This bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and filter change services.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2013 Hyundai Accent engine problems
severe 19 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
19
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
2fires
When does it fail?
Of the 19 engine complaints filed for the 2013 Hyundai Accent, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 100,000-125,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Among the 15 model years of Hyundai Accent in our records for engine problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering engine on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Follow the guidelines outlined in this bulletin to inspect and clean or replace certain components of the engine intake system accordingly during engine short block or sub-assembly replacement.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance testing. Perform the procedure outlined in this bulletin to fulfill the Bearing Clearance Test inspection requirements to determine next required steps.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗If you are servicing an applicable vehicle with a ?Check Engine? light on and one or more of the DTC listed below, follow the repair procedure and replace the related solenoid and oil pressure harness
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners consistently report severe engine problems across all mileage ranges. Excessive oil consumption dominates the complaints—multiple owners report the engine consuming over 2 quarts per 1,000 miles or requiring 1.5+ quarts monthly despite regular maintenance. Oil pans go completely dry between service intervals with no external leaks detected. When this goes unchecked, engines stall without warning while driving, including on busy highways.
A second failure pattern involves cold-start knocking that inspectors traced to cylinder wall scarring and piston slap. Compression tests showed damaged cylinders. Despite dealer attempts to fix this via timing belt and oil pump replacement, the noise persists and worsens.
Knock sensor failures are widespread, sometimes cascading to crank sensor malfunction, leaving vehicles unable to restart for up to 15 minutes. During these events, the vehicle loses all power steering and dies mid-drive—a serious safety hazard.
Two owners report complete engine fires: one while the vehicle sat parked, another at highway speed. Metal debris in crankshaft areas indicates internal catastrophic failure.
Hyundai denies goodwill repairs on out-of-warranty vehicles despite class action lawsuits and technical service bulletins addressing these same issues. Independent mechanics consistently diagnose the problem as requiring full engine replacement, at costs around $5,000, which many owners cannot afford.
Same Hyundai Accent engine reports on nearby years: 2012 · 2014 · 2016
Failure modes owners describe
Excessive Oil Consumption
Engine consumes oil at abnormally high rates—over 2 quarts per 1,000 miles in some cases, or 1.5+ quarts per month. Oil pan can become completely dry between service intervals. Occurs even on vehicles maintained with regular oil changes. Owners report oil pressure warning lights, check oil lights, and catastrophic failure if unchecked. No leak is typically found.
When: Varies; documented at 25,000 miles, 80,323 miles, 120,000 miles, and on vehicles with 130,000+ miles
Symptoms owners cite: Oil pressure warning light illuminates; Check oil light illuminates; Oil pan completely dry between services; Engine stall while driving
Codes mentioned: P0300 (check engine light)
Repairs/costs cited: Oil consumption tests performed by dealers (4 tests documented); engine replacement required. Owners cite costs of $5,000 for new engine; some replaced at own expense.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Hyundai denied goodwill engine replacement on out-of-warranty vehicle; denied appeal citing expired warranty. Class action lawsuit documented. TSB 23-EM-008H mentioned by owner but dealer said vehicle did not qualify for coverage.
Cold Start Knock / Piston Slap
Knocking or rattling noise upon cold engine start, loudest when ambient is cold or first thing in the morning. Described as piston slap by mechanics. One independent mechanic bore-scoped cylinders and found heavy cylinder wall scarring in cylinder #3 with oil on top of piston. Compression check showed cylinder #3 at 100 lbs while others at 125 lbs. Noise persists throughout day after initial start. Dealers initially claimed no fault found.
When: Begins before 70,000 miles; present across mileage range (25,000 miles documented)
Symptoms owners cite: Cold start knocking or rattling noise; Noise more pronounced when engine first starts; Piston slap sound; Noise audible below 40 mph; Cylinder wall scarring detected on bore scope; Low compression in affected cylinder
Codes mentioned: P0332 (knock sensor code mentioned)
Repairs/costs cited: Oil pump, timing belt, and tensioner replacement attempted by dealer with no resolution. Engine rebuild or replacement required. TSB 15-FL-003 reflash attempted.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer recognized problem on multiple vehicles but had no solution. TSB 15-FL-003 reflash was attempted without resolving the knock.
Engine Knock Sensor / ECU Failure
Check engine light comes on persistently due to knock sensor malfunction. In some cases, knock sensor failure cascades to crank sensor failure, causing engine stall during operation with no restart for extended periods. Vehicle loses all power or dies mid-drive. Described as spark knock due to timing error in ECU.
When: Before 70,000 miles; failures documented up to 80,323 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light comes on repeatedly; Knock / spark knock sound while driving; Vehicle stalls mid-drive with no warning; Long crank time (up to 15 minutes reported); No power steering during failure event; Vehicle unresponsive to acceleration
Codes mentioned: Knock sensor code, Crank sensor code
Repairs/costs cited: Knock sensor replaced; ECU reflash attempted per TSB but did not fully resolve issue. One owner replaced knock sensor; another needed ECU reprogramming.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. TSB for ECU reflash mentioned but did not permanently solve the problem.
Engine Power Loss and Stall While Driving
Vehicle loses power suddenly with no warning during highway driving or normal operation. Check engine light illuminates; vehicle stalls completely and cannot be restarted without tow. Independent mechanics found metal debris scattered in engine crankshaft area, indicating internal engine damage. Occurred on vehicles maintaining regular oil changes.
When: At 80,323 miles, 92,000 miles, 120,000 miles; one at less than 30,000 miles with multiple repeated events
Symptoms owners cite: Abrupt power loss while driving; Check engine light and check oil light come on; Engine stalls; does not restart; Metal debris found in crankshaft area; No power steering; Engine unresponsive to acceleration
Codes mentioned: P0300 (multiple cylinders misfiring implied)
Repairs/costs cited: Diagnosis: engine irreparable; full engine replacement required. Costs cited: $5,000. Some vehicles not repaired due to cost.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer informed owner VIN not included in recall. No recall coverage provided. Manufacturer notified but also stated VIN not in recall.
Engine Fire
Two separate reports of complete engine fires while vehicle stationary or in motion. One vehicle caught fire while parked; another caught fire at 45 mph and had to be extinguished by fire department. Vehicles were total losses. Cause of fire not determined in one case; other owner received notice of recall after fire occurred.
When: At 92,000 miles and in a stationary parked condition
Symptoms owners cite: Smoke pouring from under hood; Flames visible under steering wheel; Complete vehicle engulfment; Total loss of vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Both vehicles total loss; towed away. No repairs attempted.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One owner stated they were not notified of recall before fire occurred; discovered recall on their own after incident. Cause investigation not documented.
Failed Startup / Engine Failure
Engine fails to start after normal driving or after sitting. Multiple cranking attempts do not restore ignition. Independent mechanics and dealers diagnose complete engine failure requiring replacement.
When: At 80,323 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not start; Multiple start attempts unsuccessful; Complete engine failure diagnosed
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replaced at owner's expense.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer refused warranty repair citing owner was not original owner; vehicle out of warranty.
Abnormal Engine Noise / Loud Knock
Loud abnormal noise coming from engine while driving at highway speeds. No warning indicators initially. Independent mechanic diagnosis: engine needs replacement. Noise described as loud, abnormal, and engine-based.
When: At 120,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Loud abnormal engine noise at 55 mph; No warning lights initially; Vehicle unable to be driven after noise detected
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required per independent mechanic diagnosis.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer and manufacturer not informed by owner.
Synthesized from 19 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard a knocking sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated, and the check oil light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the engine failed to receive the oil and…
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 Hyundai accent. While driving 55 MPH, the contact heard an loud abnormal noise. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and was unable to be driven. The dealer and manufacturer were not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was…
Sunday, while I was sitting in my car I noticed smokes coming from the hood. I then noticed it getting thicker and I saw a flame under the steering wheel. I called the fire department. While I was waiting, the car engulfed into flames and was completely burnt. I wasn’t notified about a recall on the car. I had to find out on my own on 12/14/2024. The incident happened 12/08/2024. I filed a police…
On february 24, 2020 I was traveling on I-495 south during peak hour traffic at approximately 8am when my 2013 Hyundai accent began to lose power with no warning. I managed to negotiate through two lanes of highway traffic to the break down lane where the car went completely dead. I waited a half hour on a busy highway to be towed to the closest Hyundai dealership. They checked the car and found…
Had engine trouble with your 2013 Hyundai Accent?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2013 Hyundai Accent?
It's a meaningful issue. 19 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $3,100.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 10 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 73,000 and 125,000 miles, with the median around 120,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 73,000; a quarter make it past 125,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2013/Hyundai/Accent.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.