HyundaiAccent2008Overview/hyundai/accent/2008/base/

2008 Hyundai Accent

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Accent.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 2008 Hyundai Accent is a passenger car with an engine requiring 3.5 quarts of 5W-20/5W-30 API oil and an automatic 4-speed transmission, carrying EPA fuel-economy ratings of 24 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 28 mpg combined. In the Accent's 1991–2022 complaint history, the 2008 model logged 101 owner complaints, placing it below the 1995 peak of 167 complaints but well above the 1993 low of 1. With air bags cited as the top complaint area and one recall on record, this year is best understood as a moderately reported model whose reliability profile turns mainly on air-bag issues and that lone recall.

Model year202220212020201920182017201620152008

Quick specs

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

Engine oil capacity3.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy24/33/28 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 · 500 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 · 500 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLAMPOEM · verified
Tire size205-45R16OEM · verified
Wheel / rimN/A inOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length159.4 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height66.9 in
Wheelbase98.4 in
Curb weight2366 lb
Track (front / rear)57.9 / 57.1 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined24 / 33 / 28 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume92 cu ft
Cargo volume12 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.

8.7–12.5 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.70 sec — 2009 GS 3-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2009GS 3-door Hatchback 1.6L I-48.70 sec16.60 sec110 hpFWD
2006GLS Sedan 1.6L I-410.20 sec17.40 sec110 hpFWD
2006GLS Sedan 1.6L I-412.50 sec19.00 sec110 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 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0-32.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidHyundai SP-III
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity6.5
Brake FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity3.5 qt

Engine torques

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings24-26 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts108 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts87-94 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14.5 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts25 ft-lbs
Main Bearings41-44 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0-32.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs6-9 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub145-188 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)720 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.64-.86 ohms
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance5 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.04-1.15 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.73-5.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number121R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance500 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-18 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature179 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)49.0-50.5 psi
Engine Compression185
Engine Oil Pressure15.62 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-23 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58-71 ft-lbs / 62-69 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0012 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.866 in / 0.393 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.866 in / 0.393 in

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) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBrake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Disc Brake Caliper (inspect) · Driveshaft (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 52,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
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.

In the federal record, the 2008 Hyundai Accent logged 101 complaints, 1 recall, 0 investigations and 39 TSBs. This complaint count is higher than the 88 complaints in 2007 and matches the 101 complaints recorded for 2009, while the recall total is lower than the 3 recalls in 2007 and the 2 recalls in 2009. Compared with the earlier mid‑2000s years (2004‑2006) where complaints ranged from 33 to 49 and recalls were 0‑1, 2008 shows a noticeable increase in reported issues. After 2008 the complaint volume fluctuates, peaking again at 152 in 2012 before declining to the teens by 2022, indicating that 2008 sits in an intermediate‑high phase of the generation’s complaint arc. Given its moderate complaint level, single recall and no investigations, the 2008 Accent presents average reliability for its generation and can be a reasonable purchase if priced accordingly and inspected thoroughly.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
39
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
101
Owner complaints
11 involved a crash · 1 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 101 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags28
Visibility/Wiper14
Unknown Or Other5
Visibility5
Exterior Lighting3
Engine & Engine Cooling3
Engine2
Electrical System,Exterior Lighting2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

13V113000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 01/04/2013

Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2006-2009 Accent, model year 2007-2011 Azera, Sonata and Sante Fe,2006-2011 Tucson, 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, 2007-2010 Elantra, 2008-2011 Veracruz… Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. The safety recall began on April 22, 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 39 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
DTN DL2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of…
DTN DCS2026-04-10Air BagsThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety…
25-BD-012H TSB2025-11-05Exterior LightingThis bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated…
24-BD-001H2024-02-14VisibilityThis bulletin contains information about the proper removal of the windshield wiper blade…
23-EM-005H2023-10-13Engine And Engine CoolingThis bulletin provides important checkpoint guidelines when performing engine oil and…

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 2008 Accent take?

3.5 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Accent have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accent get?

EPA figures are 24 city / 33 highway / 28 combined mpg.