Problems · by component

2013 Hyundai Elantra air bags problems

169 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2013 Hyundai Elantra cite air bags, 13% of all 1,330 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
169
13% of all complaints
Crashes
42
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
45
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Drivers air bag high resistance too high (2nd stage) B149000- PODS(passenger occupant detecting system) sensor (Bladder) Defect Start with replacing the clock spring assembly maybe be other problems. Airbag uncertain if operational. Not covered by Hyundai's Clock Spring Extended Warranty despite fitting within model year. Unacceptable and needs to be replaced by free and expanded within coverage by Hyundai corporation.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 10, 2026Air bagsODI 11763304
“The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the passenger’s side air bag warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who diagnosed that the air bag module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 11,511.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2026Air bagsODI 11749597
“The airbags failed to deploy when I was in a car accident on 03/31/26. I was rear ended while at an intersection. The car that rear ended me had airbags that deployed upon impact. My car was the only car in which the airbags did not deploy despite the high impact. Not only was I rear ended, but I was slammed into another vehicle in front of me and into a streetlight/streetpole. My car is now totaled. My car sustained the most damage and my body. The airbags are available for inspection upon request. I would have filed this request sooner, but I am still hurt and I am still undergoing treatment for my injuries. My safety was put at risk by the lack of protection from the airbags in my car. I could have died. I’m alive, but I also sustained serious injuries from the lack of deployment. My body hit the steering wheel upon impact. My head, chest, back, neck, shoulders, right arm, right hand, wrist, and right leg/ankle were all injured due to this accident. If my airbags had deployed, my injuries would’ve been lessened and they could’ve been prevented altogether. I was rushed to the hospital at the scene. I’m still currently receiving treatment for the injuries I…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 5, 2026Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11735715
“I have had a couple of issues that I have had others tell me or read online that they have had the same issues 1- When I bought the car, which was used at the time. Just a couple of years ago I drove it off of the lot and it had a break issue. I had to take it towed back to the dealership bc something broke underneath and the breaks were failing. So they fixed the problem supposedly. I only had a 30 day warranty and after the 30 days the breaks started grinding every time I stopped. This went on for a long time. I had an other mechanic look at it and did something and I can not recall exactly what he said but after about a week, the noise started back up and at that time I had had the car for about a yr and he said I still had about 25 percent left on my break pads. So probably about 4 months ago I changed my front breaks, including the rotors and the back breaks to, I also had to replace the front left caliber bc while trying to take the pin out of the caliber to clean it, the pin broke. So I replaced it. Took my care in to get inspected And they told me I need to do the back breaks and the back right caliber to pass inspection. So I did the work and got it…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 7, 2026Air bags, Unknown or other, Service brakesODI 11709298
“Description of the Issue: The airbag (SRS) warning light on my 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT Hatchback intermittently turns on and off and flickers when turning the steering wheel, indicating a potential fault in the spiral cable assembly (clock spring). Hyundai issued a Clock Spring Extended Warranty (TSB #17-BE-004-1) for certain vehicles, but my vehicle is not covered. A complete failure of the clock spring may prevent the driver’s airbag from deploying in a crash, creating a serious safety risk. The airbag warning light first appeared on [XXX]. The issue occurs during normal driving, particularly when turning the steering wheel. Safety Concern: If the clock spring fails completely, the driver’s airbag may not deploy during a collision, significantly increasing the risk of injury or death. Requested Action: I request that NHTSA investigate the intermittent airbag warning light issue in 2013 Hyundai Elantra GT vehicles, focusing on potential clock spring failures, and consider a safety recall or other remedy to ensure that driver airbags deploy reliably. Additional Information: The vehicle is currently located in Ottawa, ON, Canada. Photos of the dashboard with the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 12, 2025Air bagsODI 11692937
“Clock spring failures are a well known issue with Hyundai/Kia models from the early 2010s. Hyundai has offered an extended warranty on most models, but has excluded the GT models, even though they use the same parts. My clock spring has failed, disabling the horn and driver air bag functionality.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 28, 2025Air bagsODI 11651234

Showing 6 of 169 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Air bags: side

Free remedy

Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.

Air bagsReported Apr 1, 2013NHTSA 13V115000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Nov 3, 2026

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