Hyundai Airbags

Hyundai Airbags
2008 was a bad year for Hyundai. Hyundai has had a string of problems with its airbags: non-deployment, inadvertent deployment and faulty notification lights have been a complaint of many consumers. The Elantra, the Santa Fe and Tuscon have all been cited in 2008 investigations by the Nat. Hwy Traffic Safety Admin.

Preliminary NHTSA reports  (early 08) indicate that the airbag problems could be due to a design problem.

Remember the mid-90s Jettas with their oddly placed cup holders? You couldn’t get anything bigger than an espresso shot cup into the area without it being tipped a bit. The Hyundai designers put the cup holders on top of the airbag console. Driving means bumps in the road and quick braking. Beverages are going to spill – even in cars of the conscientious driver.

Question: How can Hyundai have so many problems with their airbag systems? Don’t they have actual humans drive in older cars before sitting in front of the drafting table? Isn’t this a technology that has been tested and tried and tried and tested? Where is the breakdown happening? Budget cuts? Regulation control breakdown? People would feel safer without an airbag than an airbag that might not deploy, or be willing to forego the annoyance of a constantly illuminated airbag light because of a morning latte spill.

So far the NHSTA website does not show a recall for any Hyundai airbags, but the suspension on the 04 Sonata has been recalled.

Hyundai cars have also had instances of severe corrosion of the frame, which have caused problems with steering and other suspension failures. Reports of severe corrosion resulting in suspension control arm detachment are also under investigation. The suspension control itself is also under investigation. Problems with corrosion and suspension have been reported on the Sonata and the Santa Fe.