Owner-reported complaints naming the airbag system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Hyundai Sonata submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 51 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.
The 25 most recent of 51, in the owner's own words
MY ROOMMATE GOT INTO A T BONE TYPE ACCIDENT SHE WAS GOING AT LEAST 25MPH AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY BUT IT HIT HARD ENOUGH TO RIP THE CORE SUPPORT OFF, WE HAVE PICTURES. SHE DID NOT TAKE THE AMBULANCE BUT SHE'S WILL PROBABLY GO TO THE ER LATER
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE HIT A POT HOLE AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 181,800. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
AIR BAG LITE STAYS ON, HAD NO ACCIDENTS, OR CRASHES, DEALER WANTED ME, TO SPEND A ARM AND LEG TO REPLACE THE MODULE CONTROL UNIT. I SENSED, THAT THAT MAY NOT BE THE PROBLEM, I TOOK IT TO A INDEPENDENT SHOP, AND HAD IT DIAGNOSED, WITH A SCANNER, AND THE SCANNER SHOWED A CODE BD1406 PPD. WHICH STANDS FOR PASSENGER PRESENCE DETECTOR, AND SHOWED THAT IT WAS DEFECTIVE. SO ITS A FAULTY SENSOR. WHICH TRANSLATES TO A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I CANNOT AFFORD, TO SPEND $1.500 FOR A MODULE, WHEN IT SHOULD ONLY BE THE DEFECTIVE SENSOR UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT, WHICH SHOULD TOTAL AROUND $360.00 INCLUDING LABOR, AND THE HYUNDAI MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FIX. BEFORE I GET INVOLVED IN A ACCIDENT, AND MY LIFE IS AT STAKE, INCLUDING MY CHILDREN, AND WIFE. I CONTACTED, HYUNDAI, AND STATED THAT I HAVE A DEFECT, AND THEY WANTED PROOF, AS FROM, A DEALERSHIP, OR OTHERWISE. PLEASE LET ME KNOW HOW TO RESOLVE THIS DANGEROUS DAILY TASK.
TL * THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED SPORADICALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG CONNECTORS AND WIRING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
I HAVE HAD THE SONATA AT THE ARAPAHOE HYUNDAI DEALER ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS HAVING THE AIRBAG LIGHT RESET/FIXED THEY TOLD ME IT WAS A CONNECTION PROBLEM AND THEY HAD TO USE A SPECIAL GRACE TO FIX IT NOW IT'S THE THIRD TIME THE LIGHT HAS COME ON AND I'M HAVING TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN NOT KNOWING WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO FIND THIS TIME. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET THERE'S HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH PROBLEMS WITH SONATA AIRBAG LIGHTS LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT HYUNDAI NEEDS TO RECALL. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THE AIRBAG SYSTEM WILL NOT WORK IF THE AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON THANK YOU *TR
MY 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE 2009 I HAVE BOUGHT IT TO ONE MECHANIC HE CLEANED AND TIGHTENED THE AIR BAG HARNESS UNDER DRIVER AND PASSENGER SEAT THEY STAYED OUT BRIEFLY AND CAME BACK ON SHORTLY THERAFTER. BROUGHT IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC AND HE COULDN T FIX IT. CALLED LOCAL DEALER AND THEY SAID THEIR ARE NO ACTIVE RECALLS AND COULD BE ALOT OF MONEY. I LOOKED ONLINE AND OTHER 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA OWNERS WENT TO DEALER S AND PAID ALOT MONEY AND LIGHT KEPT COMING ON.JULY 12,2014 I HAD A COLLISION WITH CAR IN FRONT OF ME AND AIRBAGS DIDN T DEPLOY AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON PASSENGER WAS HURT BRUISED RIBS 3 YEAR OLD HAD RED MARK FROM SHOULDER HARNESS OF CAR SEAT. I HAVE NOTICED ONLINE THEIR ARE 1000 S OF THESE COMPLAINTS OF AIRBAG LIGHTS ON AND I M ASKING FOR YOU TO GET AFTER HYUNDAI TO RECALL THE 2002 AND FIX THE AIR BAG LIGHT PROBLEM . PEOPLE S SAFETY IS AT STAKE..UPDATED 10/21/14 *BF *TR UPDATED 4/2/2015 *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 5 MPH, THE POWER STEERING STOP WORKING AND AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A BARRIER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED AND THE AIR BAG WARNING LAMP ILLUMINATED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH SMOKE AND THERE WAS NO PRESSURE ON THE AIR BAG. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIR BAG. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.
WHILE CLEANING OUT THE VEHICLE, I HAD THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE DOOR OPEN AND WHEN I WENT TO SHUT THE DOOR, THE WIND TOOK IT AND IT SLAMMED SHUT. AS A RESULT, THE AIR BAG ON THE SIDE OF THE SEAT DEPLOYED. AFTER RESEARCHING, I FOUND THAT MODELS OF MY VEHICLE HAD SIMILAR RECALLS WITH THE SAME SUMMARY OF INCIDENTS. I SPOKE WITH THE NATIONAL DEALER HOTLINE AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE MISSED THE RECALL BY 3 DAYS. I AM NOW WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM A SERVICEMAN TO SEE IF THEY CAN DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC TIGHTENED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HARNESS BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SENSOR LIGHT FOR THE AIR BAGS REMAINED ILLUMINATED AT ALL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V145000 (AIR BAGS:SIDE/ WINDOW ) AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
I HAVE A HYUNDAI SONATA 2002. THE 'AIRBAG' LIGHT HAS BEEN ON CONSTANTLY FOR OVER 4 YEARS. JUST RECENTLY I WANT TO SELL THE CAR AND STARTED TO LOOK UP HOW TO FIX THIS PROBLEM, SINCE I COULD NEVER AFFORD IT BEFORE. I FOUND OUT THAT THOUSANDS OF OTHER HYUNDAI SONATA OWNERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM, AND THAT THE AIR BAG DOES NOT WORK AS LONG AS THIS LIGHT IS ON. THIS IS A DEFECT FROM HYUNDAI AND SHOULD NOT BE THE BURDEN OF THE CONSUMER. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR ALL OF ITS VEHICLES YEARS 2000 - 2008 WHETHER THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED OR NOT. IT IS A TRAVESTY!! *TR
MY AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. IT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING NOW. UPDATED 03/10/11 *BF
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH SIDE AIR BAGS SENSOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 02V145000; AIR BAGS: SIDE/WINDOW WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE WHICH DOESNT INCLUDE HIS VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED HIM THAT THEY HAD TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC TEST TO SEE WHAT CAUSED THE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE CONSTANTLY. THE CONTACT WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO STATED THAT HIS VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THE DRIVER WAS REPORTED INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED TO A JUNK LOT. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.
2002 HYUNDAI SONATA 82,000 MILES ON IT, AIR BAG LITE ON ALL THE TIME MANUFACTURE NO HELP IN RESOLVING PROBLEM,THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE AIRBAGS BUT NOT FOR THIS VEHICLE. *TR
WAS IN ACCIDENT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
WAS IN ACCIDENT AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR HAS REMAINED ILLUMINATED IN HER VEHICLE SINCE NOVEMBER OF 2007. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE HARNESS IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN A FEW DAYS LATER. THE MANUFACTURER COULD NOT ASSIST BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 64,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000. UPDATED 04-14-09 *BF THE TIE ROD WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 04/16/09.*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UNEXPECTEDLY. THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED LIT UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE. UPDATED 03/09/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE SEAT BELT LIGHT ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 03/11/09. *JB
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON MY 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON AND OFF FOR THE PAST FOUR YEARS. THE CAR WAS CHECKED OUT BY HYUNDAI DEALERS IN STATEN ISLAND AND NEW JERSEY FOUR DIFFERENT TIMES. EVERY TIME WITH A CODE B1738,HIGH RESISTANCE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG,REPAIRS WERE MADE BY THEM BUT PROBLEM STILL CAME BACK. I MADE A COMPLAINT TO HYUNDAI CUSTOMER RELATIONS,CASE #3292132 ABOUT THE ON GOING PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM,THEIR REPLY WAS THIS WAS CAUSED BY DEBRIS UNDER THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT. THEY ALSO SAID IF I WASN'T HAPPY WITH THEIR ANSWER I COULD TAKE THEM TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT. THE PERSON I WAS IN CONTACT WITH AT HYUNDAI WAS A MISTY 1800 633 5151 EXT. 329 2132. ON JULY 18 2007 HYUNDAI OF FREEHOLD CHARGED ME $211.86 TO MAKE REPAIRS (POOR CONNECTION UNDER DRIVERS SIDE SEAT)CODEB1378 AT THIS TIME MY CAR HAD 14,315 MILES ON IT. THEN ON MAY 08 2008 AT MILEAGE OF 18,895 I HAD TO TAKE IT BACK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM CODE B1378, AT THIS TIME THE DEALER RESET THE SRS AT NO CHARGE BUT WOULD DEDUCT THE $211.86 THEY CHARGED ME TOWARDS THE COST OF A NEW WIRE HARNESS IF NEEDED. EVEN THOUGH THIS CAR IS SIX YEARS OLD IT HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE ON IT,SO IT HASN'T BEEN ABUSED .I FEEL THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE SRS SYSTEM IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL CAR. IF THE SRS SYSTEM ISN'T WORKING THIS MEANS THE AIR BAG WILL FAIL IF THERE IS AN ACCIDENT. ALL I WANT IS TO GET THIS FAILURE REPAIRED PROPERLY,BUT IT APPEARS HYUNDAI WILL NOT ADMIT TO HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR AIR BAG WIRING. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT PLACED THE GEAR INTO DRIVE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE DEPLOYMENT, A CRASH OCCURRED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
AIRBAG LIGHT WAS COMING ON AND REMAINING ON AT CERTAIN TIMES. CAR WAS BROUGHT INTO HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP IN MARCH 2007. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT AND WAS NOT COVERED SINCE THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG HAD NOT EVER DEPLOYED SO IT MUST HAVE BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM THE BEGINNING. THE VEHICLE WAS BROUGHT INTO NAPLETON HYUNDAI IN WEST PALM BEACH, FL IN SEPTEMBER OF 2006 WITH THE SAME AIRBAG LIGHT PROBLEM AND WE WERE TOLD BY THE SERVICE TECH. THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE LIGHT TO COME ON AND THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE AIRBAG. *TR
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON AND HAD REMAINED ON IN THE 2002 HYUNDAI SONATA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER FOR THE AIR BAG RECALL 02V145000. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT. THE DEALER WANTED TO DO SOME EXTENSIVE WORK ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE AIR BAGS, BUT SHE WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF HER OWNPPOCKET. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,283.*AK
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT LEFT SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR CAUSE ON 2/22/2004, WHILE DRIVING AROUND A CORNER AT 2 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SALES/SERVICE DEALER, BUT THE SERVICE DEALER REFUSED TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE AIR BAG. ON 6/5/2006, A NHTSA RECALL LETTER # 02V145000 FOR THE AIR BAGS: SIDE/WINDOW WAS ISSUED. THE MANUFACTURER AND SALES/SERVICE DEALER REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL, ALTHOUGH THE VIN WAS INCLUDED.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED INDICATING A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS ALREADY BEEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR THE AIRBAG LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP OFFERED DIAGNOSTIC TESTING TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM.
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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