Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2006 Hyundai Accent owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I have a 2006 Accent. I recently found out it needs a passenger seat sensor panel replaced in order to fix the airbags. (that is, make any of the airbags work) I just now learned I haven't haven't had airbags for 2 years.!!!! (actually our kids haven't --our sons had the car at college, driving home on the interstate for 2.5 hours - with no airbags) the light was on. First 2 years ago. I asked my mechanic. That mechanic never alerted me that I had to go to a dealer. My current mechanic did - so we went to the Hyundai dealer, paying their $80 service fee just for them to tell me it will cost me around $960 to fix it!!! I know from forums that other people have had this problem and we have all been told its a $1000 to fix. Just the part is $700+!!!! I also read that Hyundai had airbag problems with 2006 sonatas and fixed them. Why not the Accent???? …
I'm driving my car for almost two years now and the lights for the air bags are still on and have never went off. So I thought, supposedly May be the fuse needs to be replaced but so far to this date I cannot determine what's the issue other than a faulty air bag system. No I haven't taken the car to a dealer yet, but I need to know am I the only person having this issue.I love the vehicle besides its unintentional poor gas usage I am a satisfied customer. But perhaps maybe its time to start searching for a more efficient newer car. Be careful when buying used cars everybody.
Dt*: the contact stated while traveling 30 MPH, the vehicle rear ended another vehicle that had suddenly stopped. Both frontal air bags failed to deploy. The service dealer was sent to tow the vehicle to the dealership. No injuries were sustained as seatbelts were worn and a police report was taken. Photos were taken of the vehicle and the manufacturer was notified.
Got the car when my mom died in 2015. She received a recall on the air bags but when I took it down to get it fixed the guy told me and my daughter in law that I was a week too late to get it fixed and that I would have to pay for it now if I wanted it fixed. I don't have the card that was mailed anymore but how is this safe for me, my family and friends?
My son has a 2006 Hyundai Accent and last week the air bag indicator light went on and has remained on ever since. The vehicle was previously owned by my father and has approximately 20,000 miles on it. I have read other complaints on this site and it appears that this is a common problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2006 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that the air bag warning lamp illuminated and remained lit for an extended period of time. The vehicle was not inspected or diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 24,500.
Airbag light is on. Hyundai issued an extended warranty for the occupant classification system. The dealer will not determine the cause of the issue without a diagnostic fee. This is a safety issue and should be a recall so the dealer will inspect and assist.
06/17/2009 the air bag light came on and stayed on. I called the dealership and made an appointment to have it checked on 06/24/2009. The result is the computer module to the air bags shorted out due to a spill. The service man told me that the part is located under the cup holders where the likelihood of a spill is high and evidently there is no protective covering on the module to keep it dry in the case of a spill. I have contacted the consumer affairs dept. At Hyundai because I was told at the service dept. That the repairs are not covered under the warranty because the part failed due to outside influence and not a defect in the part. …
The issue is that the airbag light is on; I brought this vehicle to the Hyundai dealership multiple times over the last few years, and each time they ran some kind of diagnostic test on it, the airbag light would be off a few months, and then mysteriously would be back on again; I kept following this process until they told me the warranty was expired and to really fix the issue I had to cough up almost $1,000 .... And, why am I being asked to pay this kind of money for a manufacturer defect? Please finally investigate this issue and bring 2006 Hyundai Accent owners the kind of closure that the 2006 Hyundai sonata owners had for the same issue. Clearly we have a class action lawsuit that is imminent after viewing the multiple issues with this same problem; and it's too much of a coincidence that there was a recall on the 2006 Hyundai sonata's for the same issue with the airbag light. …
On 3/15/11 my right side curtain airbag and passenger seat airbag deployed with no collision or impact or any kind, striking my passenger. I was driving down the road, out of town in jacksonville fl. And almost getting to our destination, and thought we were shot. I pulled into the closest gas station and tried to call jso to make a report, they said they couldn't make a report on manufacturer defect, so I called to make an insurance claim. The next morning I contacted a local Hyundai dealership, and they told me bring it in immediately. Upon bringing in my car they insisted they needed to do a diagnostics test. After 2 days of having my vehicle, and a rental at my expense, I had to come home to charleston, sc. The dealership in jacksonville, janck hanania's Hyundai of orange park, told my insurance company the airbag deployment was due to used tires on the vehicle. …
Airbag complaints in other Accent years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2006 Hyundai Accent?
NHTSA has 23 complaints about the air bags of the 2006 Hyundai Accent, 53% of the model year's 43 complaints. The component named most often is frontal › sensor/control module (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2006 Hyundai Accent airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2006 Hyundai Accent, though it has 3 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2006 Hyundai Accent airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 71,000 miles, and 18% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 0 fires and 1 injury and 1 death to air bags problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.