1986 Hyundai Excel Recalls, Complaints & Specs
5 safety recalls list the 1986 Hyundai Excel, and owners have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
5 safety recalls for the 1986 Hyundai Excel
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Manual transmission (power train)
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.
Remedy: Hyundai will perform a cost free transmission oil change.
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Exhaust system (engine and engine cooling)
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…
Remedy: Replace the reed valve subassembly with one whose metal components are fabricated from corrosion resistant stainless steel.
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Vehicle speed control
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.
Remedy: Replace electronic control module.
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Pads (service brakes)
Vehicle may fail to conform to the brake fade and recovery portion of FMVSS 105.
Remedy: Replace front brake pads with newly designed semi metallic brake pads.
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Pedals and linkages (service brakes)
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…
Remedy: Inspect and install brake linkage cotter pin as necessary.
13 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 1986 Hyundai Excel have filed 13 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. Complaints peaked in 1995 with 8 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Consumer does not have a part no. / serial no. Inprinted on the distributor, which is called a sparker. Without the correct sparkeer part no. Consumer cannot start vehicle/if the wrong one was purchas”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, January 10, 2000 · Electrical system
“Consumer may have the wrong sparker/stricker within the ignition system. Yh”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 3, 1999 · Electrical system
Compare Hyundai Excel model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Hyundai Excel model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 Hyundai Excel | 5 | 13 |
| 1987 Hyundai Excel | 4 | 13 |
| 1988 Hyundai Excel | 4 | 43 |
| 1989 Hyundai Excel | 4 | 68 |
| 1990 Hyundai Excel | 2 | 38 |
| 1991 Hyundai Excel | 1 | 38 |
| 1992 Hyundai Excel | 1 | 34 |
| 1993 Hyundai Excel | 1 | 20 |
| 1994 Hyundai Excel | 2 | 33 |
| 1995 Hyundai Excel | 0 | 5 |
| 1996 Hyundai Excel | 0 | 3 |
| 1997 Hyundai Excel | 0 | 2 |
| 1998 Hyundai Excel | 0 | 2 |
| 2001 Hyundai Excel | 0 | 7 |
Checking a specific 1986 Hyundai Excel
How do I know if my 1986 Hyundai Excel has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 5 campaigns currently list the 1986 Hyundai Excel; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Hyundai dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 86V043000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Hyundai models
- Sonata16,085 complaints
- Elantra8,715 complaints
- Santa FE7,663 complaints
- Tucson6,287 complaints
- Palisade2,447 complaints
- Accent2,032 complaints
- Ioniq 51,339 complaints
- Veloster1,292 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.