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2016 Hyundai Accent problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
49%
35 of 71 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

49% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2016 Hyundai Accent are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is a model-level pattern, not bad luck.

Worse than 64% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 30 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 35%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2016 Hyundai Accent have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 35 of 71 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Accent concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (49%), and the largest group is filed under engine (33). For comparison, the 2015 scores 50% and the 2017 scores 60%. On a test drive, check for stalling, loss of power, rough idle, oil consumption or a check-engine light. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
35
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
101
this model year
Fires reported
3
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
0
7 crashes · 8 injuries

Complaints by component

ENGINE33 · 33%
AIR BAGS29 · 29%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM26 · 26%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER16 · 16%
STEERING11 · 11%
SERVICE BRAKES8 · 8%

The years either side

2010
25%
15 of 87
2011
37%
11 of 38
2012
33%
45 of 153
2013
36%
42 of 141
2014
32%
21 of 80
2015
50%
23 of 70
2016
49%
35 of 101
2017
60%
29 of 68
2018
too few complaints
2019
79%
22 of 31
2020
too few complaints
2021
too few complaints
2022
too few complaints
2023
no data

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2016 Hyundai Accent

What one owner reported

EXTERIOR LIGHTING,STRUCTURE,ENGINE11/03/2018CRASH1 INJURED
MY VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION YESTERDAY THAT BROKE BOTH HEADLIGHTS, BUCKLED HOOD, KNOCKED THE ENGINE IN TO THE TRANSMISSION, AND BUSTED THE FRONT FAN AND COOLANT. THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY AND NEITHER DID THE SEAT BELT LOCK. THE DRIVER WAS INJURED WITH HIS LIP, NOSE AND FOREHEAD BUSTED BECAUSE THE SAFETY FEA…

One of 35 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Checking one particular 2016 Hyundai Accent? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2016 Hyundai Accent

Does the 2016 Hyundai Accent have engine problems?

Owner complaints say yes, as a model-year pattern. 35 of 71 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Hyundai Accent concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (49%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the engine and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2016 Hyundai Accent?

NHTSA lists no recall campaigns on the 2016 Hyundai Accent.

Which Hyundai Accent years are better?

Among the Hyundai Accent years we track, the 2010 (25%), the 2014 (32%) and the 2012 (33%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2016 (49%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2016 Hyundai Accent?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2016 Hyundai Accent has an elevated engine complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing engine work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the engine. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Combined across 2 body styles NHTSA files separately.