10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
10 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
9 / 0
Average Mileage:
63,230 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.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2006 Hyundai Elantra:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

problem #44

Jul 232021

Elantra

  • miles
My son was driving our 2006 Hyundai Elantra and crashed into the end of a guardrail. The air bag did not deploy. The car was declared a total loss by the insurance company. I am concerned that the airbag did not deploy with the severity of the crash. I have uploaded three pictures of the car and one of the end of the guardrail that was impacted. The estimate for speed at impact was 35 mph. The weather was sunny, dry and above 80 degrees. about 6:30PM Eastern time.

- Vienna, VA, USA

problem #43

Mar 202010

Elantra

  • 65,000 miles
I noticed that my airbag light stays on near my dashboard where are the speedometer is and when I have passengers in my car the passenger airbag light is off I don't believe my sensors work for my airbags

- East Providence, RI, USA

problem #42

Sep 022019

Elantra

  • miles
Air bag light on brake lights stay on after car off and foot not pushing them

- Tallmadge, OH, USA

problem #41

Oct 182019

Elantra

  • 135,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. While the vehicle was parked, the air bag deployed without impact and smoke was detected inside the vehicle. The contact sustained burns and injuries to the eyes, chest, and chin. Medical attention was not received. There were no warning indicators illuminated. A police report was filed. The local dealer and manufacturer were not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 135,000.

- Belchertown, MA, USA

problem #40

Mar 182019

Elantra

  • 95,000 miles
I rear-ended someone at around 30-35 mph. The vehicle I hit was stationary. The air bag did not deploy but the air bag warning light was left on. No one was injured.

- Edgewood, NM, USA

problem #39

Oct 012018

Elantra

  • 170,000 miles
The car airbag light intermittently comes on. It does not seem to be related to anything in particular. A mechanic read code B1448 for a defective passenger side seat occupancy sensor. It seems this is a common problem with Hyundai's and the accent's were recalled but not the Elantra. I suspect the same or similar problem is happening with the 2016 Hyundai Elantra occupant sensor.

- Soquel, CA, USA

problem #38

Sep 192018

Elantra

  • 140,000 miles
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. While the vehicle was stationary and while driving various speeds, the air bag indicator illuminated, which was a safety concern. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that there was no recall on the vehicle. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #37

Mar 012018

Elantra

  • 103,000 miles
Passenger airbag light in the center has never worked properly since I've gotten the car, the light never used to go off when an adult was sitting in the passenger seat which means the airbags were disabled. Now the dashboard airbag light has been illuminated constantly for about 6 months and does not ever go off, meaning all airbags are disabled. It came on upon starting up my vehicle and has not gone off since. This is very dangerous and a common problem with this car, but is not reported properly via NHTSA, instead many complaints are made via forums. Also, when driving at night and my headlights are on, turning the wheel and using the blinker causes all dash lights as well as my headlights and brake lights to flicker briefly. Rear windows are not able to be rolled down via the main control on the driver's side, only can be rolled up.

- Broad Brook, CT, USA

problem #36

Jun 062018

Elantra

  • 68,000 miles
This safety complaint has to do with the B1448 oc sensor mat defect, I have an air bag light on and have used a scan tool and got the code for the B1448 oc sensor mat defect. This issue was given a recall for the Hyundai sonata but I have a Hyundai Elantra and there is no recall but my car faces the same issue. I've read that dealers try to charge as much as $1,000 to fix this issue.

- Patchogue, NY, USA

problem #35

Jan 012008

Elantra

  • miles
Airbag light on dash illuminated for 10+ years, will not shut off. Passenger air bag off light in center console will not illuminate regardless of even when a small statured passenger is present or there is no passenger at all.

- Hicksville, NY, USA

problem #34

Nov 202017

Elantra

  • 155,000 miles
My passenger occupancy sensor no longer detects the presence of a passenger, so my passenger airbag is always on, when the seat is both occupied or unoccupied. Also, my brake light switch no longer works, so my brake lights do not turn on when I depress the brake pedal. Both of these issues occur incessantly.

- Wyoming, NY, USA

problem #33

Jan 012011

Elantra

  • miles
My car has had engine lights go on and off for years on their own, windows that you use one switch for that make a different window go down and then sometimes they don't go up, my brakes haven't released the cruise control at times and now my passenger air bag light won't go off so I can't pass inspection. This is not something I had anything to do with and want it fixed, it's a safety issue

- Hanover, MA, USA

problem #32

Jan 112017

Elantra

  • miles
The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. While driving 45 mph, the contact's vehicle rear ended another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to a towing facility. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN and failure mileage were unavailable.

- Erie, PA, USA

problem #31

Nov 182016

Elantra

  • 155,000 miles
Air bag light came on 2 weeks ago, technician said the code is B1448 passenger seat mat cushion sensor. I am told that all air bags are now disabled and this is a very expensive repair. I see several complaints on this issue in just the latest incident reports. This should be repaired by Hyundai at no cost to the consumer.

- Middlesex, NJ, USA

problem #30

Mar 142016

Elantra

  • 74,000 miles
Air bag light on dash is lit all the time. Dealer has reset the light on two occasions, but it keeps coming back after a few drives in the car. Dealer says the passenger seat occupant sensor is shorted out. Dealer informed me that while the air bag light is lit, the air bags are disabled and will not deploy, even if in an accident. Now I own a car that will not protect me in a crash and is unsafe to drive. Dealer says the only repair is to replace the entire passenger seat bottom costing over $1400. The car is not worth much more than that, but it is worth alot to me because I need it for transportation.

- Medford, NJ, USA

problem #29

Nov 092016

Elantra

  • miles
Air bag light is

- Mission Hills, CA, USA

problem #28

Oct 132016

Elantra

  • 114,000 miles
Air bag light on / emmisions air bag all senors were swapped and now I'm being told the cushion should be replaced since the sensor swap didn't solve the problem. $1500 emissions/ pumping gas fuel pump was replaced. Gas pump kicks out after 2-3 seconds when putting in gas. Now I'm told I need to replace charcoal canister, canister close valve, purge control valve, and vent valve. If I don't I eventually won't be able to put gas in the tank. $1,100 they are both serious safety issues and Hyundai needs to back up their product. These are simple consumable pieces like fluids, values, hoses or filters.

- Winter Park, FL, USA

problem #27

Dec 012015

Elantra

  • miles
Airbag light stay

- Fruitland Park, FL, USA

problem #26

Aug 062015

Elantra

  • miles
Occupant classification system (OCS) should be reprogrammed. NHTSA tsb#0590003 and Hyundai tsb#06-90-010 cover the "passenger air bag off" light remains illuminated when smaller statured adult sits in front passenger seat, therefore the air bag will not deploy in an accident. Both of these tsbs are for the 2006 Hyundai Elantra.

- Anchorage, AK, USA

problem #25

Jun 202015

Elantra

  • miles
Airbags lights stay

- Fort Lauderdale , FL, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »