Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 2 | 12% | — |
| 2020 | 2 | 17% | 6,000 miles |
| 2019 | 4 | 13% | 44,000 miles |
| 2018 | 1 | 5% | 1,000 miles |
| 2017 | 21 | 31% | 45,000 miles |
| 2016 | 30 | 29% | 62,000 miles |
| 2015 | 26 | 37% | 70,000 miles |
| 2014 | 11 | 14% | 32,000 miles |
| 2013 | 14 | 10% | 24,000 miles |
| 2012 | 17 | 11% | 35,000 miles |
| 2011 | 7 | 18% | 52,000 miles |
| 2010 | 10 | 11% | 95,000 miles |
| 2009 | 27 | 27% | 79,000 miles |
| 2008 | 34 | 34% | 59,000 miles |
| 2007 | 42 | 48% | 70,000 miles |
| 2006 | 23 | 53% | 71,000 miles |
| 2005 | 8 | 16% | 66,000 miles |
| 2004 | 10 | 30% | 32,000 miles |
| 2003 | 15 | 41% | 29,000 miles |
| 2002 | 15 | 11% | 30,000 miles |
| 2001 | 21 | 19% | 56,000 miles |
| 2000 | 11 | 12% | 39,000 miles |
| 1999 | 14 | 23% | 84,000 miles |
| 1998 | 5 | 11% | — |
| 1997 | 11 | 20% | 65,000 miles |
| 1996 | 21 | 21% | — |
| 1995 | 32 | 23% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated while driving 32-33 MPH, the rear of the vehicle was shaking, and the vehicle stalled. There was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the system needed to be reset. There was an unknown fault with the air bag. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that while her husband was driving 55 MPH, the vehicle began to shake, and the driver was able to pull over. There was an abnormal odor of smoke detected. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the same local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the coil needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred nine days later. While exiting the garage, the vehicle stalled. …
The contact owns a 2019 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the Electronic Stability Control and airbag warning lights remained illuminated. Additionally, while driving 53 MPH, the cruise control would not deactivate while depressing the brake pedal. The cruise control feature eventually became inoperable. In addition, while operating the vehicle the braking system was slightly activated causing the vehicle to drive rough. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,000.
The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated while the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's vehicle was involved in a head-on collision. The contact stated that the oncoming vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign, and resulted in a head-on collision. In addition, the contact stated that it resulted in a five-vehicle crash. The contact's vehicle was severely damaged to the entire front of the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact's vehicle was towed to the local tow yard. The paramedics and the police arrived on the scene. A Police Report was filed, however the information was unavailable. There were a total of four occupants in the vehicle. There were two adults seated in the front seats and two minor children seated in the rear seat. All four passengers were transported to the local medical center. …
While traveling on a public roadway under wet conditions, the vehicle was unable to stop within a safe distance despite brake application, resulting in a rear-end collision with the vehicle ahead. The primary concern is that the airbags did not deploy during the impact, despite significant front-end damage. The collision caused severe deformation of the hood and extensive damage to the front-left area, including the fender, bumper, and headlight assembly, with visible intrusion into the engine compartment. The vehicle was subsequently determined to be a total loss, which raises concerns about whether the airbag system functioned as intended under these impact conditions. Prior to the incident, there were no warning lights, dashboard messages, or other indications of a malfunction. …
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Accent. The contact stated that she recently purchased the vehicle from a private seller. When the contact drove the vehicle for the first time, there were no issues or warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. However, when the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for an inspection, it was discovered that the airbag module warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 143,000.
I brought my vehicle to Victorville Hyundai to address the official manufacturer safety warranty extension, Campaign Z01, which covers a defective passenger side Occupant Classification System (OCS) airbag sensor. My vehicle currently has 129,000 miles. The dealership and the service manager refused to perform the necessary safety diagnostic or inspection unless I signed a pre-authorization contract agreeing to pay a out-of-pocket fee of $219. The manager explicitly stated that this fee would be charged if they found that the sensor was contaminated with "outside water or dust." While I confirmed that the vehicle has never sustained any liquid spills or water intrusion, the vehicle is driven in the High Desert area and naturally contains standard environmental dust due to its age and mileage. …
I was involved in a collision with a flying object that went through the windshield, knocked off my mirror, and damaged the frame of my car. The airbag attempted to deploy; however, it failed to do so. No warnings. The vehicle is currently at the shop waiting to be repaired. The airbag has not been inspected yet.
Once my 2015 Hyundai Accent reached 80K the airbag light came on. I took into the dealership for them to look into and found that the passenger side air bag sensor failed and needed replaced. Cost of new sensor was $1000.00. Did some research on the issue and found that air bag sensors are failing on the passenger side for many Hyundai Accent owners. I believe some reported to this very agency. I plan on having the sensor replaced, however wanted to report the issue and the amount of reports on forums and reports to the NHTSA in hopes that it will be recalled so that future Hyundai Accent owners can be aware of the issue and protect their passengers.
Related recalls (1)
Air bags › Frontal
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2015 Accent vehicles manufactured September 15, 2014, to February 10, 2015. In very cold temperatures, the occupant detection system (ODS) may not be able to determine if a child restraint seat is in the front passenger seat.
Remedy: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will correct ODS software, free of charge. The recall began on June 4, 2015. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-671-3059. Hyundai's number for this recall is 129.
NHTSA investigations
Passenger air bag related fatalities
Odi is aware of seven fatalities of children (excluding children in rear facing child safety seats)that were caused by the deployment of the front passenger air bags in minor or moderate severity crashes involving model year 1995 through 1997 Hyundai accent vehicles.two of the seven fatalities occurred in puerto rico.this preliminary evaluation has been upgraded to an engineering analysis forfurther investigation.
Air bag exhaust fire
There is no summary currently available
Passenger air bag related
There is no summary currently available
Frequently asked questions
Which Hyundai Accent years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2007 (42), 2008 (34), 1995 (32), 2016 (30) and 2009 (27) model years. Airbag complaints make up 48% of all complaints for the 2007.
Is there a recall for Hyundai Accent airbag problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 15V-218 (frontal, Apr 13, 2015). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Hyundai Accent airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 57,000 miles; 44% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (121 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (12).
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.