Problems · by component

2003 Hyundai Sonata air bags problems

43 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2003 Hyundai Sonata cite air bags, 22% of all 199 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
43
22% of all complaints
Crashes
14
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
17
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“Airbag light came on and stays on. Pulled a code that pointed to the wiring in the passenger seat. Moved wiring around and made sure connectors were properly plugged and the light went away for maybe a week. Light is back on again. Removed seat bolts to gain better access, used tubing and electrical tape to straighten any kinked wiring I could find underneath passenger front seat, disconnected and reconnected connections. Airbag light blinked once and still remains on with the code still pointing to the passenger seat wiring. Apparently this issue has been reported many times in online forums with no meaningful response from the company though this clearly affects proper airbag deployment.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 23, 2021Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11421937
“AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON BUT THEY HAVE NOT DEPLOYED & NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRBAG SYSTEM, WIRING, ETC. WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION WITH THE ABS LIGHT ON, AS YOU WELL KNOW.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 28, 2019Air bagsODI 11204193
“THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS CONSTANTLY ON, MEANING THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT, THEY WILL NOT DEPLOY. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. THIS IS APPARENTLY DUE TO WIRING UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT STRETCHING AND PINCHING FROM MOVING THE SEAT ITSELF AND WHEN THINGS ARE PLACED UNDERNEATH THE SEAT THAT MAY DISTURB THE WIRING. I KNOW IT IS THE WIRING UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SEAT DUE TO CHECKING THE TROUBLE CODE AND ALSO BEING ABLE TO TEMPORARILY FIX THE ISSUE FOR A COUPLE WEEKS BY GINGERLY MOVING THE WIRES UNTIL THE LIGHT WENT AWAY. NOW I CAN'T GET THE LIGHT TO GO AWAY NO MATTER WHAT METHODS I TRY. CAN'T FIND A REPLACEMENT SET OF WIRES NOR CAN I LOCATE WHICH WIRE SPECIFICALLY IS BEING AFFECTED TO TRY TO FIX THE ISSUE MYSELF. I HAVE SEEN DOZENS OF PEOPLE MAKING THIS SAME COMPLAINT ABOUT THE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYING ON. THIS NEEDS A RECALL SINCE THIS CAN EASILY LEAD TO DEATH SINCE THE AIRBAG WILL NOT DEPLOY TO ATTEMPT SAVING METHODS TO PASSENGERS. LIGHT WAS ON FOR THE PREVIOUS OWNER FOR I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG AND HAS BEEN ON FOR ME FOR ALMOST A YEAR NOW.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 6, 2018Electrical system, Air bagsODI 11100227
“THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE AIR BAG IS ON AND DOESN'T GO AWAY. I HAD IT CHECK AND THERE IS NO CODE FOR IT SO THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT IS CAUSE THAT. I NEED A ANSWER BECAUSE I NEED TO HAVE INSPECT AND IS NOT GOING TO PASS.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 18, 2017Air bagsODI 10966683
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SONATA. AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 2, 2015Air bagsODI 10691528
“WE WERE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS PROPERLY DEPLOYED IT ONLY FELL OUT OF THE SEAT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR AND IT DEPLOYED FLAT NO AIR IN IT OR NOTHING. MY FIANCEE WAS INJURED AS WELL AS MYSELF AND WE ARE CURRENTLY BEING TREATED FOR INJURIES SUSTAINED BY THE ACCIDENT... *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 25, 2015Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10690695

Showing 6 of 43 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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

Other 2003 Sonata problem areas