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
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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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.”
“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”
“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”
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.