HyundaiAccent2016Overview/hyundai/accent/2016/base/

2016 Hyundai Accent

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2016 Accent.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (S6)

The 2016 Hyundai Accent is a passenger car fitted with a six-speed automatic transmission and EPA ratings of 26 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, and 30 mpg combined. This model year stands out for carrying zero recalls alongside 99 documented owner complaints, with engine-related issues marking the top reported concern. When viewed against the model’s 1991–2022 complaint history—a range spanning from a single report in 1993 to 167 in 1995—the 2016 Accent occupies a moderately high position in the reliability ledger, neither matching the series’ lowest complaint volumes nor approaching its historical peak.

Model year202220212020201920182017201620152014

Quick specs

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

EPA fuel economy26/36/30 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

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

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 48 · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 2630035505. 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 48 · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP175/70R14OEM · verified
Wheel / rimSTANDARD 5-J; OPTIONAL 6-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter2630035505

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (S6)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length162.2 in
Overall width66.9 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase101.2 in
Curb weight2489 lb
Track (front / rear)58.7 / 58.7 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined26 / 36 / 30 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume90 cu ft
Cargo volume14 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.

8.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.60 sec — 2016 Sport 5-door Hatchback
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2016Sport 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-48.60 sec16.90 sec137 hpFWD
2014SE 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-49.00 sec16.80 sec138 hpFWD
2012SE 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-47.80 sec16.30 sec138 hpFWD
2012SE 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-48.00 sec16.40 sec138 hpFWD
2012SE 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-49.20 sec16.90 sec138 hpFWD
2012GLS Sedan 1.6L I-49.60 sec17.40 sec138 hpFWD
2012SE 5-door Hatchback 1.6L I-49.90 sec17.40 sec138 hpFWD
2012GLS Sedan 1.6L I-410.30 sec17.90 sec138 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

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

This engine DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque the oil drain plug to 28.5-32.5 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-3-4-2. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity7.7
Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Clutch FluidDOT 3
Engine CoolantEthylene Glycol
Engine Coolant Capacity4.7
Manual Transmission Fluid75W-85 · GL-4
Manual Transmission Fluid Capacity3.8

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts87.0-94.0 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts14
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts22
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug28.5-32.5 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs78.0-121.0 inch lbs. ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-3-4-2
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance0.6-0.81 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5900 ohms
Spark Plug ManufacturerHyundai
Spark Plug Gap.039 -.043 in
Ignition Timing3 degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance10 degrees
Ignition Timing3 degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity0.85-1.00 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity3.88-4.60 oz
Standard BCI Group Number48
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)62.3-68.1 psi
Engine Compression156 - 178 PSI / Max Variation 14 psi
Intake Valve Lash0.0006-0.0009 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.0009-0.0011 in

Brakes

Brake Caliper Bolt to Carrier TorqueFront or rear: 16-23 / 16-23
Brake Caliper Carrier to Hub Bolt TorqueFront: 58-; Rear: 36-; Front: 58-; Rear: 36-
ABS Sensor Torque6.6-7.0 / NS
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Vented Rotor Minimum Thickness for ReplacementFront: .787; Rear: .331
Variation from Parallelism Thickness Variation.0002
Maximum Rotor Runout.0016

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113.0-16.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9013–16 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Apply a 2.00-3.00 mm bead of Hyundai sealant or equivalent RTV to the front cylinder head corners of the upper and lower head gasket. Assembly of the cylinder head must be completed within five minutes of applying the liquid gasket compound.

122.0 ft. lbs.22 ft. lbs
290 degrees90 degrees
390 degrees90 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
113.0-16.0 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9013–16 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; spark plugs every 97,500 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 miBattery (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Tank (add fluid conditioner) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate) · Vacuum Line (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Brake Drum Assembly (inspect) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Brake Rotor (inspect)
Every 30,000 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System Lines (inspect)
Every 37,500 miTransmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 97,500 miSpark Plugs (replace)
At 120,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Reliability & federal safety record

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

Within the 2012–2017 generation, complaints peaked early at 152 in 2012 and generally trended downward through 2015 (69), making the 2016 model year's rebound to 99 complaints a notable outlier before the count drops back to 67 in 2017. Despite that uptick in complaints, 2016 stands out as the only year in this stretch with zero recalls and zero federal investigations, suggesting the issues owners reported did not rise to the level of regulatory action — though the data does not specify root causes. Engine complaints lead the 2016 tally at 20, followed by Air Bags at 16, with 7 crash-related and 3 fire-related complaints filed, which adds some weight to the engine and air-bag categories even without confirmed causal links in the dataset. The 74 TSBs for 2016 are consistent with 2015 (76) and 2017 (68), indicating Hyundai's service-bulletin activity remained steady rather than spiking in response to a new systemic problem. Taken together, the absence of recalls and investigations is reassuring, but the elevated complaint volume — particularly around the engine — warrants a pre-purchase inspection focused on that area. On balance, the 2016 Accent is a reasonable used buy if the engine has been well maintained and documented, though a lower-complaint 2017 may offer slightly better odds for the same money.

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
74
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
99
Owner complaints
7 involved a crash · 3 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Overall★★★★
Frontal★★★★
Side★★★★
Rollover★★★★

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 99 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Engine20
Air Bags16
Electrical System9
Steering5
Unknown Or Other4
Electrical System,Electronic Stability Control (Esc)4
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Engine3
Power Train,Engine2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 74 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
Z01 Letter2026-05-22Electrical SystemCertain 2012 – 2017 model year Accent, 2012 – 2017 model year Azera, 2013 – 2018 model…
26-BE-011H DN2026-04-25Electrical SystemSome vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s)…
26-BE-011H TSB2026-04-25Electrical SystemSome vehicles listed below may exhibit an intermittent airbag warning light and DTC(s)…
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…

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

Does the 2016 Accent have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Accent get?

EPA figures are 26 city / 36 highway / 30 combined mpg.