Problems · by component

2003 Hyundai Santa Fe air bags problems

42 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Hyundai Santa Fe cite air bags, 14% of all 308 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
42
14% of all complaints
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
16
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“THE AIRBAG LIGHTS KEEP COMING ON - I AM NOW ON MY THIRD REPAIR TO FIX THIS ONGOING PROBLEM. I LIKELY NEED TO REPLACE THE AIRBAGS! SO COSTLY BUT IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE SO HOW CAN I NOT? THIS IS A KNOWN AND ONGOING ISSUE AND HYUNDAI SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE AND COVER THIS DEFECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 4, 2018Air bagsODI 11109520
“AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON SO THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. WILL I HAVE TO PAY FOR THIS? I REALLY DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY OF THIS VEHICLE I NEVER RECEIVED A CAR FAX ON IT. THAT IS WHY I NEED TO KNOW IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE AIRBAG WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT REMAINS ON. I KNOW THIS MIGHT BE BECAUSE OF THE MODULE HAVING TO BE REPLACED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 6, 2018Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11092100
“MY AIRBAGS WERE DEFECTIVE. I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO TREAT MULTIPLE BODILY INJURING, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED. I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I OVERSHOT A TURN AND HIT A POLL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. THE CAR FLIPPED AND WAS TOTALED. AGAIN, NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I HAVE INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE CAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAGS. I FEEL AS THOUGH THESE SHOULD HAVE WORKED PROPERLY AND THAT I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT ANY WORSE, AS MORE SERIOUS INJURIES COULD HAVE THEN OCCURRED.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 4, 2017Air bags, Structure, WheelsCrash reportedODI 11052199
“MY AIRBAGS WERE DEFECTIVE. I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, I WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO TREAT MULTIPLE BODILY INJURING, WHICH COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED. I WAS DRIVING IN TOWN WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. I OVERSHOT A TURN AND HIT A POLL ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR. THE CAR FLIPPED AND WAS TOTALED. AGAIN, NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED. I HAVE INCLUDED PICTURES OF THE CAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. MY MAIN CONCERN IS THE ISSUE WITH THE AIRBAGS. I FEEL AS THOUGH THESE SHOULD HAVE WORKED PROPERLY AND THAT I AM FORTUNATE ENOUGH THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT ANY WORSE, AS MORE SERIOUS INJURIES COULD HAVE THEN OCCURRED. IF NEEDED, I HAVE MORE PICTURES; HOWEVER, DUE TO THE FILE SIZE ALLOWED, I HAVE LIMITED IT TO KEY PICTURE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 4, 2017Air bags, Structure, WheelsCrash reportedODI 11052221
“WAS DRIVING DOWN PENDLETON PIKE GOING SOUTH TURN ON 38TH STREET GOING WEST,THEIR WAS BIG LOUD POP I THOUGH I BLEW A TIRE OVER SEEN THE AIR BAG HAD EXPLODED ON THE PASSENGER SEAT THIS HAPPENED ON 2/13/2017 MY NAME IS [XXX] EMAIL [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 17, 2017Air bagsODI 10955196
“ON 2/13 2017 MY AIR BAG ON PASSENGER SIDE DEPLOYED, WHICH ALL AIR NO GOOD. CALL HYN DEALER TOLD ME 2500 DOLLARS TO FIX NO ACCIDENT JUST DRIVING. I THOUGHT I BLUE A TIRE AND IT WAS MY PASSENGER SEAT AIR BAG MY NAME IS [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 15, 2017Air bagsODI 10954639

Showing 6 of 42 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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