2010 Hyundai Elantra Airbags Problems

I am submitting this complaint regarding a possible airbag/SRS system failure involving a Hyundai vehicle. On May 26, 2026, the vehicle was involved in a severe front-end collision resulting in major structural damage to the front end, including the hood, bumper reinforcement, radiator support, and engine compartment. Despite the significant impact damage, none of the airbags deployed, including the driver or passenger frontal airbags. The collision was serious enough that the occupants could have suffered severe injury or death. Based on the extent of the damage, I believe the airbag system, crash sensors, or airbag control module may have malfunctioned or failed to operate properly. Photos documenting the damage are available. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate this incident for potential safety defects involving: * Airbag non-deployment * Crash sensor failure * SRS system malfunction * Airbag control module defects I am also requesting review of whether similar complaints or investigations exist involving this Hyundai model or related vehicles.

NHTSA ID

11740444

Incident

May 26, 2026

On Sept 12th of this year I was involved in a multiple rollover with my Hyundai elantra and not one single airbag deployed nor did my seatbelt tighten up to keep me from moving around as much. Due to this I suffered a fractured vertabrae.

NHTSA ID

11548355

Incident

Sep 12, 2023

The contact owned a 2010 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while his wife was driving downhill in the rain at 45 MPH, she failed to apply the brakes and crashed into a vehicle. The impact of the crash caused a three-vehicle pile up. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. Due to the failure, his wife hit her right arm and chest on the steering column. The authorities arrived at the scene and rendered aid by the EMT. The driver of the vehicle that his wife crashed into sustained neck injuries. The contact later took his wife to a hospital where she was treated for bruising to her right arm and chest. A police report was filed(2023-17095). The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard where it remained in their possession. The manufacturer nor the dealer were notified of the failure. The vehicle was deemed a total loss. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

NHTSA ID

11523196

Incident

May 4, 2023

Mileage

135,000 mi

Clockspring has failed . Hyundai has extended the clockspring warranty for 2011 to 2014 Elantras to a 15-year unlimited mileage but has excluded the 2010 models for some reason. I would like Hyundai to extend the warranty to all affected vehicles as it is a safety hazard.

NHTSA ID

11516041

Incident

Apr 5, 2023

My daughter was parked sitting in this car before going into work when all the airbags but the front ones deployed. The driver side one hit her arm very hard. The car was on but in park. Nothing hit the car.

NHTSA ID

11438441

Incident

Aug 30, 2021

MY 2010 ELANTRA HAS A FAULTY AIRBAG MODULE. MY AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED AND I ONLY HAVE AROUND 47,000 IN MILEAGE. I TOOK MY CAR TO THE HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME I HAVE A CODE B1620. THEY SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $1100 TO FIX, WHICH SEEMS LIKE AN OUTRAGEOUS COST TO ME FOR A SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE CAR. MY CAR IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT I BELIEVE AN ISSUE LIKE THIS SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE.

NHTSA ID

11412958

Incident

Apr 20, 2021

Mileage

47,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER SAN LEANDRO KIA (1066 MARINA BLVD, SAN LEANDRO, CA 94577, (510)347-3000) WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 165,000.

NHTSA ID

11394442

Incident

Jan 30, 2021

Mileage

165,000 mi

PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT HAS REMAINED ON FOR THE PAST 6 MONTHS. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE IN 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA MODELS. MANY OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS ARE BEING RECALLED FOR AIRBAG DEFECTS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL ON MY MODEL. CAR NOT SAFE TO DRIVING WONDERING IF AIR BAG WILL DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND HYUNDAI HEADQUARTERS BUT BOTH STATED MY VIN IS NOT PART OF THIS RECALL. WHY?

NHTSA ID

11341427

Incident

Nov 4, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

THE AIRBAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT TURNED ON AND WOULD GO ON AND OFF, BUT WOULDN'T TELL ME WHETHER IT IS FOR THE PASSENGER LIGHT (WHICH HAS BECOME FAULTY SOMETIMES HAVING A FALSE POSITIVE OR FALSE NEGATIVE TO WHETHER THE PASSENGER IS THERE), BUT MOST RECENTLY HAS STAYED ON PERMANENTLY WITH THE PASSENGER LIGHT CORRECTLY READING OFF - IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THAT MEANS THAT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE OR IF THE DRIVER'S SIDE WOULD NOT DEPLOY. IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE AIRBAG OVERALL AND IF THE CAR HAS SWITCHED OFF AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. THE WARNING LIGHT HAS SWITCHED OFF A FEW TIMES SEEMINGLY INDICATING EVERYTHING IS FINE, HOWEVER IT NOW STAYS ON REGARDLESS OF WHERE DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

11328998

Incident

Jun 6, 2020

HYDROPLANED HEAD ON INTO A GUARDRAIL AND AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY DOING 23+ MPH. HIGHWAY GOING AROUND A TURN.

NHTSA ID

11321750

Incident

Apr 12, 2020

Mileage

93,000 mi

MY RED AIR BAG NOTIFICATION ON MY DASHBOARD STAYS ON. WAS TOLD THIS MEANS NO AIR BAG COVERAGE. ALSO THAT IT IS NOT OPERATING PROPERLY. I AM DRIVING THIS BUT ONLY BECAUSE DEALERSHIP SAID I WOULD NEED TOO PAY FOR INSPECTION TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM IS THEN PAY TO HAVE IT FIXED. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE I AM A SENIOR DRIVER AND NEVER HAD A TICKET BUT AM WORRIED THAT THIS MAY CAUSE IT TO DEPLOY ON IT'S OWN WHILE DRIVING. AS A SAFETY ISSUE I FEEL THIS NOT BE A CHARGE THAT I NEED TO COVER. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A POWER STEERING RECALL. ONLY TOLD ABOUT IT SOME TIME AFTER I PAID TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED. NOW I FEEL THIS SHOULD BE HANDLED AS A SAFETY ISSUE BY THE DEALER NOT ME. THERE ARE MANY REPORTS OF THIS REGARDING THE RED LIGHT ALERT HAPPENING AND NOTHING BEING DONE.

NHTSA ID

11301551

Incident

Oct 15, 2019

Mileage

40,000 mi

THE EPS LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON ONE DAY. I WAS WORRIED ABOUT DRIVING THE CAR, SO I WENT TO A NEARBY MECHANIC FIRST. HE INFORMED ME THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH MY STEERING COLUMN AND AN OPEN RECALL FOR MY VIN. HE ENCOURAGED ME TO GO TO A DEALERSHIP AND SEE IF THE RECALL WAS CONNECTED TO THE STEERING ISSUE. I WENT DIRECTLY TO THE DEALERSHIP AND HAD THE RECALL PERFORMED. A FEW DAYS LATER, THE EPS LIGHT CAME BACK ON. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE AIRBAG LIGHT ALSO CAME ON. I PARKED THE CAR FOR FEAR OF A POSSIBLE INCIDENT. I WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GET THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. AFTER INITIAL DIAGNOSTICS, I WAS INFORMED THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AND THE TECHNICIAN WANTS TO START THE AIRBAG FIX BY REPLACING THE SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT. EACH REPAIR WAS OVER $2,000 WITH MY GRAND TOTAL BEING JUST OVER $4,800 AND NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL BE SAFE TO DRIVE AT THAT POINT. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT BOTH OF THESE ISSUES AND PEOPLE WITH UNDER 60,000 MILES DEALING WITH $2,000+ DOLLAR REPAIRS. IF THE STEERING GOES OUT, IT HAS CAUSED ACCIDENTS. THAT COUPLED WITH THE AIRBAG LIGHT, WHICH NOTIFIES THE WHOLE AIRBAG SYSTEM HAS BEEN DISABLED, MAKES THIS CAR TOTALLY UNSAFE TO OPERATE. EVEN OUT OF THEIR WARRANTY PERIOF NOW, THESE WERE REPORTED ISSUES THAT I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF WHEN THE CAR WAS PURCHASED USED IN 2013. I CONTACTED THE CORPORATE OFFICE AND MADE MY COMPLAINT. WHEN I RECEIVED A CALLBACK, I WAS TOLD THAT BECAUSE MY CAR IS OVER THE MILEAGE WARRANTY AND THERE WERE NO OPEN RECALLS, NOTHING COULD BE DONE TO HELP ME. THE $4,800+ REPAIR BILL IS MINE AND MINE ALONE.

NHTSA ID

11265666

Incident

Sep 17, 2019

AIRBAG LIGHT ON DASH CAME ON AND WON'T SHUT OFF. AIRBAGS WON'T DEPLOY EVEN IN A CRASH WITH THIS LIGHT ON.

NHTSA ID

11241532

Incident

Aug 2, 2019

Mileage

133,000 mi

AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING FRONT END CRASH AT 35-40 MPH

NHTSA ID

11218783

Incident

Jun 6, 2019

Mileage

105,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST SUDDENLY MALFUNCTIONED AND THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED A SECOND VEHICLE BEFORE CRASHING INTO A UTILITY POLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST AND NECK INJURIES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT HAND AND HEAD. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

NHTSA ID

11142430

Incident

Oct 22, 2018

Mileage

180,000 mi

REQUEST EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR AIRBAG LIGHT THAT CONTINUALLY STAYS ON. REQUEST EXTENDED WARRANTY AND FREE DIAGNOSTIC CHECK AND CHECK OF CLOCK TIMER.

NHTSA ID

11121000

Incident

Aug 19, 2018

Mileage

56,000 mi

"TAKATA RECALL" TODAY 9/25/17, I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC BECAUSE THE HORN DOES NOT WORK. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PAD IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHERE THE AIRBAG IS. IT IS NOT MAKING CONTACT TO MAKE THE HORN WORK. HE STATED THAT IT WAS A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY. I NEVER GOT A RECALL NOTICE OF THERE BEING A PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG. THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO TEST THE HORN UNDER THE HOOD OF CAR, HOWEVER WHENEVER I NEED TO BLOW THE HORN IT DOES NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11025491

Incident

Sep 10, 2017

AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 15 MINUTES WITH MY KIDS IN THE BACK I PARKED MY CAR IN MY DRIVEWAY, TURNED BODY TO GET SOMETHING OUT CENTER CONSOLE, ENGINE WAS OFF KEYS WHERE IN MY HAND AND THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG DEPLOYS.

NHTSA ID

11016354

Incident

Aug 16, 2017

Mileage

130,000 mi

THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAY ON NOT WORKING

NHTSA ID

11013694

Incident

Aug 6, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE, AIR BAG, AND ADDITIONAL UNSPECIFIED WARNING INDICATORS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN APPOINTMENT WITH A DEALER TO INSPECT AND DIAGNOSE THE FAILURES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

NHTSA ID

10933654

Incident

Nov 7, 2016

Mileage

83,000 mi

AIRBAG LIGHTS CONSTANTLY ON. CLOCK SPRING ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10910741

Incident

Sep 29, 2016

DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER, THIS VEHICLE RAN INTO THE BACK OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. WHY? THE DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE WAS SLAMMED INTO THE STEERING WITH SUCH VIOLENT FORCE, HER STERNUM WAS FRACTURED AND HER HEART MUSCLE BRUISED. HYUNDAI DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE TAKATA RECALL LIST. WHOM DOES HYUNDAI UTILIZE FOR ITS AIRBAGS?

NHTSA ID

10865229

Incident

May 6, 2016

Mileage

28,453 mi

AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROAD ON HWY APPX. 59K MILES. HAD PASSENGER IN CAR APPX 200 LBS. TOOK TO DEALER AT 60,500 MILES. IS EITHER A FAULTY SEAT BRACKET $2500+ TO REPLACE THE PASSENGER SEAT OR DAMAGED SRS MODULE $1000+, OR POSSIBLY BOTH. DEALER RECOMMENDS BRING CAR IN FOR ADDITIONAL DIAGNOSTIC TO REMOVE SEAT AN CENTER CONSOLE $300+ IN LABOR JUST FOR THAT. MY WARRANTY CONVENIENTLY EXPIRED AT 60K. DEALER COULD NOT GUARANTEE A 500 MILE EXTENSION TO MY WARRANTY SO I WILL NOT BE PROCEEDING WITH REPAIRS. THIS IS AN UNACCEPTABLE PRACTICE FROM HYUNDAI, I DID NOTHING WRONG TO MY CAR, THIS IS A FACTORY DEFECT.

NHTSA ID

10863727

Incident

May 6, 2016

Mileage

59,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 13 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED. THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD AND THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED. THE VEHICLE CROSSED OPPOSITE LANES AND CRASHED THROUGH A GATE AND INTO A HOUSE. THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED LONG AFTER THE CRASH OCCURRED. THE CONTACT WAS KNOCKED UNCONSCIOUS MOMENTARILY AND RECEIVED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A TOW YARD. THREE MONTHS LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V113000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) AND 15V1000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REQUESTED INFORMATION TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 63,000.

NHTSA ID

10854933

Incident

Feb 10, 2015

Mileage

63,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,445.

NHTSA ID

10850068

Incident

Mar 2, 2016

Mileage

98,445 mi