1999 Hyundai Accent Airbags Problems

MY 1999 HYUNDAI ACCENT VEHICLE GOT HIT ON THE REAR (BUMPER) WHILE I WAS STILL ON A RED LIGHT AND THE IMPACT WAS SO STRONG THAT THE HIT PROPELLED MY VEHICLE TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF MY VEHICLE (A SUBURBAN TRUCK) CAUSING REAR AND FRONT DAMAGES TO THE HYUNDAI. THE SUBURBAN INCURRED ZERO DAMAGES, WHILE THE LIMOUSINE THAT HIT ME INCURRED VERY LITTLE DAMAGES IF ANY. MY VEHICLE GOT 'SANDWICH' EVEN THOUGH I WAS ABOUT 4 TO 6 FEET BEHIND THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. MY CHILDREN WERE ON THE REAR SEATS AND INCURRED LIMITED INJURIES. I RECEIVED INJURIES AND VEHICLE WAS TOTAL LOST. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANYTIME. I CONTACTED THE HYUNDAI CORPORATE AND AN INVESTIGATION IS YET TO BE SCHEDULED. I RECEIVED WRITTEN CONFIRMATION THAT MY HYUNDAI VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN THE ONLY ONE WITH AIRBAGS DEPLOYMENT FAILURE. THAT TO ME IS A BIG SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED ACCORDINGLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10330499

Incident

May 7, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 HYUNDAI ACCENT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED IN HER VEHICLE FOR OVER A YEAR. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT MAINTENANCE WOULD HAVE TO BE PERFORMED ON THE AIR BAG. THE INSPECTION WOULD COST $70. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WILL NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR. SHE WAS INFORMED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER TO SEEK ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 84,439. UPDATED 020209 *BF UPDATED 02/03/09.*JB

NHTSA ID

10250484

Incident

Dec 2, 2007

Mileage

84,439 mi

CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN FRONTAL COLLISION AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, AND BROKE FOUR TOP TEETH. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10030180

Incident

Jul 25, 2003

ON JANUARY 17, 2003 THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE VEHICLE WHEN IT TRAVELED OVER A MINOR BUMP IN A PAVED ROAD. THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY. I STARTED AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER 1-22-03. THE DEALER STATED THE BATTERY WAS DEFECTIVE AND I DECLINED TO BUY THEIR BATTERY BUT BOUGHT A NEW BATTERY FOR THE CAR WHICH EXCEEDED THE SPECIFICATIONS OF THE OEM BATTERY. THE BATTERY WAS INSTALLED. UPON TRAVELING BACK TO OREILLY'S AUTO PARTS TO RETURN THE OLD BATTERY FOR A CORE EXCHANGE, I HIT A MINOR BUMP IN THE PAVEMENT AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT HAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE NEW BATTERY AND RECURRED FOR A SECOND TIME WHEN THE CAR HIT A MINOR BUMP. I NOTE THAT OTHER 1999 HYUNDAI'S HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR A DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESS THAT CAUSES THIS LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. I DO NOT KNOW IF ALL ACCENTS HAVE THIS PROBLEM BUT THIS ONE DEFINETLY DOES AND IT CAN BE RECREATED. DON CAVENAUGH MOTORS IS DISCOURAGING REPAIRS BY ALLEGING AN OLD BATTERY CAN CAUSE THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE WHICH IS FALSE, AND BY NOT FIXING THE PROBLEM. NOW I MUST TAKE THE CAR BACK FOR A SECOND REPAIR MEANWHILE I AM HAVING TO DRIVE IT WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT ON. I BELIEVE THAT HYUNDAI AND THEIR DEALING ARE FALSIFYING SERVICE RECORDS SO THAT THEY DO NOT REFLECT A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG LIGHT AS THIS IS A SAFETY DEFECT. MY REPAIR TICKET SAYS "AIR BAG LIGHT" AND STATES CUSTOMER DECLINED RECOMMENDED REPAIRS AND STATED HE WOULD GET A BATTERY FROM WAL-MART. THIS REPAIR TICKET MISS STATES THE FACT THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG. ALSO, WHEN HYUNDAI CUSTOMER SERVICE WAS CONTACTED THEY MADE A BLANKET DENIAL THAT THERE WERE OTHER CUSTOMERS WITH THIS PROBLEM. EVEN WITH GOOD QUALITY, IT WOULD BE NORMAL FOR A FEW CARS TO MALFUNCTION. I BELIEVE OTHER HYUNDAI ACCENTS HAVE DEFECTIVE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESSES JUST AS THE OTHER 1999 HYUNDAI MODELS ALREADY RECALLED AND THIS DEFECT POSES A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF INCREASED BODILY INJURY SHOULD AN ACCIDENT OCCUR.

NHTSA ID

10003226

Incident

Jan 22, 2003

Mileage

55,000 mi

WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH AND AS A RESULT OF A CAR CRASH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AT ANY TIME. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

8005058

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING 45-50MPH AND WAS STRUCK ON DRIVER'S SIDE. BUT, HIT THE OTHER VEHICLE IN THE RIGHT REAR. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON 3DAYS LATER. DEALER FOUND THE SENSOR TO BE DEFECTIVE & REPLACED IT. VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALER FOR 2 MONTHS. AIRBAGS SENSOR LGHT CAME BACK ON WHEN DEALER WAS RETURNING VEHICLE TO CUSTOMER.*AK

NHTSA ID

873926

Incident

Sep 2, 2000

WHEN VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL TYPE CRASH AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. BUT, TWO DAYS LATER AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID

873905

Incident

Sep 2, 2000

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY UPON IMPACT, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AND NEAR FRONT AREA AND PAIN SUSTAINED BY DRIVER

NHTSA ID

9000608

Incident

Oct 30, 1999

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN MINOR INJURIES. DEALER AND MANUFACTURER HAVE BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

860658

Incident

Apr 14, 2000

I WAS INVOLVED IN A T BONE ACCIDENT AT 35 TO 40 MPH AND MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY

NHTSA ID

712131

Incident

Sep 25, 1999

TRAVELING 35 MILES PER HOUR IN 3RD GEAR. SWITCHING TO 4TH GEAR AND BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED CAUSING CAR TO PULL RIGHT AND HIT A LARGE "CURB" STRAIGHT-ON. AXLE BROKEN, SUSPENSION AND UNDERCARRAGE DAMAGED, TIRE AND RIM DESTROYED AND MORE. JOGGER WITNESSED ACCIDENT AND ATTESTS TO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WITHOUT CAUSE. PICTURES AND REPORT WITH HINESBURG POLICE IN HINESBURG, VT. HYUNDAI TAKING NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ACCIDENT.

NHTSA ID

710221

Incident

Aug 17, 1999

WHILE TRAVELING 30MPH HAD A FRONT END COLLISION WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, NEITHER AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. DRIVER SUFFERED UPPER BODY, HEAD & KNEE INJURIES. PASSENGER SUFFERED KNEE & ELBOW INJURIES. HAD EMERGENCY ROOM TREATMENT & RELEASED. *AK

NHTSA ID

840348

Incident

Apr 20, 1999

VEHICLE WAS INVOVED IN AN ACCIDENT CONCERNING A HEAD-ON COLLISION WITH A TRACKER TRAILER . BOTH AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. CONSUMER WAS TEMPORARILY UNCONSCIOUS. REVISED AND NOTICDE SMALL GAS BURN FROM AIR BAG. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

837992

Incident

May 14, 1999

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 55-60 MPH WHEN SHE REARENDED A VEHICLE . DUAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING INJUIRES. *AK

NHTSA ID

837003

Incident

Apr 18, 1999