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 2005 Hyundai Elantra owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The contact was made aware of various recalls for similar vehicles. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in an air bag recall. The dealer was made aware of the failure and confirmed there was no active recalls on the vehicle for the air bags. The contact scheduled a service appointment for the vehicle to be diagnosed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000.
Passenger airbag sensor registers when someone sits down, but randomly turns off and displays "Passenger Airbag Off" light for a couple minutes before turning off again. Vehicle was inspected by an authorized Hyundai service center and no codes were produced. No indicated problems prior to the first incident.
Tl* Takata recall. The contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. While driving 30 MPH or higher, another vehicle crashed into the passenger side of the contact's vehicle. The front passenger side window shattered and the door fractured on the contact's vehicle. The driver sustained neck injuries, arm pains, bruising to the hips, and a pulled muscle in the right leg. The rear passenger sustained bruising to the left eye, hip, and head. The child passenger sustained whiplash and abrasions to the arm. Medical attention was required. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed and parked. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 05V395000 (air bags), but did not receive notification of the recall repair. The approximate failure mileage was 200,000. Updated 07/27/16
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. While driving 35 MPH, a vehicle in front stalled causing the contact to rear end the vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The contact sustained chest injuries that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was made aware of this failure. The failure mileage was 16,500.
Purchased 2005 Hyundai Elantra November 14, 2007. Dealership carfax showed 40,836 odometer miles. Dealership odometer disclosure statement showed 8,494. November 18, 2007 drove I-26 in columbia, sc. Drove on emergency strip to avoid debris on road. Rear end spun out and lost control of car. Crashed into 18 wheeler and pushed across interstate, up an embankment, under a catch fence and stopped on a service road. A total loss. Not until 11/29/07 that I was made aware of a possible recall on the steering linkage tie rod assembly. Air bag did not deploy. Dmv.org report of 11/24/07 shows odometer reading 40,836 and no odometer problem title record. Carfax report stated no recalls reported. I contacted the dealerships headquarters about the odometer discrepancy. Shortly thereafter, the carfax info was changed showing odometer reading 8,584 and also they backdated information. …
Car involved in a low speed (20-25mph) collision. Front left quarter panel engaged rear right of pickup bed. No hood damage occured, minor bumper damage but extensive damage to front left axle assemble when it was broke loose from mountings. Air bag deployed on drivers side. The drivers side seatbelt failed to anchor on hard brake or on impact causing the driver to be flung forward injuring the drivers left shoulder and causing the drivers hand to hit the windshield hard enough to break the windshield. It is unclear weather the air bag deployment caused the arm to hit the windshield. Seatbelt jamed in extended position raising concern by the body repair shop and replacement of the entire seatbelt unit. …
On Wednesday, July 15, 2005 a young man was racing on U.S. Highway 75 in sherman. He rear-ended another southbound car and knocked across a grassy median, into my car head on. My airbag on the driver side deployed immediately, however, the passenger bag did not deploy right away resulting in serious injury to one of my passengers, toni folsom. On initial impact, toni flew forward and her head impacted the windshield, the seat belt then yanked her back and she flew forward again and only then did the airbag deploy. Toni had a broken nose, concussion, 30 stitches in her face, and a perforated colon from the seat belt. The car was totaled. My concern is the fact the airbag deployed late. I know of another man whose sensor in his 2004 Hyundai Elantra is not working for his passenger bag and the dealership keeps telling him there is nothing wrong with it. Please check into this matter. …
On December 10, 2011, I was turning from northbound gary av. Onto eastbound lawrence ave. At approximately 5 MPH. While I was turning my accelerator stuck the engine sped out of control to at least 40 MPH. I swerved to avoid hitting a truck turning onto gary and my car went over the south curb.. And my attempts to break were failing all this time... I crashed through a fence into somebody's back yard went down hill about 50 feet and ran into a tree. I then turned off the ignition. The airbag did not deploy. The investigating bloomingdale police officer started the car and the accelerator was still stuck in the wide open position. The body shop personnel also confirmed the accelerator was stuck.
Tl contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. While making a turn at 5 MPH into a parking lot, the vehicle suddenly accelerated without intent. The vehicle crashed into the town building causing minor damage to the building. The front end of the vehicle sustained major damages and could not be driven away from the crash site. The airbags did not deploy at the time of impact, and the passenger of the vehicle suffered minor injuries to the shoulder. The manufacturer was notified and stated that they would investigate the accusation of unintended acceleration further. No repairs had been made. The failure and current mileages were under 33,419.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Hyundai Elantra. Upon starting the vehicle, the air bag indicator illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the ocs mat failed and the front passenger seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired by the contact's husband; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to autonation Hyundai mall of georgia (3445 buford dr ne, buford, ga 30519) where it was diagnosed that the failure recurred and the seat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
Related recalls
Air bags
Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle May misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This May occur if the crs is installed after an adult has been seated in the right front seat.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that May cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on November 15, 2005.
Air bags
Certain vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The occupant classification system (ocs) installed in the right front seat of the vehicle May misclassify a child restraint seat (crs) as an adult. This May occur if the crs is installed after an adult has been seated in the right front seat.
Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the vehicle's ocs electronic control unit (ECU) to remove the feature that May cause the crs to be recognized as an adult. The recall began on October 31, 2005.
Airbag complaints in other Elantra years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2005 Hyundai Elantra?
NHTSA has 71 complaints about the air bags of the 2005 Hyundai Elantra, 52% of the model year's 137 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (11 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Hyundai Elantra airbag problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 05V-479 (air bags, Oct 17, 2005); NHTSA recall 05V-395 (air bags, Sep 12, 2005). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2005 Hyundai Elantra airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 36,000 miles, and 41% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 23 crashes, 0 fires and 20 injuries 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.