2004 Hyundai Sonata 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
AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON WHEN DRIVING CAR. CALLED DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY BECAUSE ITS OVER FIVE YEARS OLD AND HAS 53,704, IS THIS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE? AND COVERED BY LAW? *TR
WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT ON JUNE 21, 2009. I HAD SIGNIFICANT FRONT END DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE DUE TO SOMEONE RUNNING A STOP SIGN. HOWEVER, MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY ON THE PASSENGER OR DRIVER SIDE. *TR
THERE IS SOMETHING REALLY WRONG WITH THE AIR BAGS WITH THE 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. IF YOU READ THE COMPLAINTS, I HAD THE MOST PROBLEMS. WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE FOR A RECALL., FOR SOMEONE TO LOSE THEIR LIFE. DO THE RIGHT THING BECAUSE PEOPLE LIVES DEPEND ON YOU. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOORS WERE COMPLETELY SMASHED IN AND THE FRAME WAS BENT. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED MAJOR INJURIES TO HER LEFT SHOULDER. THE PASSENGERS IN THE OTHER VEHICLE WERE UNINJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS OPERATED IN THE MANNER THEY WERE DESIGNED; THEREFORE, THEY WERE NOT LIABLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE DEALER HAS NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 65,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE AIR BAG NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE IS STILL OCCURRING. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 42,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,000.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED ON, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO A MALFUNCTION WITH THE SENSOR DEVICE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THE SAME FAILURE, BUT NO REMEDY WAS FOUND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK BROAD SIDED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BETWEEN BOTH DOORS. BOTH PASSENGERS OF THE VEHICLE WERE WEARING SEAT BELTS AND RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM THE SCENE. THE POLICE WERE AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT AND PROVIDED A WRITTEN REPORT; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. UPDATED 5/2/2006- *NM
I WAS GOING ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR AND REAR ENDED A ANOTHER VEHICLE AND MY DRIVERS AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. I WAS NOT HURT, BUT MY DAUGHTER IN THE BACK SEAT WAS. *NM
WHILE DRIVING ON I97, A VW CABRIOLET CHANGED FROM 2/3 OF EXIT TO RIGHT TO PULLING DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ME PERPENDICULAR. I VEER TO LEFT, JAMMED ON BRAKES BUT HIT HIS DRIVER SIDE DOOR (ORIGIN SPEED 50-55 MPH) THEN CONTINUUED INTO A STEEL GUARDRAIL HEAD ON, THEN PULLED OUT MOST OF THE RAIL AND JOLTED TO A STOP AT AN ANGLE ABOVE A DROP OFF. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NOT FRONT OR SIDE AIRBAGS. WE WERE LUCKY TO WALK AWAY WITH BRUISES, CUTS, AND EMOTIONAL TRAUMA. ANOTHER FAMILY MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY
2004 HYUNDAI SONATA WAS INVOLVED IN A SEVERE SIDE IMPACT, STRUCK BY A DODGE DURANGO. IMPACT WAS CENTERED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND RESULTED IN AN APPROXIMYATE 1 FOOT OF INTRUSION. MAX CRUSH OCCURRED JUST FORWARD OF THE B-PILLAR. B-PILLAR WAS PUSHED INTO THE SEAT AND THE LEADING EDGE OF THE DOOR WAS PUSHED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL. THE HEAD/THORAX BAG LOCATED IN THE DRIVERS SEAT DID NOT DEPLOY. NHTSA SHOULD INSPECT THIS TO SEE WHY THE SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE TYPE OF IMPACT IN WHICH THE SIDE AIR BAGS WERE DESIGNED FOR. DRIVER SUSTAINED NUMEROUS FRACTURES TO THE PELVIC REGION, A LACERATED SPLEEN THAT RESULTED IN 2 SURGERIES AND ALMOST 2 MONTHS OF HOSPITALIZATION, MOST OF IT IN INTENSIVE CARE AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT.*AK
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2004 Hyundai Sonata has 35 Air Bags complaints on file. 10 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.