Problems · by component
2000 Hyundai Elantra air bags problems
39 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2000 Hyundai Elantra cite air bags, 20% of all 200 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
39
20% of all complaints
Crashes
31
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
Reported by owners
What owners say about the air bags
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2000 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BROKEN RIBS AND A HEAD INJURY THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.”
“I WAS DRIVING NORTH BOUND ON HIGHWAY 99. ON A SATURDAY AFTERNOON IN RUSH HOUR, IN SACRAMENTO, CA. WHEN I WAS HIT ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BY A BLACK NISSAN. WHEN THE CARS TOUCHED WE SPUN 3 TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE. THE CAR STOPPED 8 FEET AWAY FROM THE RETAINING WALL, FACING NORTH BOUND. MY INFANT (1 MONTH OLD ) AND 13 YR. OLD WERE IN THE BACK. THE INFANTS CAR SEAT SIFTED ABOUT A FOOT TOWARDS THE LEFT OF THE DRIVERS SIDE. THAT MEANS THE REAR SEAT BELTS WERE NOT WORKING PROPERLY. MY 13 YR. OLD SCREAMED AS SHE HOVERED OVER HER BROTHER TO PROTECT HIM. HER SEAT BELT WAS LOOSE ENOUGH FOR HER TO ALLOW HER TO DO THAT. THE TOTAL IMPACT WAS ON HER SIDE. SHE AND I SAW THE CAR COMING BUT THERE WAS NO WHERE TO MOVE. MY FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY OR OPEN UP. I WAS ABLE TO SHIELD MY FACE ON THE TIME OF THE IMPACT. THE INSURANCE CONSIDERED IT A SALVAGE AND PAID ME OFF. *TR”
“THE AIR BAGS IN THE CAR DID NOT DEPLOY. IT WAS A FRONT END COLLISION. THE CAR STRUCTURALLY HELD UP VERY WELL BUT WE ARE NOT QUITE SURE WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT WORK? *NM”
“DT: THE CONTACT STATED WHEN CAR HAD 20,000 MILES ON IT STARTED HAVING ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON, AND IT WAS MAKING A FUNNY SOUND AT 31,000 MILES. SHE SAID DIFFERENT LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD WOULD COME ON, BUT SHE WAS NOT SURE WHICH ONES. THE CAR RAN OUT OF OIL, AND THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS NO LIGHT TO COME ON TO INDICATE THE CAR WAS LOW ON OIL. THE CAR HAD 118,000 MILES ON IT AT THAT TIME. THE CONTACT HAS TO REPLACE THE ENGINE.*AK”
“WAS DRIVING DOWN A HILL IN HOOKSETT NEW HAMPSHIRE, ON MY WAY TO WORK. THE ROADS WERE ICY, AND SNOW COVERED, HIT A PATCH OF ICE, AND HIT A TELEPHONE POLE, TOTALING MY CAR. THE AIR BAG NEVER DEPLOYED. *AK”
“WHILE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING INADVERTENTLY A POWDER LIKE SUBSTANCE WAS RELEASED FROM AIR BAG WITHOUT DEPLOYING. CONSUMER INHALED THE SUBSTANCE, AND HAD TROUBLE BREATHING. THE CAUSE OF THIS WAS UNDETERMINED.*AK”
Showing 6 of 39 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.