10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 7 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 14 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 93,297 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.
« Read the previous 20 complaints
The contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the passenger side air bag deployed independently. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnosis who stated that everything appeared to be normal and no cause for failure was found. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure and current mileage was 83,000.
- Longview, WA, USA
The contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the driver side air bag erroneously deployed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for inspection and they stated that they could not diagnose the cause of failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 70,000.
- Ceotone, IL, USA
Air bag trouble indicator light stays on after starting engine. Questioned dealer, they are aware of known problem with driver seat air bag switch and wiring causing air bag indicator light to come. Hyundai will not make repair to this safety defect at their cost. Cost is well over $1000.
- Dover, DE, USA
My air bags light is always on and will not turn off. The suspension is horrible, I took it to a mechanic and he said" there was nothing he could do. And sometimes when I turn my vehicle on the engine revels up and sounds as if the acceleration is stuck. Scares me to death.
- Hubert, NC, USA
When I purchased the car as the second owner in March 2010, I noticed that the airbag light had been a problem from the previous owner. However, the dealer assured me that it was fixed. After purchasing the vehicle in 2010 and before I took ownership I had to leave it with the dealer as the airbag and seat belt lights were on. I have taken the vehicle back to the dealer at least three to four times for the same problems, however was told that there were different codes each time. Was told that I needed to replace the seat belt buckle in order correct the airbag light, however, as of 4/3/12 was told by dealership (herb connolly Hyundai) that in need to replace the airbag. Also that the airbag was not under warranty and it usually has to be replaced at 60K miles. When I purchased my vehicle it had 81K miles, given this fact, they should have replaced the airbag prior to me purchasing it. The code that is showing now is B1346 (airbag has high resistance). Dealer refuse to correct the problem at no cost after several attempts to get the problem resolved.
- Framingham, MA, USA
I took my car into my new local dealer wallace Hyundai, stuart fl. My air bag light started staying on all the time. At the time I brought it in, my vehicle was still covered under the bumper to bumper warranty. This dealer told me I had to pay $100 to inspect the vehicle for the issue. I have never in the life of owning 2 Hyundai sante fe's (this being my 2nd) did I ever have to pay up front for bumper to bumper issues. I am disabled and did not have the $100 so I left and then the warranty ran out, so my issue has never been taken care of. To this day, my airbag light is still on and I am concerned it will either deploy or not deploy at all in an accident. Updated 03/23/11
- Stuart, FL, USA
3rd time crank shaft sensor went in 1 year/5 months. Car only has 60,000 miles. All 3 times, car would not accelerate, check engine light then appears and seconds later the car shuts off. Twice we were on the highway when this happened and lucky we had enough time to get over to the breakdown lane before the car shut down. 3 times in a year and 5 months, this should not happen... also, the air bag light has been coming on for the last year.
- Cranston, RI, USA
Air bag light stays on. Air bags will not deploy in an accident.
- Franktown, CO, USA
Air bag light comes on and stays on when the engine is started and running. Also, the seat belt does not retract every time when I exit the SUV. I have had no accident or anything I know of that might have caused a problem with it. As I called them about it however, they say I must pay for the repairs. The vehicle has 82,000 miles on it. I am the second owner having purchased the car with 45,000 miles on it about 4 years ago. I have been on line and noticed there are a number of others that have experienced this same problem.
- Cordova, TN, USA
The airbag system stopped working without ever having been used in a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. The airbag system is currently not functioning in the vehicle. The service provider stated the airbag will not deploy if we are in an accident and told us it would cost $1800 to fix it.
- Red Hook, NY, USA
Airbag light came on. Diagnosed as faulty wiring. Dealer got it to go out, but if it comes back on again they say the entire passenger side airbag needs to be replaced. Dealer cannot say if the air bag will deploy in an accident and says that the manufacturer will not say either. Now, the light is out behind the heater control button. Once again diagnosed as faulty wiring. Faulty wiring sounds like a factory problem to me. All services on this vehicle have been done since day one as recommended by the manufacturer.
- Cogan Station, PA, USA
I purchased a used 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe in Aug/2005 from a Hyundai dealership (# ). in Aug/2006, the airbag light came on. The vehicle was taken to the dealership and the results were "code B1382 psab resistance high - resecure connector under the passenger seat/clear code". in Feb/2008, the airbag sensor again appeared. The same technical code was detected, and the dealership resolution was to "reroute wire harness". in Mar/2008, the airbag light again appeared and was serviced by the dealership. In Nov/2008, the vehicle was again taken to the dealership due to the airbag light appearing. At the time of service in Nov/2008, the vehicle was out of warranty. The dealership indicated they would not fix the airbag free of charge under the warranty, at which time, they were informed that a complaint would be filed under the California lemon law due to repeat fixes for the same issue. The dealership then fixed the issue. On Nov. 26, 2008, the vehicle was hit in a high-speed rear end collision (~35mph) while at a stop light and pushed into an intersection, where it broadsided a moving vehicle. As a result of the impacts, the Hyundai was totaled, all rear seated passengers sustained injury due to the spare tire being lifted from the initial impact and raising the 60/40 split rear seat and pushing it forward, the front passenger received chest contusions and the driver of the vehicle sustained upper body injuries. Despite being pushed forward and making a strong impact, the airbags failed to deploy. I requested Hyundai investigate the matter, and they determined that although the front right of the vehicle was damaged from the secondary impact, it was not sufficient to warrant airbag deployment. I researched complaints from other Hyundai owners regarding repeated airbag sensor light repairs and other airbag failures, including stories of crashes into poles with failed airbags. Hyundai has not issued any recall, but they probably should.
- Northridge, CA, USA
The contact owns a 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe. While driving 70 mph, the contact's vehicle was struck on the driver's side by a tractor trailer. The vehicle was destroyed and none of the air bags deployed. The failure mileage was 109,000.
- Hunpsville, AZ, USA
Air bag light continually comes on, dealer must make repairs. When light is on, air bags do not function. The first time this happened, the service manager stated that this is a common problem with this model.
- Garner, NC, USA
2004 Hyundai Santa Fe with air bag safety concerns customer states that the repair of the air bag warning light is on* the consumer stated that a safety device should last longer than 69,000 and he should not have to bare the responsibility of paying for the repair.
- Naples, FL, USA
- Wilmington, NC, USA