HyundaiAccent1997Overview/hyundai/accent/1997/base/

1997 Hyundai Accent

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1997 Accent.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1997 Hyundai Accent is a passenger car equipped with a four‑speed automatic transmission and a 3.5‑quart oil system that calls for 10W‑30 or 5W‑30 API‑rated lubricant. Its EPA fuel‑economy ratings are 23 mpg city, 33 mpg highway and 27 mpg combined. Owner‑reported complaints total 65, with the power‑train category leading the issues and three recalls issued for the model year. Across the Accent’s 1991‑2022 production span, complaint volumes ranged from a low of one in 1993 to a peak of 167 in 1995, placing the 1997 model in the middle of that reliability spectrum.

Model year202220212020201920182017201620151997

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy23/33/27 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 121R · 410 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 121R · 410 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP155-80R13OEM · verified
Wheel / rim4.5-, 5-J inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length161.4 in
Overall width63.8 in
Overall height54.7 in
Wheelbase94.5 in
Curb weight2101 lb
Track (front / rear)55.9 / 55.5 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)63/37

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined23 / 33 / 27 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume88 cu ft
Cargo volume13 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Accent of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

11.2 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 11.20 sec — 1995 Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1995Sedan 1.5L I-411.20 sec18.20 sec92 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 3.5 qt of 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 25.0-33.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs14-20 ft-lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings25-28 ft-lbs
Cylinder Head Steps2
Engine Flywheel Bolts94-101 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts11-15 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts11-15 ft-lbs
Main Bearings40-44 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug25.0-33.0 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub148-192 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub147 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)800 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.79-.95 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance11,300-15,300 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerNGK
Spark Plug TypeBKR5ES-11
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.48-1.50 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.74-6.41 oz
Standard BCI Group Number121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance410 cca
Optional BCI Group Number121R

Service checks

Pressure Test20 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief12-16 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature190 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (Without Vacuum)36.0 psi
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)43.5 psi
Injector Primary Resistance15.55-16.25 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Oil Pressure21.3 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket48-55 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65-80 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.748 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.748 in
Rotor Discard at or Under0.669 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
19-10 ft. lbs., step 2: 13-14 ft. lbs., step 3: small 140-148 ft. lbs., step 4: 190-200, large9–10 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miEngine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAir Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering System (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (drain, refill & bleed) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 37,500 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 52,500 miFuel Filter (replace) · PCV Hose (inspect) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1997 Hyundai Accent recorded 65 complaints, 3 recalls, and 3 investigations, with the most frequent issues involving the power train, air bags, and engine cooling. This represents a significant decrease in volume compared to the 1995 and 1996 models, which saw 167 and 121 complaints, respectively. The 1997 model falls within a stabilizing trend for this generation, as complaint numbers continued to decline to 51 in 1998. While the record notes 8 crash complaints and 2 fire complaints for this year, the data does not specify the root causes. Because it marks a clear improvement over the immediate preceding years, this is a good year to buy.

3
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
67
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
3
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
65
Owner complaints
8 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 65 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Power Train12
Air Bags9
Engine & Engine Cooling9
Electrical System6
Suspension5
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3
Latches/Locks/Linkages2
Fuel System, Gasoline2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 2 of 2 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

97V026000Visibility:Windshield Wiper/Washer:MotorReported 26/02/1997

THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER ELECTRICAL CONTACTS WERE CONTAMINATED DURING ASSEMBLY. Remedy: DEALERS WILL REMOVE THE CONTAMINANTS FROM THE WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR CIRCUIT BREAKER CONTACTS.

98V245000Suspension:Front:Springs:Coil SpringsReported 06/10/1998

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE FOLLOWING "SALT BELT" STATES: CONNECTICUT, DELAWARE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, IOWA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, MINNESOTA… Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPRING GUIDE TO PREVENT A BROKEN COIL SPRING FROM CONTACTING AND DAMAGING A TIRE.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 67 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
23-BD-002H2023-01-30VisibilityThis bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated…
21-AT-006H2021-05-21Power TrainHyundai approves only the ATF, DCT gear oil and IVT gear oil specified in the…
21-EM-004H2021-03-30Engine And Engine CoolingThis bulletin provides the service procedure for engine connecting rod bearing clearance…
21-BR-002H2021-03-23Service BrakesThis bulletin provides best practice recommendations when performing brake service…
21-EM-003H2021-03-10Engine And Engine CoolingThis bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Accent. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1997 Accent take?

3.5 qt of ABOVE 0 degrees F: 10W-30 API SM, BELOW 100 degrees F: 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 1997 Accent have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 3 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accent get?

EPA figures are 23 city / 33 highway / 27 combined mpg.