Problems · by component

2006 Hyundai Elantra air bags problems

56 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Hyundai Elantra cite air bags, 36% of all 155 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
56
36% of all complaints
Crashes
17
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 5, 2021Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11427933
“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”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 11, 2020Air bagsODI 11374158
“TL* 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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 18, 2019Air bagsODI 11269346
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 25, 2019Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11203805
“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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 23, 2018Air bagsODI 11153447
“TL* 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.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2018Air bagsODI 11130470

Showing 6 of 56 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2006 Elantra problem areas