Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1986 Hyundai Excel, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Power train4
- Electrical system3
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Visibility1
- Seat belts1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Tires1
- Structure1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 4 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
In New Zealand
3 1986 cars are on the New Zealand register.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls in Canada
4 Transport Canada recalls for the 1986 Hyundai Excel.
| 1988089 24 Jun 1988 | Steering NOTE: 5 DOOR MODELS ONLY. THE LOWER STEERING COLUMN U-JOINT (COUPLER) BOLT MAY HAVE INSUFFICIENT TORQUE AND COULD LOOSEN. THIS COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF STEERIN… |
| 1987127 27 Nov 1987 | Brakes THE POSSIBILITY EXISTS THAT UNDER CERTAIN BRAKING CONDITIONS, FRONT BRAKE FADE MAY OCCUR,THUS REDUCING BRAKING EFFECTIVENESS. CORRECTION: IMPROVED SEMI-METALL… |
| 1986044 18 Apr 1986 | Fuel System THE FUEL RETURN TUBE CLIP MAY HAVE BEEN INCORRECTLY INSTALLED ALLOWING THE FUEL RETURN HOSE TO CONTACT EITHER THE DISTRIBUTOR HIGH TENSION CABLE OR THE E.G.R. V… |
| 1986033 29 Mar 1986 | Not Entered THE COTTER PIN THAT RETAINS THE BRAKE CLEVIS PIN MAY HAVE BEEN OMITTED OR INCORRECTLY INSTALLED. IF THE COTTER PIN WAS OMITTED OR IF IT WERE TO FALL OUT OF THE … |
Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database · Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada
Recalls
THE MANUAL TRANSMISSIONS MAY LOCK UP FROM INSUFFICIENT LUBRICATION OF THE GEARS IN THE TRANSMISSION CASE. THIS CAN CAUSE THE DRIVE WHEELS TO SEIZE AND THE VEHICLE TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP.
DETERIORATION OF THE REED VALVE SUBASSEMBLY MAY LEAD TO A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SECONDARY AIR SUPPLY PORTION OF THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM. THE SCREWS WHICH ATTACH THE REEDS TO THE REED VALVE SUBASSEMBLY MAY RUST, AND IF THE RUSTING BECOMES SEVERE, THE SCREW HEADS WILL ERODE AND ALLOW THE REEDS TO SEPARATE FROM THE REED VALVE SUBASSEMBLY. CORROSION MAY ALSO OCCUR ON THE REED VALVE SUBASSEMBLY, DEFORMING THE REED SEATS AND PREVENTING THE REEDS FROM CLOSING PROPERLY. SEPARATION OF THE REEDS FROM THE REED VALVE SUBASSEMBLY OR IMPROPER CLOSING OF THE REEDS ALLOW HOT EXHAUST GASES TO FLOW BACKWARD INTO THE PLASTIC SECONDARY AIR FILTER CASE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN. THESE HOT EXHAUST GASES MAY MELT THE SECONDARY PLASTIC AIR FILTER CASE.
IF CRUISE CONTROL MAIN SWITCH IS IN THE ON POSITION WHEN ENGINE IS STARTED, SYSTEM CAN BE AFFECTED BY A SHORT DURATION VOLTAGE DROP CAUSED BY OPTIONAL HI-POWER (H340) RADIO.
VEHICLE MAY FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE BRAKE FADE AND RECOVERY PORTION OF FMVSS 105.
A COTTER PIN IN THE BRAKE PEDAL TO BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER LINKAGE ASSEMBLY MAY BE MISSING. THIS PIN ACTS AS A RETAINER FOR THE BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER PUSHROD CLEVIS PIN. CONSEQUENCE OF DEFECT: THE CLEVIS PIN MAY SLIDE OUT CAUSING THE MASTER CYLINDER/BRAKE PEDAL LINKAGE TO BECOME DISENGAGED. IF THIS LINKAGE BECOMES DISENGAGED THE SERVICE BRAKES CANNOT BE APPLIED, CREATING THE RISK OF A CRASH WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Hyundai told its dealers about the 1986 Hyundai Excel: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 51905 | SHIFT CONDITION CAUSED BY SHORT CIRCUIT IN INHIBITOR SWITCH. *TW |
| 10230904 | This bulletin provides information regarding condensation related to the accumulated moisture in the headlamp, rear combination lamp, daytime running lamp (DRL), or fog lamp. This TSB illustrates the various causes of condensation inside the lamp assembly. Lamp assembly replacement is NOT necessary in most cases. This condition can be eliminated by turning on the lamps with the engine running for several minutes or during normal driving operation. |
| 10189989 | This bulletin provides the inspection procedure and repair guidelines for certain vehicles listed below. |
| 10183963 | This bulletin describes the procedure to inspect and identify fluid which may appear around the brake caliper area. |
| 10183960 | This bulletin provides tire vibration service procedures, including how to optimize vehicle vibration performance. For all wheel/tire balance claims, the Tire Balance Data Sheet must be fully completed including imbalance and Road Force Variation (RFV) data. The Data Sheet can be found at the end of this bulletin. |
| 10174808 | This bulletin provides information on identifying dealer stock vehicles with either: A Battery SOC alert - low Battery State of Charge (SOC) at or below 50%. A 30 Day alert - vehicle has not started and reported an SOC in 30 days. |
| 10169370 | The Blind Spot Detection (BSD) or Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW) is a system that measures the speed of and distance from the following vehicles by using two magnetic wave radar sensors attached in the rear bumper. The BSD/BCW detects vehicles within the blind spot zone and gives off an alarm (visual and audible). The two magnetic radar sensors provide these functions for BSD/BCW: ? Senses other vehicles in the BSD/BCW zone and turns on the BSD/BCW warning lamp for the driver. The warning lamp starts blinking, along with an audible sound, when the driver turns on the turn signal lamp to en |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
CHARGING SYSTEM FAILURES
HEATER CORE FAILURE
TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION
TRANSMISSION LOCK-UP
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
PASSENGER BRAKE
ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRES
HEATER CORE FAILURE
STEERING SHAFT SEPARATION
BRAKE LOSS
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation