2005 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
2005 HYUNDAI SONATA AIR BAG LIGHT ON. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING DUE TO WET PAPER TOWELS UNDER THE SEAT CAUSING CORROSION. THE PAPER TOWELS WERE REMOVED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 71,000.
I AM THE SOLE OWNER OF A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. SINCE THE FIRST YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, THE CAR'S AIRBAG LIGHT HAS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN MULTIPLE TIMES FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. EACH TIME, THE DIAGNOSIS IS EITHER CODE B1378 OR B1382. CONNECTORS ARE THEN RETAPED. REPAIRS LAST FOR ONLY A FEW MONTHS BEFORE AIRBAG LIGHT TURNS ON AGAIN. THE LAST "REPAIR" LASTED APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS BECAUSE THE SERVICE CONSULTANT SUGGESTED THAT I NOT ADJUST MY SEAT FORWARD AND BACKWARD AS THIS MIGHT LOOSEN THE WIRING/CONNECTORS. FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS I DID NOT ADJUST MY SEAT (RATHER UNCOMFORTABLE GETTING IN AND OUT OF CAR) BUT THE AIRBAG LIGHT DID STAY OFF. IT IS NOW ON AGAIN. HYUNDAI CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND DEALERSHIP SAY THAT I NEED TO BRING THE CAR IN AGAIN FOR A DIAGNOSIS. THEY WILL NOT COVER THE DIAGNOSIS OR REPAIR. I HAVE BEEN ARGUING THAT I SHOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE BEGINNING. THEY HAVE NEVER REPAIRED THE PROBLEM. WHY SHOULD I BRING VEHICLE IN AGAIN FOR THE SAME "DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR" WHEN THE REPAIR IS NEVER ACHIEVED. I AM BEYOND FRUSTRATION. PLEASE HELP! MY CAR IS RUNNING WITH INACTIVE AIRBAGS. *TR
AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT HAS TURNED ON FOR NO APPARENT REASON. *TR
FOR THE THIRD TIME, THE AIRBAG SENSOR LIGHT IS ON IN THE CLUSTER PANEL. LOCAL HYUNDAI DEALER CANNOT TELL ME IF THE AIRBAG IS OPERABLE. I'M SHOCKED AT THE NUMBER OF AIRBAG COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THIS SITE FOR THE 05 SONATA AND THE FAILURE TO DEPLOY. I HAVE RECORDS INDICATING LOOSE CLIPS, DEFECTIVE MODULE REPLACED, ETC. ON SERVICE FOR AIR BAG LIGHT. *TR
OUR SRS AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON TIME AFTER TIME. WE TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY TURN IT OFF, IN A COUPLE OF DAYS IT WILL COME BACK. WE'VE BEEN TOLD WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON THE SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING. IT COMES ON AT TIMES FOR NO APPARENT REASON. IS THIS COMMON ON HYUNDAI'S? *TR
AIR BAG LIGHT 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA IS ALWAYS ON. I HAD IT RESET 1X. I CANNOT GET MY CAR TO PASS INSPECTION AND FROM WHAT I'M READING ONLINE THIS COULD COST UP TO 1600$..I CANNOT AFFORD THAT KIND OF FIX AND MY EXTENDED WARRANTY DOESN'T COVER IT. THIS VEHICLE SHOULD BE RECALLED BECAUSE THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 05/06 SONATA. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. *TR
I OWN A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. MY AIRBAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ILLUMINATED FOR THE LAST 2+YEARS. I ONLY HAVE ~44,000 MILES ON IT NOW. I CHECKED THE FUSE, ITS NOT BLOWN. I HAD MY CODES CHECKED. THEY STATE I HAVE TO BRING IT TO A DEALER/MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSES OF AIRBAG SYSTEMS. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET. IT APPEARS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 05/06 SONATA'S, WHICH COST UPWARDS OF $1500 TO DIAGNOSE/REPAIR. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO SPARE TO FIX A CAR - WHICH IS ONLY WORTH ABOUT $4000 IN THE FIRST PLACE. MEANWHILE, I WONDER IF MY AIRBAGS WILL WORK IF I GET IN AN ACCIDENT. I HOPE SOMEONE LOOKS INTO THE AIRBAG PROBLEM WITH THE 05/06 HYUNDAI SONATAS. THANKS. *TR
1. THE CAR (HYUNDAI SONATA) HAD A FRONT END COLLISION WITH A TRUCK THAT SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES. THE ACCIDENT RESULTED IN SEVERE DAMAGES TO THE FRONT OF THE CAR. 2. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. 3. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE BODY SHOP RIGHT NOW. NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN YET. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH THAT DESTROYED THE VEHICLE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THREE INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE DRIVER AND TWO REAR PASSENGERS WERE REPORTED INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOWING COMPANY LOT. HYUNDAI INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAGS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 95,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH IN WHICH THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. THE SAME FAILURE OCCURRED ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS IN WHICH THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER TAKEN TO HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED BUT IT WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE BODY DAMAGES REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 175,000.
PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT STAYS ON. TOOK IT TO AN AIRBAG SPECIALIST AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE SENSOR IS BAD AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1,600. I CANNOT GET AN ANSWER FROM HYUNDAI AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR IS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. *TR
ON DECEMBER 17, 2007 AT APPROX 5:30PM MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING WEST ON OSUNA AT INTERSECTION OF SEAGUILL , DRIVING THE SPEED LIMIT OF 35 MPH, 35 BEING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. AS SHE PROCEEDED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION ON A GREEN LIGHT, A LATE MODEL FORD RANGER TRIED TO GO THROUGH THE INTERSECTION CROSSING HER PATH. AS SHE ADVANCED THROUGH THE INTERSECTION SHE STRUCK THE FORD RANGER BROAD SIDE. FORTUNATELY FOR MY DAUGHTER SHE HAD HER SEAT BELT ON, BECAUSE THE 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA'S AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THERE WAS NO REASON FOR THE HYUNDAI 'S AIR BAGS NOT DEPLOYING BECAUSE THE IMPACT WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD HIT, UNLESS THE HYUNDAI 'S AIR BAG WERE DEFECTIVE. MY DAUGHTER WAS NOT HURT BAD, ALTHOUGH SHE HAS BEEN HAVING NECK & BACK PAIN AND IS UNDER A DOCTOR'S SUPERVISION. I HAVE WRITTEN TO HYUNDAI., TO THIS DATE THEY HAVE BEEN VERY UNRESPONSIVE. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE INVESTIGATED. THERE COULD BE A DEFECT IN HYUNDAI'S AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM. NEXT TIME THEY MIGHT NOT BE SO LUCKY. THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED IN THE CITY LIMITS OF ALBUQUERQUE NM. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 15 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE STRUCK THE FRONT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SPUN 180 DEGREES AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. TWO PASSENGERS SUFFERED NECK AND BACK INJURIES AND ARE UNDER A DOCTOR'S CARE. THE POLICE REPORT NUMBER IS 07-04457. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 41,000.
VEHICLE CRASH (1). VEHICLE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH. VEHICLE GOING OPPOSITE DIRECTION, MAKES LEFT HAND TURN IN FRONT OF VEHICLE (1). DRIVERS EXITS VEHICLE (1) CAR BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE SMOKE "FEAR OF FIRE AND TRIED TO GET AWAY FROM CAR. SAMARITANS ASSIST DRIVER TO BACK SEAT OF VEHICLE (1) FOR A PLACE TO SIT AWAITING RESCUE/PARAMEDICS. ONCE DRIVER WAS SEATED IN THE BACK SEAT THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED, AND VEHICLE (1) WAS TOTALED, AND DRIVER WAS IN STABLE CONDITION, BUT THE AIRBAG NEVER DEPLOYED DURING IMPACT? *AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER HAS NOT RECEIVED THE PART IN ORDER TO MAKE THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN WAITING FOR THE AIR BAG MODULE FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE LENGTH OF WAITING TIME WAS TOO LONG. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. *AK
CAR RAN STOP SIGN IN FRONT OF ME. HIT OTHER VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH DIRECTLY ON ITS FRONT AXLE. MY AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DAMAGE TO FRONT END OF SONATA IN EXCESS OF $4000. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT TRIED TO AVOID AN ANIMAL IN THE ROAD AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS NOT WEARING A SEAT BELT AND THE CONTACT'S HEAD BUSTED THE WINDSHIELD. ONLY MINOR INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE POLICE WERE AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT AND FILED A WRITTEN REPORT. ADDITIONAL, PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS TO THE PARKED VEHICLE. UPDATED 5/10/2006 - *NM
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2005 Hyundai Sonata has 43 Air Bags complaints on file. 11 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.