median 81,474 mi at 7.0 yrs old (20 state mileage)
    • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 6 quotes)
    • filed 2013–2022

    Owners describe the airbag warning light coming on and staying lit, sometimes intermittently, with no crash involved. Dealers typically diagnose a failed passenger-side seat sensor or occupant classification mat and quote replacing the seat cushion or the whole seat; some owners report the driver-side sensor failing later. In some cases owners were told a reset or cleaning of contacts was the only option, and several note the cost of the repair. Reported from about 16,000 to 147,000 miles, with many between 45,000 and 90,000 miles and a few on very low-mileage cars.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Turn the key and confirm the airbag light goes out after the bulb check; ask whether the passenger occupant sensor has ever been replaced or repaired. A service bulletin notes extended warranty coverage on the front passenger occupant sensor mat for these vehicles, so ask whether that was ever applied.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Airbag light came on when I turned the car on one day. I was informed the airbag pressure sensor had failed and would have to replace the entire seat to rectify the problem as the airbag wouldn't deploy correctly if someone was in the passenger front seat. Recently learned it was a recall for some kia models through a notice for my kia sedona, but my model wasn't included although the issue is identical.”

    NHTSA complaint #11270930, filed 2019-10, 45,000 miles

    “The air bag light came on in car. In order to pass safety inspection this needs tone dealt with at dealership. After diagnostic was run they told me the passenger side detection sensor was faulty. The repair is $1200 and for a car less than 10 years old and under 100,000 miles there is no reason to have this issue. I tried to receive relief reimbursement at the dealership level and at Hyundai customer service. Both were denied.”

    NHTSA complaint #10786484, filed 2015-10, 71,000 miles
  2. Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

    Sun visor will not stay up

    • 18 complaints (18%)
    • median 66,700 mi at 5.7 yrs old (17 state mileage)
    • filed 2012–2019

    Owners report the driver-side sun visor drooping or dropping suddenly, often after a small bump or while driving, and no longer staying in the raised position. Some describe the mounting arm or internal plastic piece snapping, leaving the visor hanging by its wiring. Complaints mention holding the visor up by hand, removing it, or using tape or hook-and-loop fasteners to keep it out of the line of sight. Mostly reported between roughly 29,000 and 94,000 miles, on cars a few years old and older.

    1 related service bulletin

    What to check: Fold both visors down and up a few times and check that they hold at any angle without sagging; look at the mounting arm for cracks. Ask whether either visor has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “While driving, I pulled down the sun visor to shield my vision from the sun. I heard a strange cracking noise and the sun visor became very floppy. It will no longer stay in the up position, and this posed a visibility problem, and so I was forced to remove the sun visor. Now I have no way to shield my eyes from the sun, which also poses a visibility problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10487650, filed 2012-12, 58,000 miles

    “The sun visor will not stay up. There is a plastic part inside that holds it in place and that apparently broke. The sun visor is not usable and just hangs down obscuring my field of view. This is a huge danger since I can't see more than 50 feet ahead of my car now and will not have time to slow down for an accident.”

    NHTSA complaint #10579270, filed 2014-04, 94,000 miles
  3. Transmission and drivetrain

    Hard shifting or slipping out of gear (manual transmission)

    • 6 complaints (6%)
    • median 70,000 mi at 4.2 yrs old (6 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2011–2018

    Owners of manual-transmission cars report difficulty engaging gears and the transmission slipping out of fourth or fifth gear into neutral while driving, sometimes requiring the lever to be held in gear. Several report that dealers or independent shops could not reproduce the problem. One owner notes a recall repair was declined because it applied only to automatic-transmission cars. Reported from about 45,000 to 120,000 miles.

    What to check: On a test drive, shift through all gears at steady speed and check that each one holds without popping out; ask whether the clutch or shift linkage has had any work.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “I have had issues with shifting into gear. I have taken it to several different mechanics and they have not been able to find any issues at all. I also just found out that my fuel level sensor is not working either. I have not been able to find any recalls on either. It's upsetting to see that others are having the same issue with the shifting problem and it doesn't seem that anyone within Hyundai has bothered to see if this problem exists with other 5 speed accents.”

    NHTSA complaint #10524895, filed 2013-07, 70,000 miles

    “While going 65 MPH car shifted into lower gear on its own. Would not shift back. Has done this many times since then. When put in park and turned off,most the time will work right after.”

    NHTSA complaint #10520515, filed 2013-06, 75,674 miles

Buying note. Check the airbag warning light and the condition of both sun visors first, since those are the most frequently reported items and the seat sensor repair can be costly. Also confirm the brake lights work reliably and, on a manual car, that every gear engages and holds on a test drive.

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.

NHTSA recorded 101 consumer complaints for the 2009 Hyundai Accent. 86 of the complaints include a mileage, and 34% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 71,000 miles. Of all complaints, 9 involved a crash, 1 a fire, 4 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 41 technical service bulletins for this model year. Compared with the other 10 Hyundai Accent model years that have at least 25 complaints and are old enough to compare, this one scores 66 out of 100, where 50 is a typical year for the model (more complaints than typical for this model). The comparison allows for the era and for how long each year has had to collect complaints, but not for how many vehicles were sold.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Fuel system (4), Vehicle speed control (4), Engine cooling (2), Seats (2), Steering (2), Seat belts (1), Tires (1).

Example complaints

Air bags: “When the car is started, the air bag light turns on and won't turn off. Restarted several times since and the air bag light still stays on. Another issue that I never reported is both driver and passenger sun visors won't stay up. I replaced the driver side, but this is very distracting to a driver to have the visor drop downand feel this should be considered a safety concern. The rest of the information is about the air bag light being on, not the visors.”

NHTSA complaint #11287928, filed 2019-12, 85,000 miles

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): “Sun visor started dropping into driver's view on it's own in 2012. Driver was able to prop it back up until it the plastic clamp that keeps it tight on rotating arm broke. It became a visibility problem while driving, so visor had to be removed. We contacted Hyundai who told us it was not under warranty and we would have to pay $150 to have it replaced.”

NHTSA complaint #10543569, filed 2013-09, 9,000 miles

Brakes: “My brake lights work then they dont I have replaced fuses bulbs I dont know what else to check they was working yesterday today I was told my brakes light wasnt working after almost getting rear ended. I was stopping at a red light. This isnt the first time it has happened”

NHTSA complaint #11362312, filed 2020-10, 129,274 miles

Exterior lighting: “The brake lights all failed at the same time. My daughter was following me and noticed they weren't working. I checked the fuse and it is ok, so the next component is the switch. I researched problems with my model and noticed there was a recall for the 2007 model year for the same model car for the stop lamp switch. Maybe the same parts are being used in later model years.”

NHTSA complaint #10488864, filed 2012-12, 75,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

34% of the 86 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 35,000 and 85,000 miles.

5%0–1013%10–2516%25–5019%50–7531%75–10012%100–1505%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (86 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 71,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’10’1221’14’16’18’20’22’25
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Hyundai Accent. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Accent · sedan FWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Hyundai Accent version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Accent FWD1.6L 4-cyl5-speed manual273329$2,300
Accent FWD1.6L 4-cyl4-speed automatic263529$2,300

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 Hyundai Accent → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 41 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 41 bulletins →

Other model years of the Hyundai Accent

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2022173502436—Rising
202116—4436—Stable
20201234,2504436—Not enough data
20193154,5001—324 · FewerRising
2018199991—32—Stable
20176851,000043136 · TypicalStable
201610250,000043149 · TypicalFalling
20157061,794243154 · TypicalStable
20147976,000143130 · FewerRising
201314245,000143273 · MoreRising
201215360,000243287 · MoreStable
20113845,0001—3014 · FewerRising
20108760,0001—3052 · TypicalFalling
200910171,0002—2966 · MoreFalling
200810149,6001—2950 · TypicalStable
20078865,0333—29Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20064361,0003—29Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20054960,0001—27Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20043336,0000—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
20033735,0000—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
200213443,4001—27Not compared (before 2008)Rising
200111252,5002—27Not compared (before 2008)Falling
20009261,0004—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19996174,9921—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19984766,0001—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
19975569,4502—28Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199610186,2504—27Not compared (before 2008)Stable
199514271,7255—28Not compared (before 2008)Rising

All Hyundai Accent model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Hyundai Accent?

Owners of this model year most often report a passenger-side airbag warning light that stays on, traced by dealers to the occupant sensor in the passenger seat, and a driver-side sun visor that will not stay up. The issues reported most often: Airbag warning light / passenger seat sensor (OCS); Sun visor will not stay up; Hard shifting or slipping out of gear (manual transmission).

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Hyundai Accent have?

NHTSA recorded 101 consumer complaints for the 2009 Hyundai Accent as of Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Hyundai Accent is reported most often?

Air bags is named most often, in 27 complaints (27% of the total), followed by visibility with 18.

Has the 2009 Hyundai Accent been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Hyundai Accent get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Hyundai Accent (Accent, 1.6L 4-cyl) at 29 mpg combined, 27 city and 33 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,300 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Hyundai Accent reported?

Among the 86 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 71,000 miles and the middle half falls between 35,000 and 85,000 miles; 34% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 29, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.