2009 Hyundai Santa Fe Air Bags
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
******* DELETE VOQ ******* THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING MARKED FOR DELETION BECAUSE IT IS REQUESTED BY THE CONSUMER THAT THEY WISH TO HAVE IT REMOVED DUE TO COMING TO A CONCLUSION WITH THE DEALER*DJR ******* DELETE VOQ *******
Air bag light on by itself without any incident.
SLOWED DOWN TO PULL INTO PARKING SPOT AND SUDDENLY CAR PICKED UP SPEED AND CRASH THROUGH A VACANT STORE FRONT. CAR STOPPED AFTER HITTING A WALL AND MOVED WHAT EVER WAS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL. AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY DRIVER OF CAR WAS SHAKEN UP BUT NO PHYSICAL INJURIES. CAR DAMAGED TOWED TO JUNK YARD AND INSURER TOTALED VEHICLE.
My vehicle shows diagnostic scan codes consistent with recalls that do include my vehicle's year, make, model, and trim, but does not include my VIN. I would like to have this safety hazard resolved, and it seems to me to be the responsibility of the maker.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING. UNKNOWN CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. RECALL WAS DONE PRIOR TO BUYING THE CAR TO MY KNOWLEDGE. BUT I ASSUME THAT THE PART WENT OUT AGAIN.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON MY CONSOLE 2 DAYS AGO. I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC WHO RAN A DIAGNOSTIC ON IT AND CONCLUDED IT WAS THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS). I FOUND OUT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 07/25/2012 RECAL NUMBER 12V354000 FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM. HOWEVER, I WAS NOT THE OWNER AT THAT TIME. I CALLED 2 HYUNDAI DEALERSHIPS NEARBY - COUNTRYSIDE AND ST. PETERSBURG, FL WHO BOTH TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT FIND ANY OPEN RECALLS UNDER MY VIN NUMBER. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. HYUNDAI NEEDS TO ACCEPT ALL CHARGES FOR THE COST TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. AS OF NOW I AM DRIVING A VEHICLE THAT IS UNSAFE BECAUSE HYUNDAI WILL NOT HONOR MY VEHICLE!!!
AIR BAG SENSOR. AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASH IS ILLUMINATED. MECHANIC STATED NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. UNSURE IF AIR BAGS WILL DEPLOY OR NOT.
THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY STOPPED IN A LINE OF TRAFFIC ON AN EXIT RAMP. ANOTHER VEHICLE, TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEED, FAILED TO NOTICE TRAFFIC WAS STOPPED AND STRUCK MY VEHICLE FROM BEHIND. THE FORCE OF THE IMPACT CAUSED HEAVY DAMAGE TO MY REAR BUMPER, BENT THE FRAME AND CRUMPLED THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE QUARTER PANEL, ETC. IT ALSO LAUNCHED MY VEHICLE DIAGONALLY INTO THE GUARD RAIL CAUSING HEAVY DAMAGE TO MY FRONT BUMPER AND DRIVER SIDE QUARTER PANEL, ETC. THE IMPACT LAUNCHED ME FORWARD AND MY FACE SMASHED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL, BREAKING MY NOSE, INJURING MY EYE SOCKET, CAUSING A CONCUSSION AND WHIPLASH IN MY NECK. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT. THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. HAD THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED, IT MAY HAVE SAVED MY FACE AND PREVENTING OTHER INJURIES.
AIR BAG LIGHT ON DASHBOARD WILL NOT GO OFF.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT HAD AN AIR BAG SENSOR FAILURE AND THE ENTIRE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD AND DOES NOT GO OFF.CODE READ 1490B WHICH IS THE OCCUPANCY SENSOR.APPARENTLY THE 2007 AND 2008 HYUNDAI SANTA FE HAS BEEN RECALLED FOR SAME PROBLEM BUT NOT THE 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE YET. DEALERSHIP IN LACROSSE WISCONSIN SAID THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER A WHOLE.NEW SEAT AT A COST OF $2000.VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT.HYUNDAI SHOULD HAVE TO FIX FOR FREE. THIS MUST BE A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. UNSAFE TO DRIVE AS NOW I DON'T KNOW IF MY AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY IF I'M AM IN AN ACCIDENT. IS IT POSSIBLE THIS MODEL YEAR MIGHT ALSO BE RECALLED. SOUNDS LIKE SAME PROBLEM AS PREVIOUS YEARS. A $2000 REPAIR IS RIDICULOUS!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,200.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTE FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.
ONE MORNING THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. WE HAVE HAD THE CAR 18 MONTHS WITH A NEW CAR WARRANTY BECAUSE OF MILEAGE 72,000 WHEN WE BOUGHT IT. TOOK TO DEALER AND IT WAS A BAD CLOCK SPRING WHICH CONTROLS THE AIR BAG. IF IT RETURNS SAYS THE AIR BAG NEEDS TO BE REPLACED $450 AND NOT COVERED UNDER BUMPER BUMPER WARRANTY . CAR WAS IN THE GARAGE. DID NOT BUMP ANYTHING, NO ACCIDENT.
THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG SENSOR (OCS) REMAINS IN THE OFF POSITION WHEN MY SMALL STATURE WIFE (5 FT 98 LBS) RIDES IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT I WOULD LIKE HYUNDAI TO CORRECT. I READ THAT SOME 2009 SANTA FE MODELS HAD A RECALL DUE TO THIS EXACT ISSUE (RECALL CAMPAIGN 105) BUT MINE MODEL DOES NOT SEEM TO BE INCLUDED. I AM NOT SURE WHY BUT SINCE MY 2009 SANTA FE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE RECALL ADDRESSED. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2009. OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP TOLD US THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. NOW I SEE ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE THAT HYUNDAI CAN UPDATE THE OCS CLASSIFICATION SOFTWARE. I BELIEVE HYUNDAI SHOULD UPDATE MY VEHICLE'S SOFTWARE AT NO CHARGE.
WE WERE REARENDED BY A LARGE PICKUP TRUCK THAT WAS TRAVELLING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND THE DRIVER DID NOT APPLY HIS BRAKES. WE WERE STRUCK WHILE ATTEMPTING AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, SPUN AROUND CLOCKWISE AND FLIPPED ON OUR TOP, TOTALLY DEMOLISHING OUR CAR. OUR CONCERN: THE AIRBAG SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE RESULTING IN INJURIES REQUIRING IMMEDIATE TRANSPORTATION FOR HOSPITALIZATION FOR THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A PAVED, RURAL-TYPE STREET WITH LITTLE TRAFFIC PRESENT. THE DRIVER HAS A BROKEN NECK, MULTIPLE INJURIES INCLUDING A CLOSED HEAD CONCUSSION.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
MY CAR HAS BEEN IN TWO ACCIDENT ONE WAS YESTERDAY WHEN A DEER JUMPED OUT IN FRONT OF MY CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AND I HIT HER STRAIGHT ON GOING ABOUT 55 MILES PER HOUR. THE FRONT OF MY CAR IS DESTROYED BUT YET MY AIR BAGS NEVER WENT OFF. THE FIRST ACCIDENT I WAS IN WAS IN THE WINTER AND A CAR PLOWED INTO ME AS I PULLED OVER BECAUSE I NOTICED SHE WAS OUT OF CONTROL, SHE WAS COMING DOWN A LARGE HILL AND WAS GOING AT A HIGH SPEED WHEN SHE HIT THE DRIVE SIDE BACK DOOR WHICH CAVED IN AND THE DOOR WAS IN THE BACK SEAT. THE BACK END FRAME OF MY CAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS UPSET THINKING WHAT IF ONE OF MY CHILDREN WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME BUT I WAS TOLD THE REASON THE AIRBAGS DIDN'T GO OFF BECAUSE IT WASN'T A FLAT HIT TO THE SIDE OF MY CAR. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET KILLED IF THESE AIRBAGS DON'T GO OFF WHEN THEY SHOULD. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AIR BAG SENSORS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIR BAGS AND SEAT BELT MAY NOT FUNCTION IN THE EVENT OF CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE AIR BAG LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG LIGHT WOULD NOT ILLUMINATE WITH THE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE FAILURE. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE SENSOR FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG COULD HAVE NEEDED REPLACEMENT BUT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS REQUIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V354000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 68,900.
THE PASSENGER AIRBAG OF A 2009 HYUNDAI SANTA FE DISENGAGES WHEN A PERSON WEIGHING 106 POUNDS PLACES THEIR ARMS ON THE ARM RESTS. THE PASSENGER AIRBAGS ALSO DISENGAGE WHEN THE PERSON SIT WITH THEIR FEET FLAT ON THE FLOOR BOARDS, BUT THEIR KNEES RISE ABOVE THE SEAT. THE PERSON HAS TO STRETCH THEIR LEGS OUT SO THAT THEY LAY ACROSS THE ENTIRE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE SEAT. WE REPORTED THIS PROBLEM NUMEROUS TIMES TO OUR LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALERSHIP (WHERE WE PURCHASED THE CAR NEW). THEY WERE UNAPOLOGETICALLY AND SAID THAT THIS WAS AN ENGINEERING FLAW THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX. *TR
ON MAY 2010 THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT ON MY DASHBOARD SUDDENLY ILLUMINATED AND WOULD NOT GO OUT EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. GOT AN APPOINTMENT AND TOOK MY 2009 SANTAFE LIMITED AWD V6 INTO THE DEALER AND HERE'S THE NARRATIVE FROM THE DEALER: "CUSTOMER STATES HIS AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON PRESENT CODE B1334 F15 FRONT IMPACT SENSOR ERROR IN HISTORY CLEARED CODE VERIFIED TO BE OK" THERE WERE NO REPAIRS COMPLETED, ONLY THE ERROR CODE WAS CLEARED. ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE CODE WAS CLEARED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE AGAIN DURING DRIVING AND WOULD STAY ON FOR ABOUT 20 SECONDS AT A TIME, WHILE DRIVING, AND THEN GO OFF. THIS OCCURRED ON TWO OCCASIONS. TODAY, AUGUST 3, 2010 THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN, WHILE DRIVING, AND DID NOT GO OFF. IT REMAINS ON. I WILL BE RETURNING BACK TO THE DEALER. *TR
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Quick Summary
The 2009 Hyundai Santa Fe has 22 Air Bags complaints on file. 4 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.