20 complaints reported

1997 Hyundai Elantra Air Bags

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
20
Crashes
14
Fires
0
Injuries
9

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

May 2015 Crash Injury

1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, MY CAR GOT TOTALED ON 5/18/2015,. I RECEIVED A CONCUSSION AND JOINT PAIN ALL OVER FOR MONTHS FROM A COLLISION THAT HAPPENED THIS DAY. MY AIRBAG FAILED TO DEPLOY. I WAS GOING 40 TO 45 MPH WHEN A VAN MADE A RIGHT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF ME. HER FAULT, I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE TO DO ANY GOOD. MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL. I AM STILL HAVING PROBLEMS. I HAD NO WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. I CONTACTED NHTSA ON 5/19/15 MADE A COMPLAINT. I CALLED HYUNDAI MOTOR COMPANY WHO FINALLY CAME AND LOOKED AT THE CAR BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN BY THE INSURANCE, DUE TO IT BEING TOTALED. IT WOULDN'T EVEN START. HYUNDAI TOTALLY DISMISSED IT AND CONTRADICTED THEMSELVES IN THE LETTER THEY SENT ME. THEY SAID THE CAR DID WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. REALLY? I NOW HAVE POST CONCUSSION SYNDROME. PTSD. I REPLAY THIS OVER AND OVER IN MY HEAD. THERE NEEDS TO BE A CLASS ACTION AND RECALL FOR THIS. I DON'T HAVE MY VEHICLE ANYMORE BUT THE SCARS ARE STILL THERE BECAUSE OF HYUNDAI. AN AIRBAG IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT YOU DURING A COLLISION. FAILURE TO DEPLOY IS A FAILURE AND NOT DOING WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO DO. HYUNDAI HAS ALREADY RECALLED OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM OR GLITCH. IT WON'T BE TOO LATE FOR THEM. UPDATED 9/15/15 *LN UPDATED 12/10/2015 *JS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: May 2015
Mar 2004

WHILE APPLYING THE BRAKES FRONT DUAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED INADVERTENTLY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jun 2002
Dec 2003 Crash

WHILE DRIVING, THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. *AK WHEN THIS OCCURRED, THE CONSUMER HIT THE BRAKES WHILE ON A WET SURFACE, LOST CONTROL, HIT THE BANK AND ALMOST OVER TURNED. *SCC *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jun 2003
Jan 2002 Crash Injury

DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPOY DURING A 35MPH FRONT END COLLISION. DRIVER SUSTAINED INJURIES TO NECK AND CHEST AREA. CONSUMER STATED THAT AIRBAG LIGHT WAS FUNCTONING PROPERLY. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK *JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Nov 2002
Dec 2001

AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON. DEALER SAID IT WAS JUST THE SENSOR, BUT HAD NOT REPLACED SENSOR. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 2000
Dec 2000 Crash Injury

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONTAL COLLISION, AND NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. SPEED WAS 30 -35 MPH. *AK *SLC

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jun 2000
Nov 2000

AIRBAG SENSOR STAYS ILLUMINATED WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
May 2000 Crash Injury

WHILE TRAVELING 40MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE CROSSED INTO WRONG LANE, AND IT HIT THE HYUNDAI ON DRIVER'S REAR, AFTER IT HAD FISHTAILED & HIT BARRIER. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS TREATED IN EMERGENCY ROOM & RELEASED.*AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: May 2000
Apr 2000 Crash

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 30-MPH FRONTAL COLLISION IN WHICH DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Sep 1999

AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINS ILLUMINATED, INDICATING MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM . CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Sep 1999

THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Sep 1999

AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATES, INDICTAING A MALFUNCTION WITHIN THE SYSTEM. DEALER WILL NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM BECAUSE VEHICLE EXCEEDED THE 36,000 WARRANTY PERIOD. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Jan 1999 Crash Injury

CONSUMER HAD A FRONT END COLLISON AND AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER WERE SLIGHTLY INJURIED.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI HYUNDAI, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 1999
Sep 1998 Crash Injury

WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 68MPH A LADDER FELL OFF OF A TRUCK AND FRONTAL IMPACT OCCURRED. NEITHER AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED AWAY, NOT DRIVABLE. DEALER CONTACTED AND THERE HAS BEEN NOT RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Sep 1998
Aug 1998 Crash Injury

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER SUFFERED A SERIOUS CONCUSSION AND WHIPLASH.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Dec 1997 Crash

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD DAMAGE TO FRONT LEFT SIDE IN FRONT OF TIRE. AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, CAUSING CONSUMER TO HAVE SORENESS IN NECK. SEAT BELTS WERE WORN. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Dec 1997
Dec 1997 Crash

AIR BAGS. DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME, HIT HEAD-ON AND NEITHER AIR BAG DEPLOYED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Aug 1997
Oct 1997 Crash

CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A 45-50 MPH FRONTAL COLLISION, TOTALLING THE VEHICLE IN WHICH THE DRIVER'S AND/OR PASSENGER'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Sep 1997 Crash Injury

VEHICLE WAS HIT AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER WAS THROWN OUT OF VEHICLE AND SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF HIS BODY. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: Jan 1997
May 1997 Crash Injury

WHEN VEHICLE SMASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE GOING 50 MPH THERE WAS NO DEPLOYEMENT OF THE AIR BAGS. THE WHOLE FRONT END OF VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. *AK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 1997 HYUNDAI ELANTRA, Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America
Incident: May 1997

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 1997 Hyundai Elantra has 20 Air Bags complaints on file. 14 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.