32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2017 Hyundai Elantra cite air bags, 4% of all 770 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.
“The passenger airbag is not activating reliably. There was not an accident but the light indicating airbage is active does not light up when passenger sits in front.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Mar 9, 2026·Air bagsODI 11723083
“I was currently in an accident and my airbags did not deploy. My safety was at risk because I am pregnant. The vehicle was inspected by insurance representatives or body shop. No warning or other symptoms of problems prior to failure”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed May 9, 2025·Air bagsCrash reportedODI 11660071
“The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle in a driveway, she was unaware if she was depressing the brake pedal or accelerator pedal; however, the vehicle accelerated out of control and crashed into her barn, where it came to a stop. No air bags deployed. The contact stated that she did not sustain injuries. No medical attention was required. The contact stated that a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed by her insurance company. The fire department was at the scene. The contact mentioned the vehicle was stuck in the barn on both the driver and passenger sides of the vehicle. The contact mentioned that the seat belt did not retract. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed May 1, 2025·Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 11658250
“Air bag light will not turn off so I’m not sure if the air bags work. Oil is going missing from the car causing it to suddenly shut down. It also makes the rpm’s go really high (close to 5,000) when trying to go up hills or accelerate. I don’t see a leak, or puddles under the car, nor black smoke.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Jan 21, 2025·Air bags, Unknown or otherODI 11637392
“When my car was stolen and crashed the whole front end was smashed in but the air bags did deploy. I saw there's several recalls on these cars, one was the airbags. I never got any recall for it and it shows there are no recalls. The brakes have problems, being that it takes forever to slow down. I have to leave about 3 car lengths ahead of me because I can't stop, it takes a while to slow it down. And the steering wheel feels stuck. I had a friend drive it and he said the same thing. It's difficult to handle and not lose control. I'm to the place I'm scared to get on the highway anymore because not being able to stop quickly and swerving all over cause it's hard to control the vehicle. I have had zero recalls tho even with me experiencing this. And the paint is coming off, but at least that won't kill me.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Sep 25, 2024·Steering, Air bags, Service brakesODI 11616329
“For more than two years, at irregular intervals, the passenger air bag light on the front panel blinks and the associated chime sounds for about two minutes, then stops. This happens with no passenger in the seat. I have asked the dealer (Fitzgerald Hyundai in Rockville, MD) several times to look into this. My concern is that if the air bag alarm cannot be trusted when there is no passenger, how can it be trusted to work when it needs to? This seems to me to be an unsafe condition. The dealership stated that since the problem occurs intermittently, they cannot determine a cause, and advised me to contact Hyundai Motor America and would likely meet with a representative. I contacted the company in July, and was designated Case No. [XXX]. Over the next two months, in several email communications with "[XXX]," I was informed that I should take the car to another dealer. I noted that given the intermittent nature of the problem, there was no reason to believe another dealer would have better luck replicating and resolving the issue. That was the total of Hyundai Motor America's help. I terminated the case last month.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Oct 2, 2023·Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11547792
Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2017 Hyundai Elantra vehicles manufactured April 15, 2016, to September 13, 2016, and Sonata vehicles manufactured May 27, 2016 to September 16, 2016. In these vehicles, the end seal for the driver's frontal air bag inflator may not have been properly installed, possibly resulting in reduced inflation of the frontal air bag in the event of a crash.
Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles manufactured May 29, 2014 to February 11, 2016, 2017 Elantra vehicles manufactured January 12, 2016 to February 22, 2016, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle manufactured October 15, 2015. In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage air bag deployment, resulting in the second stage not deploying in certain crashes. The primary stage will deploy as intended.