2004 Hyundai Elantra
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Air bags is the leading concern among 182 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 19th highest complaint count among 26 Elantra model years with reports.
Of the 2004 reports, 24 involved a crash and 2 involved a fire. 26 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Air bagsOct 17, 2005
CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.
THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.
Campaign 05V479000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsSep 12, 2005
CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.
THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 05V395000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsJul 30, 2004
DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) OFFSET FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL TAN DAMAGE COULD OCCUR. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT BE POSITIONED PROPERLY AND COULD CAUSE FUEL LEAKAGE.
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EARS AND CORRECTLY POSITION THE CLAMP, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI DE PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.
Campaign 04V370000 on NHTSA.gov
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsMay 3, 2004
DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) OFFSET FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FUEL SPILLAGE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF FUEL TANK DAMAGE CAUSED BY CONTACT BETWEEN A VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR AND THE FUEL TANK. THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR WAS FOUND TO BE MISPOSITIONED AND FACING TOWARD THE FUEL TANK.
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE COULD CAUSE THE MISPOSITIONED CLAMP TO PUNCTURE THE FUEL TANK CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP AND CORRECTLY POSITION THE CLAMP, IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MAY 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
Campaign 04V208000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsAug 26, 2003
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR IS OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE LIGHTER THAN 56.4 POUNDS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IF A CRASH OCCURS. HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR MAY INCORRECTLY INTERPRET THAT A SEATED ADULT IS AN INFANT SEAT AND DEACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IF SOMEONE HEAVIER THAN 56.4 POUNDS WHO IS SEATED WITH ONE LEG RESTING ON THE OUTBOARD OR INBOARD EDGE OF THE SEAT; WITH LEGS SPREAD; OR POSITIONED OFF-CENTER TOWARD THE CENTER CONSOLE AND WITH HIS OR HER ARM LEANING ON THE CONSOLE.
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER.
THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR WILL BE REPROGRAMMED.
Campaign 03V322000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: air bags
114 reports, newest first. Show all
Air bags, May 5, 2004
AFTER PICKING UP MY NEW 2004 HYNDAI ELANTRA ON FRIDAY APRIL 30, 2004 I NOTICED THAT THE PASSANGER SIDE AIRBAG ON/OFF LIGHT WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. WHEN I SAT IN THE SEAT, IN ANY AND EVERY POSITION WITH MY SEATBELT ON, AND THE SEAT IN ALL DIFFERENT POSITIONS THE INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD SAY PASSANGER SIDE AIR BOG OFF. I AM A FEMALE THAT WIEGHS 160 LBS .I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND THEY SAID THAT THEY WOULD TAKE CARE OF IT. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT ON MONDAY MAY 3RD THEY CALLED ME ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND TOLD ME THAT THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEY COULD NOT FIX IT. I WENT THERE THAT DAY AND SAT IN THE SEAT IN ALL THE POSITIONS, I SAT IN THE SEAT EXACTLEY AS THEY SAY YOU SHOULD AND THE INDICATOR LIGHT STILL DISPLAYED PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG OFF. THEY TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK IN TO BE REPAIRED. THEY CALLED ME ON WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND TOLD ME THAT THEY CHEKCED ALL OF THE SENSORS AND THAT THE COMPUTER SAYS THAT EVERYTHING IS WORKING PROPERLY AND AT THIS POINT THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO TO HELP ME. THEY HANDED ME A COPY OF HYUNDAIS TECHINICAL SERVICE BULLETIN FROM FEBUARY 2003 AND TOLD ME THAT THIS IS THE WAY THAT THE CAR IS SUPPOSED TO WORK. THEY TOLD ME THAT THIS SYSTEM WAS REQUIRED IN NEW CARS BY NHTSA AND THAT THEY CAN NOT FIX THE PROBLEM NOR WILL THEY REFUND OR REPLACE MY VEHICLE. WHEN I CALLED HYUNDAI CONSUMAR AFFAIRS THEY SAID THAT THEY ARE NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBLEM OF THIS KIND. THEY REFERED ME TO NHTSA SAYING THAT IT IS YOU WHO REQQUIRES THIS SYSTEM AND I SHOULD TALK TO YOU WITH ANY CONCERNS. THE DEALER INSITS THAT THIS IS THE WAY THE AIRBAG SYSTEM SHOULD WORK FOR A ADULT WHO WIEGHS 160LBS, AND ARE GOING TO GIVE ME BACK A CAR THAT DOES NOT HAVE A WORKING PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG FOR A 160 LB FEMALE.*AK
Air bags, Apr 29, 2004, crash
AFTER REAR ENDING A VEHICLE, THE FRONT AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER SUFFERED WALL CHEST CONTUSION AND SHOULDER STRAIN. *JB VEHICLE IS STILL WITH THE DEALER. *LA
Air bags, Apr 27, 2004
CONSUMER RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL 03V322000. WHEN FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR IS OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE LIGHTER THAN 56.4 POUNDS, THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG DEACTIVATES, AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IF A CRASH OCCURS. THIS RECALL APPLIED FOR THOSE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 6/12/2003 AND 18/11/2003. HOWEVER, CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS MANUFACTURED ON 6/18/2003 AND DEALER WON'T HONOR THE RECALL.*AK
Air bags, Apr 16, 2004
PASSENGER SIDE OCCUPANT SENSOR LIGHT FOR PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG REAPEATEDLY GOES ON AND OFF WHEN A 122 LB. FULL GROWN ADULT FEMALE IS SITTING PROPERLY IN THE SEAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEALER SAYS THEY'VE DONE WHAT THEY CAN, AND THAT THEIR HYNDAI CORPORATE CONTACTS HAVE DONE WHAT THEY CAN. SEAT AND SENSOR SYSTEM REPLACED TWICE, TO NO AVAIL. I BELIVE THIS TO BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF THE CAR HAS A SEVERE FRONTAL IMPACT AND THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DOESN'T DEPLOY!*AK
Air bags, Apr 12, 2004, crash
CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE EXITING THE FREEWAY ONTO AN OFF RAMP HIT SOMETHING IN THE STREET WHICH CAUSED HIM TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO PULL OVER HE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST INJURIES.*AK
Air bags, Apr 8, 2004
WHEN DRIVING AT AN UNDETERMINED SPEED AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD. CONSUMER INFORMED THE DEALER ABOUT THIS ISSUE. HOWEVER, THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Air bags, Apr 8, 2004
PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF INDICATOR COMES ON WITH 108 LB ADULT RIDING IN CAR.HAPPENED 10 TIMES IN AN HOUR. PASSENGER WAS SEATED ACCORDING TO HYUNDAI SERVICE BULLETIN # 04-90-003.DEALER SAYS THAT IS NORMAL.*AK
Air bags, Apr 8, 2004, crash
WHILE DRIVING ON A RAINY DAY AT 50 MPH, THE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES TO SLOW DOWN THE SPEED, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAG DIDN'T DEPLOY. *AK THE CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SHE HEARD A "HIT" UNDER THE VEHICLE, THEN LOST CONTROL. *SC *JB
Air bags, Mar 26, 2004
"PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" INDICATOR COMES ON AN INCONSISTENT BASIS WHILE RIDING. PASSENGER IS A 120LB ADULT FEMALE WHO SITS AS INSTRUCTED IN OWNERS MANUAL. MANUFACTURER AND DEALER CLAIM THEY CAN DO NOTHING TO PREVENT THIS. THEY BLAME YOU FOR RULES LAID DOWN REGARDING SENSORS. HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE PURCHASING CAR FEB 23 2004. DATE LISTED BELOW IS LATEST OCCURENCE. *AK
Air bags, Seat belts, Mar 15, 2004, crash
WHILE DRIVING 35-45 MPH AND TURNING TO THE LEFT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A SIDE IMPACT CRASH. SEAT BELT DIDN'T HOLD THE DRIVER, AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS ISSUED.*AK
Air bags, Mar 5, 2004
WHEN AN ADULT PASSENGER WAS IN THE FRONT SEAT AN INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WHICH STATED THAT PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG WAS OFF. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO INDICATED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF NHTSA RECALL 03V322000 CONCERNING AIR BAG FAILURE. *AK CONSUMERS WIFE WHO IS ABOUT 130LBS EXPERIENCES THIS ISSUE WHEN IN THE PASS. SEAT. DRIVING AROUND CORNERS OR UP HILLS TURNS THE BAG ON AND OFF. THE DEALER CAN NOT FIX THE ISSUE.CW
Air bags, Feb 26, 2004
PASSENGER'S SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. THE PASSENGER-SIDE FRONT SEAT IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A SENSOR THAT ACTIVATES THE AIR BAG SYSTEM WHEN SOMEONE OVER 56 POUNDS IN WEIGHT SITS IN THAT SEATING POSITION. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. THE AIR BAG SYSTEM SENSOR WILL INTERMITTENTLY OPERATE CORRECTLY. CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THAT HER VEHICLE'S IDENTIFICATION NUMBER IS OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF THE SAFETY RECALL (CAMPAIGN NO. 03V-322). *AL *MJJ
Air bags, Feb 24, 2004
THE AIR BAG OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHEN THERE WAS A PASSENGER IN THE SEAT. THE SEAT SENSORS WAS REPLACED, HOWEVER IT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CONSUMER GAVE THE FIRST ELANTRA BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS GIVEN A REPLACEMENT SAME MODEL AND YEAR, BUT THE PROBLEM EXISTED IN THAT CART AS WELL. *AK *JB
Air bags, Feb 19, 2004
AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, CONSUMER NOTICED THE PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF LIGHT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. *LA THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR INCORRECTLY INTERPRETED THE ABSENCE OF A SEATED ADULT WHEN AN ADULT IN FACT OCCUPIED THE SEAT. THIS CAUSED THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR TO ILLUMINATE AND IN THE EVEN OF A CRASH THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY . THE CONSUMER STATED SEVERAL VEHICLES WERE RECALL FOR THE PROBLEM IN THE PAST. (RECALL #03V322000). THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TIME THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THE HAD TO CONSULT WITH THE MANUFACTURER. THE SECOND TIME THE PASSENGER AIRBAG SENSOR WAS REPLACED AND WAS REPORTED TO BE WORKING PROPERLY WITH 60LB WEIGHT IN THE SEAT. THE THIRD TIME THE DEALER RECEIVED AN EXTRA SENSITIVE SENSOR FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE FOURTH TIME THE CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND STATED THERE HAD BEEN NO CHANGE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE PART WAS REPLACED WITH THE NEWEST THAT THERE WAS AND THERE WOULD BE NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. *JB