VehicleVerdict

2005 Hyundai Elantra airbags problems

The 2005 Hyundai Elantra has 74 airbags complaints filed with NHTSA — 41% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

74

Airbags complaints

41%

Share of year

25

Crash-involved

2

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.

What owners report

“THE HYUNDAI ELANTRA REAR ENDED ANOTHER CAR GOING APPROX. 30 MPH. THE DRIVER HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM AT FULL SPEED, WITHOUT BRAKING. THE DRIVER DID NOT KNOW THE CAR IN FRONT OF THEM ABRUPTLY STOPPED, CAUSING THE ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER WAS THRUSTED FORWARD ON IMPACT INTO THE WINDSHIELD. THE DRIVER…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Airbags · October 1, 2013 · crash

Common questions

How many airbags complaints does the 2005 Hyundai Elantra have?

NHTSA has 74 complaints about the 2005 Hyundai Elantra airbags — 41% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Are there recalls for the 2005 Hyundai Elantra airbags?

Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for this model year are tied to the airbags: 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.