Problems · by component

2004 Hyundai Elantra air bags problems

114 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2004 Hyundai Elantra cite air bags, 63% of all 182 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 3 recalls on this component.

Complaints
114
63% of all complaints
Crashes
22
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
22
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“VEHICLE 2004 HYUNDAI INVOLVED IN ACCIDENT ON THE STREET, THIS VEHICLE OWNER WAS BELTED WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, THIS VEHICLE OWNER SUSTAINED SEVERE INJURIES INCLUDING FRACTURED VERTEBRATE OF LUMBAR 1 AND 2 AND FRACTURED RIBS, NOTE NO OTHER VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED, THIS VEHICLE OWNER SIDE SWIPED A TREE AND SUSTAINED MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END, THIS VEHICLE OWNER WAS TREATED AT THE SCENE, TRANSPORTED TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR 7 DAYS; CURRENTLY, RECEIVING OUT PATIENT CARE WITH SCHEDULED MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS, THIS VEHICLE OWNER IS NOT CLEARED TO RETURN TO WORK AT THIS TIME, AND FOR AT LEAST 9 WEEKS. THE FAULTY AIRBAGS FAILED TO KEEP THIS DRIVER SAFE, AND SEVERELY INJURED HIM. HE SUFFERED 2 BROKEN BACK BONES, A BROKEN RIB, SCRAPES AND BRUISES. ON TOP OF THE PHYSICAL TRAUMA, HE AND HIS FAMILY, WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS, ARE SUFFERING FROM EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. THE ACCIDENT IN ITSELF, SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THIS PHYSICAL TRAUMA, THE CAR DID NOT FLIP, TURN OVER, OR IMPACT ANY OTHER VEHICLES. THE DRIVER WAS NOT ON A HIGHWAY, BUT A COMMON STREET, SO HE WAS NOT TRAVELING OVER 40 MPH. THE INJURIES SUSTAINED ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF THE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 14, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11220188
“SRS (AIRBAG) SERVICE REMINDER INDICATOR CAME ON. I WENT TO AN AUTO PARTS STORE AND THEY RAN AN OBDII REPORT ON A BOSCH SCANNER. A B1448 OC (OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION) - PASSENGER SENSOR MAT DEFECT CAME BACK. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE 2006-2008 HYUNDAI SONATAS HAVE A RECALL ON. THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SENSOR, TO DETECT A CHILD SEAT OR ADULT IN THE SEAT, MAY RECOGNIZE A SMALL ADULT AS A CHILD SEAT. IF THIS HAPPENS AND THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED, THE RISK OF INJURY IN A CRASH MAY BE INCREASED. I WENT TO HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA HEADQUARTERS IN FOUNTAIN VALLEY, CALIFORNIA AT 3:45 ON JANUARY 17, 2019 AND LEFT MY CONTACT INFORMATION ON A CARD AT THE FRONT DESK REGARDING THIS PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED BUT TO DATE HAVE HAD NO REPLY FROM HMA. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V161000 AS THIS PRESENTS THE SAME DANGER TO ELANTRA OCCUPANTS AS THE SONATA RECALL, HYUNDAI SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO OFFER THE SAME REPAIR EXTENSION (15 YEARS) AS THE SONATA HAS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 26, 2019Air bagsODI 11182497
“I HAVE CONTACTED CUSTOMER CARE AND WAS TOLD IT'S STANDARD TO REMOVE A FRONT SEAT AND GIVE THE CAR BACK UNTIL THEY GET PARTS FOR THE RECALL I FEEL THIS COULD CAUSE AIR BAG SYSTEMS NOT TO BE ACTIVE AND ALSO WITHOUT THE SEAT THE CARS ABILITY TO HOLD UP IN A CRASH IS REDUCED DUE TO MISSING COMPONENTS THAT PROVIDE SOME STRUCTURAL SUPPORT ALL I HAVE REQUESTED WAS A RENTAL CAR FOR THE TIME IT TAKES TO PERFORM MY RECALL AS I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING A CAR WITHOUT A FRONT SEAT I HAVE HAD THE DEALER DECLINE MY REQUEST AND SAID IF I WANT IT DONE THE SEAT WILL BE REMOVED AND THE CAR GIVEN BACK TO ME IS THIS A SAFE PRACTICE FOR A DEALER TO REMOVE A SEAT THAT HAS ONE OF THE SIDE AIR BAGS IN IT AND ADVISE THE OWNER TO DRIVE THE CAR AS NORMAL? ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THIS COMPANY WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED AND TO BE CLEAR THERE IS A ACTIVE AIR BAG LIGHT ON WITH A CODE THE RELATES TO OCCUPANCY DETECTION FOR PASSANGER FRONT AND SIDE AIR BAGS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 25, 2018Air bags, Seat belts, SeatsODI 11103705
“MY 2004 ELANTRA GLS HAS THE FOLLOWING PROBLEMS: 1 - THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF SIGN STAYS ON, EVEN WITH MY WIFE IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. 2 - THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD IS ALWAYS ON, AND MY HORN IS NOT WORKING, FOR THE LAST TWO / THREE WEEKS (NOV / DEC 2017).”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 1, 2018Air bagsODI 11057833
“I WENT TO GET A SAFETY CHECK AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I COULDN'T GET IT BECAUSE MY AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. I LIVE ON A ISOLATED ISLAND THAT DOESN'T HAVE A HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THE CAR DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR ISN'T GIVING ME A CALL BACK WHILE IN THE MEAN TIME I AM RIDING AROUND WITH A EXPIRED SAFETY CHECK AND IS FEARFUL OF GETTING CITED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2017Air bagsODI 11045790
“I WAS TAKING MY DAD TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY HE SAT ON SEAT. I NOTICE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR DID NOT GO OFF . THE CAR WAS DRIVEN IN CITY AND ON HIGHWAY THANK GOD AIR BAGS WERE NOT NEEDED AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON DASH LATER THAT DAY . I CALLED BROADWAY HYUNDAI ON MONDAY THEY SAID IF AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH WAS ON AIRBAGS WOULD NOT DEPLOY. I TOOK CAR IN TO BROADWAY THEY TOLD ME AIRBAG SENSOR ON PASSENGER SEAT WAS SEVERED AND PART WOULD BE 1600.00 TO REPAIR. LATER THEY CALLED BACK AND SAID THEY COULD BUT USED SEAT IN FOR 297.32. I DIDN'T LIKE THAT BECAUSE SAME THING COULD HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT COULD NOR AFFORD 1600.00 FOR OME PART. I CALL HYUNDAI AND ASK THAT I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED FOR DANGER MY DAD AND MYSELF WERE PUT IN AND REINVESTED REPAIR. THIS IS POOR WORKMANSHIP HAVING SHARP METAL RAILS AND CLIPS OVER PLASTIC WIRE MEMBRANE. NOT HAPPY WITH USED SEAT SAME THING COULD HAPPEN AGAIN AND THIS PART COULD BE IN 1000 OF OTHER VEHICLE. A CASE WAS STARTED AND NO REPLY FOR HYUNDAI. A FAIR SETTLEMENT OF 1600.00 FOR CORRECT PART IF NEED IN FUTURE AND DANGER WE WERE PUT IN. I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE CHECKED OUT THERE COULD 1000 OF THIS DANGER ON ROAD TODAY AND SOME PEOPLE MAY NOT…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 23, 2017Air bagsODI 10991317

Showing 6 of 114 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

3 recalls on this component

Air bags

Free remedy

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Air bagsReported Oct 17, 2005NHTSA 05V479000

Air bags

Free remedy

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Air bagsReported Sep 12, 2005NHTSA 05V395000

Air bags

Free remedy

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR IS OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE LIGHTER THAN 56.4 POUNDS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IF A CRASH OCCURS. HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR MAY INCORRECTLY INTERPRET THAT A SEATED ADULT IS AN INFANT SEAT AND DEACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IF SOMEONE HEAVIER THAN 56.4 POUNDS WHO IS SEATED WITH ONE LEG RESTING ON THE OUTBOARD OR INBOARD EDGE OF THE SEAT; WITH LEGS SPREAD; OR POSITIONED OFF-CENTER TOWARD THE CENTER CONSOLE AND WITH HIS OR HER ARM LEANING ON THE CONSOLE.

Air bagsReported Aug 26, 2003NHTSA 03V322000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.