2004 Hyundai Elantra Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/14/2026

57Air Bags complaints

31.3%Of all 182 complaints

#1Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How air bags ranks on this vehicle

AIR BAGS57 · 31.3%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE34 · 18.7%

AIR BAGS:FRONTAL18 · 9.9%

SEAT BELTS8 · 4.4%

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING7 · 3.8%

Share of the 182 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2004 Hyundai Elantra overview page.

What owners report

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE AIR BAG DEACTIVATION LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WHENEVER SOMEONE WAS…”NHTSA complaint 10395274 — filed 04/08/2011

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. WHEN THE CONTACT STARTED THE IGNITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR BEGAN TO ILLUMINATE CONTINUOUSLY UNTIL THE ENGINE…”NHTSA complaint 10393970 — filed 04/01/2011

“I OWN A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GLS (US VERSION). I GOT THE AIRBAG LIGHT ON FROM THE 60K MILES. NOW THE "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" LIGHT…”NHTSA complaint 10373926 — filed 01/03/2011

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2004 Hyundai Elantra have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the most-reported problem area on the 2004 Hyundai Elantra: 57 of 182 complaints on file (31.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2004 Hyundai Elantra have in total?

182 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 24 involved a crash, 2 involved a fire, 26 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's air bags category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the AIR BAGS category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/14/2026.