There are 45 owner-reported air bags & restraints complaints for the 2003 Hyundai Elantrain NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I HAD A WRECK TODAY ON A HIGHWAY WHERE I WAS TRAVELING AT 40 MPH AND I SLAMMED ON MY BRAKES AND HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME WHEN THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME STOPPED SUDDENLY. MY CHEST RAMMED INTO THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY.THE CAR WAS TOTALLY SMASHED IN THE FRONT AND THE DOOR HAD A HARD TIME OPENING. I WAS RUSHED TO THE ER AND HAD CONTUSIONS TO MY STERNUM AREA OF MY CHEST. *I DID WEAR SEAT BELTS.
AIR BAG SIGN ON, I TOOK DEALER MECHANIC SAID IT IS MANUFACTURING ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND AND ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND SEVERAL TIMES. ONLY THE PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN FROM THE ACCIDENT BY AMBULANCE TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL. THE CONTACT WAS TREATED FOR NECK AND LOWER BACK PAIN. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000.
DRIVING AT 45MPD AIR BAG LIGHT ACTIVATED. WENT TO MY REPAIR SERVICE RAM AUTO(FT. PIERCE,FL. TECH TESTED WITH CAR DIAGNOSTIC DEVICE. COULD NOT FIND ISSUE. TRIED TO DELETE CODE FOR AIR BAG, LIGHT COMES BACK ON. SUGGESTED I SEE IF ANY RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE- NO REPORTS OF AIR BAG RECALLS FOR A HYUNDAI 2003 GLS.
I HAD A LOW SPEED ACCIDENT APPROXIMATELY 10-20MPH IN A PARKING LOT WHERE I HIT A CEMENT SURROUNDING OF A POLE ON THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE WINDSHIELD, BUSTED THE DASH VENTS, LOCKED MY DRIVERS SEATBELT AND SHATTERED WINDSHIELD GLASS ALL OVER THE CAR. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE VEHICLE, HE NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. HE STATED NO ONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STAYED ON CONSTANTLY SINCE FEBRUARY 2011. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE AIR BAG CONTROL MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 29,500.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT RETRACT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POSITION AFTER IN WAS USED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILURE WAS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY AND THE REPAIRS WOULD COST $391 TO REPLACE A PART OF THE SEAT BELT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,841.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 25 MPH AND SWERVED IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING A DEER. WHEN THE CONTACT SWERVED, HE CRASHED INTO A ROCK HEAD ON; HOWEVER, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK TO HER RESIDENCE. THE CONTACTS INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT WAS DESTROYED. THE CONTACT HAS HELD ONTO THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO FIND OUT WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. OVER TIME THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS COMING APART AND THAT THE AIR BAG WAS EXPOSED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT WANTS TO KNOW WHY THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 85000. UPDATED 01/12/11*LJ UPDATED 03/28/11
DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD BOUT 25-30 MILES SWERVED (VERY SHARP) DIDN'T THINK IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUCH A SHARP TURN- ANYWAY SWERVED FROM HITTING A DEER- SO I DID ACCELERATE AND ENDED UP WITH A DIRECT FRONT HIT- CAR IS TOTALED- ACTUALLY LOST A PIECE OF WHAT HOLDS THE ENGINE UP THE BOLT IS BROKEN IN HALF-HOOD OF CAR CAN NOT BE OPENED - IMPACT THROUGH MY NECK AND BACK OUT- NO AIRBAGS. *TR
THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A FRONT END COLLISION, TOTALING SAID VEHICLE, AND THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THIS FAILURE AS THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. HOWEVER, HYUNDAI MOTORS NEVER CAME TO INSPECT THE CAR, DESPITE BEING GIVEN AMPLE NOTICE. THE VEHICLE HAS SINCE BEEN SCRAPED. *TR
2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY *TGW THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. *JB
DRIVERS SIDE SEAT BELT FAILS TO RETRACT AND DOES NOT FIT TIGHTLY DUE TO FAILURE TO RETRACT, LEAVING DRIVER UNPROTECTED. *TR
NO KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH AIR BAGS. I WAS IN A T-BONE COLLISION WITH A LARGE SUV (SUBURBAN) TOTALING MY CAR. THE HIT WAS ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE POLICE OFFICER STATED SUBURBAN WAS TRAVELING 35-40 MPH. *TR
I HAD TAKEN MY CAR IN FOR SERVICE IN APRIL 09 FOR OIL CHANGE, TIRE BALANCING. I HAD TO RETURN IT BECAUSE CAR WAS VEERING TO THE LEFT. WHEN I PICKED IT UP THE 2ND TIME THE THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND NOW STAYS ON WHILE DRIVING. ON 5/1/09 I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THE CAUSE IS "PPD SENSOR OPEN" WHICH THEY WANT TO CHARGE ME $390 TO FIX. SINCE THE ELANTRA OF 2001-2002 HAD THE SAME ISSUE WITH AN AIRBAG LIGHT THIS MAY BE A DEFECT IN THE 2003S AS WELL. *TR
MY SON WAS DRIVING A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA AND HIT BLACK ICE ON INTERSTATE 81S AT APPROXIMATELY 60MPH. HE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR AND IT SPUN AND HIT THE CENTER GUARDRAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. FORTUNATELY, HE WAS UNHURT, BUT I HAVE SEARCHED THE WEB AND THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE POSTED AT VARIOUS SITES. BUT IT SEEMS THAT HYUNDAI IS NOT TAKING ACTION. *TR
MY 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA HAS 64,000 MILES ON IT & THE AIRBAG MODULE WENT OUT & AM TOLD IT WILL COST OVER 800.00 TO FIX & IT WON'T DEPLOY IF I HAVE AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HYUNDAI EXTENDED COVERAGE PLAN OF 10 YEARS/100,000 MILES & WAS TOLD IT COVERS 'EVERYTHING BUT THE SINK' THEY TELL ME IT WON'T COVER THIS. THIS SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE DRIVING 15 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A COLLISION CENTER. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 72,000. UPDATED 01/14/09. *LJ UPDATED 01/21/09
A DEER LEAPED IN FRONT OF MY CAR CAUSING ME TO CRASH INTO THE DIVIDER ON HIGHWAY - NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED DURING THIS INCIDENT. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEGAN TO INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE ON THE DASHBOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE AN UNKNOWN CABLE WITHIN THE ONE OF THE FRONT SEATS WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. APPROXIMATELY 2 YEARS LATER THE FAILURE BEGAN TO RECUR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THIS WAS NOT A KNOWN FAILURE AND HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 50,000.
THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS ON, I IT REPLACED. I HAVE NO IDEA IF IT WILL WORK, IF IT WILL GO OFF AND KILL SOMEONE DRIVING THE CAR. PLEASE RECALL THE CARS AND HAVE HYUNDAI REPLACE OR REPAIR THIS SITUATION BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE KILLED. THANKS *TR
Showing 1–20 of 45 complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026