Two problems related to transmission slip out of gear have been reported for the 1996 Hyundai Accent. The most recently reported issues are listed below.
When driving at both residential & highway speeds the transmission seems to slip out of gear into neutral causing a racing of the engine & a sudden jerking of the vehicle. So far this has resolved after several seconds and the transmission re-engages. This has happened intermittently. The second report relates to the the engine not moving into overdrive when it should. Both of these problems have been happening randomly but with increasing frequency.
Automatic transmission will drop out of gear into neutral while car is in drive usually around 35 to 40 mph. This condition does not register when car is on electronic diagnostic devices. On atleast three occasions prior to the first, transmission completely failed. It had been placed on a device, with no problem found. The second, supposedly new transmission began having the same trouble, again it could not be diagnosed by machine. Because no one wanted to help I gave the car up. When I purchased the car I was told it was new by the dealership, it took the Hyundai corporation 2 yrs to send me a warrenty card and put the car in my name. When the original problem started w/the transmission I found out that the car had previously belonged to someone in California who may or may not have had the same trouble. I have spoken to other Hyundai owners who have had similar problems with their Accents. Also to no avail with the company or dealerships.