Your vehicle report

1989 Hyundai Excel

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
68
Received Jan 1995 to Jan 2001
Official recalls listed
4
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
0
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Vehicle catches fire from wiring16 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Head gasket leaks coolant into engine16 complaints · 24% of this vehicle’s complaints
  3. 3
    Engine burns excessive oil between changes3 complaints · 4.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #94V103000The heater control valve stem does not meet the material specifications. High coolant temperatures can cause the stem to leak.
  • Recall #93V167000The 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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 2 crashes, 19 fires, 2 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 4 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Electrical & lights

Airbags, belts & seats

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Steering, suspension & tires

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Body, doors & glass

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 1989 Hyundai Excel
42
Show as a table
YearComplaints
199542
199617
19973
19983
19990
20002
20011
20020
20030
20040
20050
20060
20070
20080
20090
20100
20110
20120
20130
20140
20150
20160
20170
20180
20190
20200
20210
20220
20230
20240
20250
2026 (to Oct 2026)0
Total68

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Vehicle catches fire from wiring1624%–
Head gasket leaks coolant into engine1624%–
Engine burns excessive oil between changes34.4%–
Transmission fails or loses power while driving34.4%–NHTSA recall #93V167000

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #94V103000June 6, 1994270,000 vehicles affected

    visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system: heater core

    The heater control valve stem does not meet the material specifications. High coolant temperatures Can cause the stem to leak.

    This Can result in a burn injury to the front seat passenger's feet and legs.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and replace defective valve stems.

  • NHTSA recall #93V167000October 4, 1993515,000 vehicles affected

    power train: manual transmission

    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.

    Sudden stops without prior warning Can cause vehicleoccupants to be thrown around in the car, and cause loss of vehicle controlwhich could result in an accident.

    Remedy

    Hyundai will perform a cost free transmission oil change.

  • NHTSA recall #91V225000December 31, 1991895,000 vehicles affected

    engine and engine cooling: exhaust system

    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.

    The melting plastic air filter case may lead to a firein the engine compartment.

    Remedy

    Replace the reed valve subassembly with one whose metal components are fabricated from corrosion resistant stainless steel.

  • NHTSA recall #89V100000June 19, 19898,550 vehicles affected

    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.

    This could cause erratic cruise control operation, whichcould result in an accident.

    Remedy

    Replace electronic control module.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 1989 Hyundai Excel.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN