RoadVitals

2015 Hyundai Santa Fe Airbags Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Airbags reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Feb 16, 2026
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
4%
of 254 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
8

What this page shows

Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2015 Hyundai Santa Fe submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming airbag

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Airbags
Filed Feb 16, 2026

Passenger airbag dash is cracked risking unpredictable deployment of air bag

NHTSA ID
11718270
Incident
Jan 1, 2026
Airbags
Filed Sep 13, 2021

Passenger airbag light flashes in the instrument panel, while passenger airbag indicator shows Off in amber color when a person is seated in the passenger seat.

NHTSA ID
11432846
Incident
Sep 13, 2021
Airbags
Filed Apr 20, 2021
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH, WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE IMPACTED THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED A FRACTURED LEFT WRIST AND RIGHT SHOULDER SPRAIN AND DID NOT SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION AT THE MOMENT. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE, THE INSURANCE COMPANY DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO IMPOUND LOT. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 85,400. *DT

NHTSA ID
11412969
Incident
Mar 26, 2021
Mileage
85,400 mi
Airbags
Filed Dec 5, 2019
Crash reported2 injuries reported

WHILE EXITING THE HIGHWAY AT A RATE OF 20MPH ON A DECLINE, WE BEGAN TO SLIDE IN THE SNOW, AS WE SLID I BEGAN PUMPING THE BRAKES TO SLOW US DOWN BUT THE HILL MADE US GAIN SPEED EVEN THOUGH THE WHEELS WERE NOT SPINNING. AFTER SLIDING DOWN HILL FOR CLOSE TO 100 YARDS, WE MADE IMPACT WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION. THE FRONT OF MY VEHICLE MADE DIRECT IMPACT WITH THE SIDE OF THE MINIVAN. IMPACT WAS HARD ENOUGH FOR THE FRONT BUMPER OF MY VEHICLE TO BE COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF, MY RADIATOR CRACKED, THE MINIVAN IS TOTALED AND ALL THE AIRBAGS WENT OFF IN THE MINIVAN, BUT MY AIRBAGS NEVER DID RESULTING IN MY CHIPPING MY TEETH ON THE STEERING WHEEL, AGGRAVATING A FRACTURED WRIST, HURTING MY RIBS, AS WELL AS MY PASSENGER HITTING THEIR HEAD HARD ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM A PHYSICIAN DIAGNOSED CONCUSSION PUTTING THEM OUT OF WORK FOR 2 DAYS AND GIVING HER WHIPLASH. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY STANDARDS AND REPUTATION OF HYUNDAI WITH THE PLAN TO BE HAVING CHILDREN, WE ARE FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD CHILDREN YET.

NHTSA ID
11287247
Incident
Dec 1, 2019
Mileage
35,960 mi
Airbags
Filed Apr 25, 2019
Crash reported1 injury reported

BOUGHT BRAD NEW 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE IN 2015. DEALER SOLD ME ON SAFETY. I THINK IT WAS 8 TO 10 AIRBAGS. GOT IN ACCIDENT AND NOT ONE DEPLOYED. HIT SOLID POLE GOING ABOUT 35 TO 40. CAR TOTALLED NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. MADE COMPLAINT TO HYUNDAI AND NO RESPONSE.

NHTSA ID
11203685
Incident
May 26, 2016
Mileage
125,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Nov 27, 2018

AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ON DASH STAYS LIT. CAR SCANNED AT DEALER. SHOWS AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE DEFECTIVE. TOLD AIR BAGS NON FUNCTIONING. CAR IS AT DEALER NOW. OTHER WARNING LIGHTS ACTIVATED AT SAME TIME (TRACTION CONTROL AND DOWN HILL BRAKE). CAR WAS BEING DRIVEN WHEN ERROR LIGHTS ACTIVATED.WAITING ON CALL BACK FROM HYUNDAI.

NHTSA ID
11154311
Incident
Nov 17, 2018
Mileage
75,355 mi
AirbagsBody & structure
Filed May 10, 2016
Crash reported2 injuries reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED EYE INJURIES DUE TO DOOR FRAGMENTS AND GASHES ON THE ARM. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR COMPONENTS WERE NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER AND FRONT PASSENGER SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND BACK PAINS, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. ONLY THE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE DURING THE CRASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. THE CONTACT REQUESTED THAT THE MANUFACTURER DIAGNOSE THE AIR BAG FAILURE, BUT THE REQUEST WAS NOT HEEDED. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE VEHICLE DESTROYED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.....UPDATED 07/05/16 *BF *CN

NHTSA ID
10864131
Incident
Nov 24, 2015
Airbags
Filed Feb 1, 2016
Crash reported1 injury reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH MERGING INTO TRAFFIC, ANOTHER VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH FAILED TO STOP. AS A RESULT, THE OTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE CONTACT'S FRONT AND REAR DOORS ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE TURNED AND CAME TO A STOP. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER RECEIVED HEAD AND NECK INJURIES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN HOME. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 12,000.

NHTSA ID
10823585
Incident
Jan 30, 2016
Mileage
12,000 mi
Airbags
Filed Jul 10, 2015
Crash reported1 injury reported

AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY....UPDATED 07/30/15 *BF THE INSURANCE COMPANY DECLARED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. UPDATED 08/13/15*JB

NHTSA ID
10733187
Incident
Jul 2, 2015

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .