2012 Hyundai Veloster Airbags Problems

On January 15, 2026, at approximately 7:51 a.m., my son was involved in a motor vehicle collision that disabled three vehicles. His vehicle sustained significant damage and was declared a total loss. During the collision, the driver-side airbag did not deploy, and the seat belt failed to engage. As a result of the restraint system failures, my son sustained head trauma and required medical evaluation. There were no prior warnings or indicator lights suggesting a malfunction of the airbag or seat belt systems prior to the crash. The failure of these safety systems raises concern about a potential defect that could pose a risk to other drivers. This complaint is submitted to document the incident and to request that it be reviewed for potential investigation or recall action in the interest of public safety.

NHTSA ID

11712926

Incident

Jan 15, 2026

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR A COUPLE DAYS. AFTER THOROUGH RESEARCH, OTHER HYUNDAI MODELS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG AND IS UNDER RECALL. HOWEVER, MY VEHICLE IS NOT. I PROCEEDED TO GO GET DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, WHICH CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRBAG MALFUNCTION IS THE SAME AS OTHER VEHICLES. MY VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN THE NOTICE FIRST APPEARED.

NHTSA ID

11317295

Incident

Mar 6, 2020

Mileage

113,950 mi

MY AIR BAG WILL NOT WORK BECAUSE OF A PART IN THE STEERING WHEEL CALLED THE CLOCK SPRING.HYUNDAI WILL FIX IT,IF I PAY $327 AND I THINK IT SHOUD BE FIXED FOR FREE.

NHTSA ID

11254391

Incident

Jul 10, 2019

Mileage

75,000 mi

TAKATA RECALL

NHTSA ID

11166430

Incident

Sep 15, 2018

Mileage

87,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MERGE INTO A LANE AND CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BLEEDING ON THE FINGERS AND THE FOREHEAD, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE CRASH. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,600.

NHTSA ID

11055235

Incident

Dec 7, 2017

Mileage

110,600 mi

HYUNDAI VELOSTER 2012 - TRAVELLING IN LEFT LANE OF DIVIDED 4 LANE HIGHWAY AT 65MPH, BRAKED AND SLIGHTLY VEERED TO LEFT SUDDENLY AS VEHICLE IN RIGHT LANE MOVED INTO LEFT LANE IN FRONT AT SLOWER RATE OF SPEED. WITH VERY LITTLE LEFT SHOULDER, VEHICLE WENT OFF THE ROAD INTO THE GRASSY DAMP MEDIAN. DUE TO LOSS OF TRACTION, WAS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL VEHICLE, HAD CHOICE OF HITTING TREES/CREEK OR CONCRETE BRIDGE SUPPORT. VEHICLE HIT BRIDGE SUPPORT STILL TRAVELING AT 45-65MPH HEAD ON, THEN SWUNG AROUND SO LEFT SIDE OF PASSENGER VEHICLE SCRAPED ON THE BRIDGE SUPPORT FROM FRONT BUMPER TO REAR SEAT. VEHICLE SUFFERED MAJOR DAMAGE TO FRONT END, TORE OFF MIRROR, DOOR HANDLE AND BROKE ALL GLASS ON LEFT SIDE. AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ANYWHERE IN THE VEHICLE. DRIVER WAS STRUCK BY AN OBJECT IN VEHICLE CAUSING A SEVERE LACERATION ACROSS EYELID FROM NOSE, UP ACROSS EYEBROW. ABOUT 1.5" LONG, CUT TO BONE. SIDE WINDOW GLASS SHATTERED RESULTING IN SEVERAL PIECES EMBEDDING IN VARIOUS BODY PARTS AND MANY SHARP SLIVERS OF GLASS ALL OVER. HAD AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, PARTICULARLY THE STEERING WHEEL AIRBAG, WE FEEL THAT THE DRIVER MAY HAVE AVOIDED THE INJURY TO THE EYE WHICH WILL REQUIRE RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY TO REPAIR. WIPER WASHER STALK BROKE OFF FROM STEERING WHEEL WITH THE OUTER PORTION COMPLETELY COMING APART WITH A 2-3" PROTRUDING PLASTIC CORE WHICH WE BELIEVE CAUSED THE EYE INJURY DUE TO BLOOD ON THE ITEM. OTHER POSSIBILITY WOULD BE THE REARVIEW MIRROR. IN EITHER CASE WE FEEL THAT AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WOULD HAVE PREVENT FACE FROM CONTACTING EITHER OF THOSE ITEMS.

NHTSA ID

10870407

Incident

May 22, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 23 A DRUNK DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF HIS 2011 CAMARO CROSSED THE MEDIAN ON A CITY STREET AND BARRELED INTO MY SONS 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. WHILE THE CAMARO AIR BAGS INFLATED, OUR VELOSTER DID NOT. ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI DIAGRAM THERE ARE TWO SENSORS IN THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE, NEITHER WORKED. THOUGH MY SON AND HIS PASSENGER WALKED AWAY, I AM CONCERNED THAT THESE SENSORS/AIR BAGS ARE DEFECTIVE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. OUR VEHICLE WAS PUSHED BACK SEVERAL FEET AFTER THE IMPACT AND THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THESE VEHICLES PROTECTING LIVES. ONE OF THE REASONS I BOUGHT THIS CAR WAS DUE THE MANY AIRBAGS. I AM DISAPPOINTED AND CONCERNED ABOUT THIS POSSIBLE DEFECT...UPDATED 12/11/15 *BF

NHTSA ID

10786277

Incident

Oct 23, 2015

Mileage

46,000 mi

THE LOW RIDER REAR TIRES WERE MAKING LOUD NOISES - REAR LEFT WENT FLAT - CHEAP TIRES BECAUSE THE BELTS WERE SHOWING THROUGH THE TIRE - GOT TOWED TO BANGOR, MAINE TO NEAREST DEALERSHIP - THEY REPLACED THE FAULTY TIRE AND TOLD ME THE LEFT ONE WAS ALSO SHOWING THROUGH THE BELTS. SO EVERY 27685 MILES I'LL NEED TO PAY $390.00 ?? THAT'S RIGHT, THEY CHARGED ME THAT MUCH FOR TWO TIRES AND NO THIS IS NOT AN ESCALADE, (FREE TOWING FROM PERRY ME) 120 MILES TO BANGOR WOWEEE !!! TOLD THEM THE AIR BAG NOTIFICATION LIGHT CAME ON THEY TURNED IT OFF, IT WAS OFF FOR A SHORT TIME - ITS BACK ON. *TR

NHTSA ID

10512263

Incident

May 14, 2013

Mileage

27,686 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY UPON IMPACT. THE DRIVER AND FRONT SEAT PASSENGER BOTH SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY PLANNED TO CONDUCT AN INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION RELATED TO THE FAULTY AIR BAGS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,200.

NHTSA ID

10494924

Incident

Jan 26, 2012

Mileage

6,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR SEAT BELTS AND THE PASSENGER AIR BAGS FAILED. THE REAR SEAT BELTS COULD NOT BE RELEASE FROM THE SEAT OR RETRACTED. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE ANTI-THEFT UNIT ACTIVATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES FOR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER RE-CALIBRATED THE PASSENGER WEIGHT SENSOR HOWEVER, THE AIR BAG FAILURE WAS NOT CORRECTED. THE REAR SEAT BELTS WERE NOT REPLACED AND THE ANTI THEFT SYSTEM FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED HOWEVER, THE ANTI THEFT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS UPDATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE TAIL PIPE RELEASED A BLACK POWDER AND THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE BLACK POWDER WAS A NORMAL PHENOMENON THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED BY THE MANUFACTURER THAT THEY WERE WORKING ON ISSUING A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,100.

NHTSA ID

10472943

Incident

Mar 31, 2012

Mileage

2,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, SHE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT INJURED HER NECK, BACK AND SUFFERED BRUISING FROM THE CRASH. THE POLICE TOOK THE REPORT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED INTO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY A CLAIMS ADJUSTER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WERE 5300. UPDATED 9/26/12 *CN UPDATED 9/27/12 *JS

NHTSA ID

10471652

Incident

Jul 10, 2012

Mileage

5,300 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI VELOSTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, SHE CRASHED INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF HER. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DURING THE CRASH. THE CONTACT INJURED HER NECK, BACK, AND SUFFERED BRUISING FROM THE CRASH. THE POLICE TOOK AND REPORT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 5,300.

NHTSA ID

10465396

Incident

Jul 10, 2012

Mileage

5,300 mi