10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
6 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
6 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,296 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

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problem #18

Feb 152010

Elantra

  • 79,000 miles
My daughter was on the freeway in her 2004 Hyundai Elantra. Her car pulled to the left as she overcorrected, the cart went across the freeway, spun out, up the embankment, landed on the (driver's) side and slid about 50-100 feet before it landed back upright. None of the air bags deployed. The side air bags should of deployed from the impact of the car landing on the side. Her car has been declared a "total loss". after searching the internet, I found that there were recalls for the 2004 Elantra "defective air bags". we were never notified of this recall. My daughter sustained head, neck, and dual shoulder injuries. Thank god she is alive but what about those that have not survived?

- Redlands, CA, USA

problem #17

Oct 102008

Elantra

  • miles
The passenger airbag indicator light does not work for persons under 145 lbs and the company reps have insisted that it is designed that way for safety and that they are happy to take out the seat and send it away to be worked on but there is a 999 chance out of a thousand that it will behave just the same way on re-installation because "the car decides that it's safer for the airbag not to deploy" at my weight -- which is over 140 lbs. I pointed out the faulty logic and they agreed to go through the motions (which they believe will be ineffective in fixing the problem).

- Seattle, WA, USA

problem #16

Jul 262005

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,000 miles
Consumer's vehicle was involved in al head-on collision at 35 mph when another vehicle made an illegal left turn. Upon impact, neither front or side air bags deployed. Consumer's vehicle was totaled. Both driver and passenger sustained injuries.

- Spring Hill, FL, USA

problem #15

Jun 012005

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 15,035 miles
Bhught car used 6 weeks ago. Ever since while my wife {120lbs] occup[ies right front passenger seat, the air bag disabled light stays illuninated. To extinguise she has to wiggle around on seat, slide forward and someitmes lift her weight off of the seat and drop on to seat several times/ took car back to dealer, crest Hyundai, and they tested seat weight requirements with a propane bottle. This is hardly the correct procedure. They said there was no problem. Problem persists every time she or any one light rides in that seat. Have viewed this site and found numerous other complaints relating to this problem.

- Chambersburg, PA, USA

problem #14

Oct 132004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 585 miles
While at stop at an intersection consumer's vehicle was hit head on. Upon impact, dual airbags did not deploy. Driver sustained neck and back injuries. As a result the vehicle was a total loss. The consumer stated that none of the 4 airbags deployed.

- Sharon, PA, USA

problem #13

Dec 022004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 8,100 miles
Failure of passenger airbag system to arm itself when passenger in front seat is present. Warning on dash panel says "passenger airbag turned off". there was no incident, just failure to arm. Dealer can not correct problem, suggests contact with manufacturer which I did. Am awaiting reply.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #12

Oct 112004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 20,891 miles
The driver side air bag deployed. The manufacture is sending forms for the consumer to submit. The consumer was vehicle was backing out of the driveway when the driver's side air bag deployed. There were no prior accidents.

- Wichita Falls, TX, USA

problem #11

Sep 282004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving the air bag warning light continuously illuminated on the dashboard. Dealership inspected vehicle several times, technician indicated to consumer the passenger had to weigh 66.4 pounds in order for the air bag light to turn off, although with people who weighed over 100 pounds the air bag light was still on.

- Maple Heights, OH, USA

problem #10

Sep 182004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,500 miles
The vehicle was parked in my apartment's parking lot. My wife and I entered the vehicle. I started the engine. We both buckled our seatbelts and I took off the parking brake. As I was reaching for the gearshift, the driver's side air bag deployed without warning.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #9

Aug 032004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,900 miles
Passenger side air bag light stayed on. The consumer had to wiggle the instrument in order to make it go off. The dealer stated there were numerous complaints.

- Southbury, CT, USA

problem #8

Jul 302004

Elantra

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,140 miles
The right side passenger air bag light is on and will not go off. The dealer serviced the vehicle and stated that if a person's weight was over 50 lbs. The light will come on and stay on as long as the seat is occupied.

- Jamaica, NY, USA

problem #7

May 262004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25 miles
2004 Hyundai Elantra. I purchased the car in may of 2004. Since then on two occasions with adults sitting in the front passenger seat the air bag off light has come on. The Hyundai dealer says they can't recreate it and there is nothing they can do about it.

- Enfield, CT, USA

problem #6

Jun 242004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
While driving passenger air bag warning light continuously illuminated on the dashboard. As a result air bags became inoperative, and wouldn't deploy when needed. Dealership inspected the vehicle three times and could not duplicate or correct the problem. Finally, technician urged the consumer not to worry about that light, but problem still existed.

- Plantation, FL, USA

problem #5

Mar 102004

Elantra

  • 26,000 miles
While driving the advance passenger air bag light illuminated, letting the consumer know that the air bags were turned off. This caused a problem because the air bags were off when they may have been needed to be on. The dealership was notified, but did not resolve the problem.

- Crandall, TX, USA

problem #4

Apr 272004

Elantra

  • Automatic transmission
  • miles
Consumer received NHTSA recall 03V322000. When front passenger seat is unoccupied or is occupied by someone lighter than 56.4 pounds, the passenger's air bag deactivates, and will not deploy if a crash occurs. This recall applied for those vehicles manufactured between 6/12/2003 and 18/11/2003. However, consumer's vehicle was manufactured on 6/18/2003 and dealer won't honor the recall.

- Mesa, AZ, USA

problem #3

Mar 022004

Elantra 4-cyl

  • Manual transmission
  • 150,000 miles
After rear ending a vehicle, the front air bags did not deploy. The consumer suffered wall chest contusion and shoulder strain. Vehicle is still with the dealer.

- South Gate, CA, USA

problem #2

Mar 152004

Elantra

  • Automatic transmission
  • 2,000 miles
While driving 35-45 mph and turning to the left consumer's vehicle was involved in a side impact crash. Seat belt didn't hold the driver, and air bags did not deploy. A police report was issued.

- Gulfport, FL, USA

problem #1

Mar 022004

Elantra

  • Automatic transmission
  • 150 miles
While driving on a rainy day at 50 mph, the driver applied the brakes to slow down the speed, however the consumer lost control of the vehicle and was involved in a head on collision. Upon impact, both air bag didn't deploy. The consumer was traveling on the highway when she heard a "hit" under the vehicle, then lost control.

- South Gate, CA, USA