VehicleVerdict

2004 Hyundai Elantra airbags problems

The 2004 Hyundai Elantra has 116 airbags complaints filed with NHTSA — 56% of the year's total, and up sharply from the prior model year.

116

Airbags complaints

56%

Share of year

23

Crash-involved

3

Related recalls

Airbags complaints by year

Elantra airbags complaints by model year166 complaints1994: 33 complaints1995: 38 complaints1996: 14 complaints1997: 21 complaints1998: 7 complaints1999: 20 complaints2000: 40 complaints2001: 125 complaints2002: 72 complaints2003: 49 complaints2004: 116 complaints2005: 74 complaints2006: 60 complaints2007: 49 complaints2008: 42 complaints2009: 42 complaints2010: 46 complaints2011: 77 complaints2012: 124 complaints2013: 166 complaints2014: 32 complaints2015: 23 complaints2016: 26 complaints2017: 31 complaints2018: 11 complaints2019: 2 complaints2020: 5 complaints2021: 2 complaints2022: 3 complaints2023: 6 complaints2024: 1 complaints2025: 2 complaints
Elantra airbags complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

Related recalls

05V479000AirbagsOctober 17, 2005 · 2,105 units

Defect

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Consequence

THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.

05V395000AirbagsSeptember 12, 2005 · 231,160 units

Defect

CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Consequence

THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

Remedy

DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

03V322000AirbagsAugust 26, 2003 · 75 units

Defect

ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR IS OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE LIGHTER THAN 56.4 POUNDS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IF A CRASH OCCURS. HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR MAY INCORRECTLY INTERPRET THAT A SEATED ADULT IS AN INFANT SEAT AND DEACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IF SOMEONE HEAVIER THAN 56.4 POUNDS WHO IS SEATED WITH ONE LEG RESTING ON THE OUTBOARD OR INBOARD EDGE OF THE SEAT; WITH LEGS SPREAD; OR POSITIONED OFF-CENTER TOWARD THE CENTER CONSOLE AND WITH HIS OR HER ARM LEANING ON THE CONSOLE.

Consequence

IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER.

Remedy

THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR WILL BE REPROGRAMMED.

What owners report

“WHILE DRIVING ON A RAINY DAY AT 50 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE SPEED, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SHE HEARD A "HIT" UNDER…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Airbags · March 2, 2004 · crash

Common questions

How many airbags complaints does the 2004 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA has 116 complaints about the 2004 Hyundai Elantra airbags — 56% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2004 Hyundai Elantra airbags?

Yes — 3 NHTSA recall campaigns for this model year are tied to the airbags: 03V322000, 05V395000, 05V479000.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.