2013 Hyundai Accent: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed May 21, 2026 · TX · fire

My parked, unoccupied 2013 Hyundai Accent spontaneously caught fire while turned off in my driveway. This vehicle is included in Hyundai Safety Recall 251 (the federal safety agency Campaign Number 23V651000) for a defective Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) module that causes an electrical short circuit and engine compartment fires when parked. The local fire department responded to extinguish the blaze. The vehicle is a total loss. The local Hyundai dealership currently possesses the vehicle and has refused to take responsibility, claiming they "cannot find the issue," despite this being a federally recognized safety hazard. I am filing this complaint to trigger a manufacturer accountability review, as the vehicle caught fire exactly as described in the federal recall notice.

Filed Dec 14, 2024 · Engine · AL · fire

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 report and had to get the car towed. I can contact the police department for the report number, I only received a card.

Filed Jun 10, 2024 · Brakes · 63,000 miles · MD · fire

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a pedestrian informed her that the vehicle was on fire. The contact saw smoke coming from under the hood. The contact exited the vehicle and an individual with a tow truck approached her with his fire extinguisher and extinguished the fire coming from under the hood. The vehicle was towed back to her residence, where it caught fire again all throughout the vehicle. The fire department arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire. No injuries were sustained nor medical attention was needed. A Police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a junkyard. The insurance company had not yet deemed the vehicle destroyed. The contact was relating the failure to an the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V651000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) letter she had received. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

Filed Apr 15, 2024 · TX · fire · 1 injury

While driving the vehicle on the freeway it began to slow down and I was no longer able to accelerate. After attempting to pull over, other vehicles began blowing their car horns to let me know something was wrong. Once I came up on the off ramp, the inside of the car began filling with smoke. I had to open the door and jump from the vehicle while it was still in motion. At that moment it became fully engulfed with fire. I have since found out via the internet that a recall has been issued for the vehicle. I have not received any official notice from the car manufacture. The car was a total loss as it was completely destroyed as it burned on the side of the road. My safety was risked as I was driving my car while it was on fire and I had to jump from a moving vehicle to avoid being burned in fire.

Filed Oct 6, 2023 · Electrical · CA

Bought my car in 2021 and had actuators for windows replaced, now in 2023 I need passenger actuator replaced again. My heater is stuck on 4 and continuously blows and cant be turned off. The summer was ok but wasted gas because I had to have the air conditioner on or else eventually nothing but heat will blow out and so its not in my face the air has to blown in "feet" only mode and eventually starts to really burn while I'm driving. No coverage cause its considered "cosmetic" even though the whole panel needs to be replaced not just the knob. My car is also apart of the Hyundai recall #251 but when calling my local dealership they told me I had no remedy for any type of recall so that ment I had no recall. I called Hyundai Customer Service and asked about the notice to dealers, the notice lets dealers know that owners of effected vehicles are eligible for substitute transportation if they do not want to continue driving their car. I let him know what my local dealer told me, and how she didn't even let me know about the recall or the alternate transportation choice that's available to me and he just told me that they know about the recall so they should help just ask for a manager next time. I have my check engine light on now after hearing a ticking noise like other complaints, hot air constantly blowing and now I have to worry that whatever is wrong could also effect the problem that is considered to be likely to cause my car to catch fire! Please let dealers know just cause there's no remedy yet for the recall, please at least let people be aware that they are at risk of having their car catch on fire especially when they call and ask specifically for the information!

Filed Sep 27, 2023 · Engine, Fuel system · CT · fire

I was driving home with my children from the store, when my car started smoking, shut off, and the engine caught on fire. I barely made it out of the car with my toddlers before the whole thing was engulfed, and I lost all of my money, cards, and the majority of our clothing, as it had been in the trunk after having finished washing it at the laundromat up the street.

Filed Jul 18, 2023 · Driver assistance, Electrical · FL · fire

The AEB light came on in car. Car was brought home 15 min later and parked in driveway. 3 hours later the car went on fire. The fire department inspected and said it was a mechanical issue. The car was totaled by the insurance company the next day. The engine was burned and the fire department disconnected the battery after fire out.

Filed Jan 18, 2019 · Engine · 92,000 miles · FL · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2013 hyundai accent. While driving 45 MPH, the vehicle came to a stop and the engine caught fire. The fire was extinguished by the fire department. The cause of the failure was not determined. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss. There were no injuries. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Feb 8, 2018 · Body, Engine · 40,000 miles · FL · fire

Our 2013 hyundai accent caught on fire was burnt so badly that the passenger front ttire melted. The fire started in the engine compartment. The vehicle had been parked for approximately 7 hours in the parking lot at work when it was reported to be on fire.

Filed Oct 25, 2014 · Airbags, Electrical · 10,900 miles · RI · 1 injury

On thursday oct. 9. 2014 I went to my car parked in driveway to go to work. I went to turn key heard radio come on then an explosion. I went back into seat left hand forward. I did not know what was going on. I realized airbag was out in steering wheel, did not know if car was on fire, got out called 911. By divine intervention my injury's were minor burn on my arm which was cleaned up at site, my home in driveway, fire report stated noticed minor burns on face, I was not aware, upset and in shock. I went up with tow truck driver to dealership where I purchased car brand new only year old, under 11000 miles on it. I demanded a car to use, I was crying at dealership. Manufacture tried to say it was an insurance problem which it is not, car blew up in my face when I started it. Dealership came thru and has let me use a car for time being. I am trying to deal with manufacture and it is not easy. I do not want car back and I want them to pay it off. They agreed to outside inspector and now I find out I will not be aloud report. So now I demanded that I hire someone and we all go investigate car at same time, they agreed, still a work in progress at this moment in time, I do not know what type airbags they use but I have a right to know exactly what went wrong and for other people. I am lucky to be able to tell this story.