2003 Hyundai Santa FE Air Bags Problems

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

31Air Bags complaints

10.1%Of all 308 complaints

#2Most-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

SUSPENSION45 · 14.6%

AIR BAGS31 · 10.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM25 · 8.1%

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION20 · 6.5%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL20 · 6.5%

Share of the 308 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE overview page.

What owners report

“ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, MY AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS NOT GONE OFF SINCE. I WONDERED IF THIS MEANT I HAD NO AIRBAG FUNCTION…”NHTSA complaint 10291679 — filed 11/10/2009

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT A NEW AIR BAG WAS NEEDED BECAUSE THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR…”NHTSA complaint 10274659 — filed 06/22/2009

“: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER ON FIVE DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THE FIRST TWO TIMES…”NHTSA complaint 10168872 — filed 09/21/2006

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

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE: 31 of 308 complaints on file (10.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2003 Hyundai Santa FE have in total?

308 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 26 involved a crash, 5 involved a fire, 20 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.