Problems · by component

2006 Hyundai Santa Fe air bags problems

28 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe cite air bags, 26% of all 106 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
28
26% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
5
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the air bags warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, and the manufacturer stated the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 264,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 17, 2023Air bagsODI 11512412
“THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON. WHEN I TURN THE CAR ON THE PASSENGER RESTRAINT LIGHT GOES ON TO SHOW RESTRAINT SYSTEM OFF.. HOWEVER WHEN THERE IS NOBODY SITTING IN FRONT SEAT THE LIGHT GOES OUT AND IT SHOULD STAY ON”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 12, 2019Air bagsODI 11279697
“AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON CONTINUOUSLY AFTER STARTING (LIGHT GOES OUT FOR 6" AT IGNITION TO ON). IT THROWS THE CODE B1448. I CAN RESET IT WITH MY SCANNER, BUT IT RETURNS AFTER A WEEK.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 10, 2019Air bagsODI 11230814
“AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ON AFTER INITIAL STARTUP DISPLAY. CODE READER INDICATED B1511 CODE, SHORT BETWEEN DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE AND BATTERY. FURTHER EVALUATION DEMONSTRATED THAT SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT DID NOT DISPLAY AT ALL, WHETHER BELT WAS BUCKLED OR UNBUCKLED. INTERNET RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT THIS FAULT MAY PREVENT AIR BAG FROM FUNCTIONING IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT. TO EVALUATE FURTHER, AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT WAS RESET TO CHECK FOR RECURRENCE. CODE RECURRED. IT WAS NOTED THAT CODE COULD BE PREVENTED AND SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT WOULD DISPLAY PROPERLY IF THE DRIVER SEAT BELT BUCKLE WAS PRESSED DOWNWARD AND SLIGHTLY TOWARD THE DRIVER. THIS WAS CONSISTENT WITH OBSERVATION THAT FOLLOWING A RESET, AIR BAG LIGHT RECURRED WHEN VEHICLE TURNED LEFT, CAUSING DRIVER TO SHIFT AGAINST BUCKLE. INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF SEAT BELT LIGHT WAS OBSERVED WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ALSO MOVING SLOWLY. DRIVER IS UNWILLING TO REMOVE SEAT BELT DURING HIGHWAY DRIVING TO EVALUATE FURTHER. HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA HAS DENIED RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. INTERNET SEARCHES INDICATE THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED OCCURRENCE, AND FURTHER THAT THERE HAVE BEEN…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 25, 2018Air bags, Seat beltsODI 11097946
“CAR AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT HAS BEEN ON INTERMITTENTLY WHILE CAR WAS IN FACTORY WARRANTY (BUMPER TO BUMPER, 5 YEAR 60K MILES). REPORTED TO DEALER WHILE WITHIN WARRANTY, DEALER ONLY CLEARED IT WITHOUT INVESTIGATING CAUSE. WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ON AND OFF OVER THE YEARS, BUT NEVER THOUGHT IT A PROBLEM UNTIL 2018 MA STATE INSPECTION WOULD FAIL IF AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAD CODE READ AT HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND CAME OUT AS B1448, OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION MAT DEFECT. RESEARCHED AND FOUND SAME CODE WAS RECALLED IN 2007, 2008 FOR SONATA, BUT NOT FOR MY SANTA FE. CONTACTED HYUNDAI USA AND REQUESTED THEY REPLACE IT FOR FREE. THEY DECLINED AND BLAMED ME FOR NOT FURTHER PURSUING IT WHILE VEHICLE WAS WITHIN WARRANTY.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 6, 2018Air bagsODI 11076557
“AIR BAG LIGHT WILL NOT GO OUT. I HAVE RESET THE ALARM CODE AND IN IT JUST COMES BACK WHEN SOMEONE SITS IN THE PASSENGERS SEAT. THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH A LOT OF HYUNDAI SANTE FE'S”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 29, 2017Air bags, Seat belts, SeatsODI 11002118

Showing 6 of 28 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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