2000 Hyundai Sonata Air Bags & Restraints Problems

I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN AIRBAG RECALL ON SOME MODEL CARS, I DRIVE A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS THAT HAS AN AIRBAG LIGHT ACTIVATED ON THE DASHBOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF THE AIRBAG IS DEFECTIVE, I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT, OR WHAT TO DO, PLEASE ADVISE. THIS AIRBAG LITE ON THE DASHBOARD GOES ON AS SOON AS I START THE ENGINE, AND STAYS ON ALL THE TIME THE ENGINE IS RUNNING, THIS AIRBAG LIGHT DOES NOT GO OFF UNTIL I TURN THE ENGINE OFF.

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON AND STAYED ON. DEALER (TAYLOR HYUNDAI) DENIED THAT THERE WAS AN AIR BAG RECALL ON THIS MODEL. *TR

I WAS HEADING EASTBOUND GOING ABOUT 40 MPH. AN SUV WAS HEADING WESTBOUND AND ABOUT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THE SUV STRUCK MY VEHICLE AND TOTALED THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I AM SUPPOSED TO HAVE SIDE AND FRONT AIRBAGS. I AM LUCKY I WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT BECAUSE OTHER THAN THAT, I HAD NO OTHER PROTECTION. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. *TR

MY SON WAS IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE HE "T-BONED A TRUCK AND THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR IS CONSTANTLY ILLUMINATED, WHICH MEANS THAT THE AIR BAGS ARE DEACTIVATED. THE DEALER TURNED OFF THE INDICATOR WITH THE USE OF A COMPUTER; HOWEVER, THE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER AND THEY TURNED OFF THE LIGHT WITH THE COMPUTER AGAIN, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V347000 REGARDING THE AIR BAG INDICATORS. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 97,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT CONTROL PANEL, WHICH INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE INOPERATIVE. SHE CALLED THE DEALER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 01V347000 (AIR BAGS) AND WAS INFORMED THAT HER VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE $900 REPAIR COST. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

VEHICLE OWNER WAS DRIVING HER 2000 HYUNDAI SONANA GLS WHEN VEHICLE HIT A POLE. THERE IS EXTENSIVE FRONT END DAMAGE AND SHE HIT THE STEERING WHEEL HARD CAUSING INTERNAL INJURIES. THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH FRONT AIRBAGS AND SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS BUT NONE DEPLOYED. *AKOWNER QUESTIONED WHY AIRBAG (S) DID NOT DEPLOY. *AK

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE AIRBAG WARNING ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER FOR RECALL #01V347000 BUT THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE.

DT: THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING RAINY CONDITIONS. THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER HYDRO PLANED AND HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. UPON IMPACT THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE RECEIVED DAMAGE TO BOTH FRONT DOORS AND THE FRONT END. INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED BY BOTH THE CONTACT AND A PASSENGER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE IMPACT. A POLICE REPORT WAS TAKEN AT THE SCENE. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS.*AK

NEW HYUNDAI SONATA PURCHASED IN 2000. MOTOR VEHICLE RECALL NOTICE RECEIVED REGARDING AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS. CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR RECALL. THE RECALL WAS "FIXED" ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. THE AIR BAG WIRING HARNESS CONNECTOR HAS NOT BEEN FIXED CORRECTLY. THE AIR BAG LIGHT STILL GOES OFF, BECAUSE THE CONNECTOR MUST BE LOOSE AND DISCONNECTS. DEALER STATES THAT OWNER MUST BE DISCONNECTING THE WIRING BY PLACING OBJECTS UNDER THE SEAT. THE OWNER DOES NOT PUT OBJECTS UNDER THE SEAT. THE RECALL ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN FIXED SO THAT THE WIRING HARNESS IS SECURELY FASTENED. *JB

DT: THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON . THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS GOING TO BE A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG . TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED SENSOR IN THE BACK OF PASSENGER'S SEAT. THEN, TOOK AGAIN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER BECAUSE THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. VEHICLE WAS NVOVLED IN A CAR ACCIDENT, AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. HOWEVER, UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED. THIS HAPPENED ON JULY 22, 2005. *AK

ON MAY 21, 2005 AFTER A TRIP TO AUSTIN, TX TO FUNERAL WITH DAUGHTER-IN-LAW FROM KY. NEXT MORNING, I STARTED ENGINE IN SONS YARD FOR TRIP HOME TO IL. AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON. I DROVE HOME TO IL (350 MILES) AND TOLD HUSBAND OF PROBLEM. HE TOOK CAR TO DEALERSHIP ON 6/17/05. THEY SAID IT WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER SENSOR AND GAVE ESTIMATE $829.79 AND SAID CAR OUT OF WARRANTY. HYUNDAI SAID "GOODWILL" REPAIR POSSIBLE. TALKED TO DEALERSHIP 3 TIMES..STILL WAITING FOR DECISION AS OF 7-29-05. I AM ON DISABILITY AND DO NOT DRIVE MUCH. NOW,I AM AFRAID OF AIR BAGS DEPLOYING ACCIDENTALLY OR NOT AT ALL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM DISAPPOINTED IN LACK OF CONCERN . DO I HAVE TO BE IN ACCIDENT BEFORE ACKNOWLEDGE OF THIS POTENTIAL PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THE SONATAS ON THE ROAD?40,019 MILEAGE AT TIME OF PROBLEM. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE SIDE /CURTAIN AIRBAG ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE DEPLOYED WITHOUT ANY ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY STATE THE COMPUTER READ THERE HAD BEEN AN ACCIDENT. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AT THEIR EXPENSE, BUT THE CONTACT COULD NOT FIND A DEALERSHIP TO DO THE WORK. THERE HAVE BEEN NO CORRECTIONS MADE TO THE VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. *AK

AFTER STARTING THE VEHICLE THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WOULD REMAIN ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *NM THE AIR BAG HARNESS WAS REPLACED ONCE IN JULY 2002 UNDER WARRANTY. NOW THE SENSOR HAS TO BE REPLACED. *NM

HYUNDAI SONATA HAS FRONT AND SIDE AIRBAGS. THEY DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN THE SONATA WAS T BONED ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. *JB

AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY WHEN VEHICLE WAS IN A FRONT IMPACT ACCIDENT AT 30 MILES PER HOUR. *NM

VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION AND AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER STATED THAT A RECALL WAS REPAIRED FOR THE AIRBAG.

WHILE TRAVELING 55 TO 60 MPH, THE CONSUMER HIT AN ANIMAL THAT HAD STOPPED IN THE ROAD AND NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *AK ALL FIVE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. IT WAS A HORSE, WHICH DIED UPON IMPACT. *PH *JB

THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITH NO WARNING AND NO IMPACT.*JB

I PURCHASED A NEW 2000 HYUNDAI SONATA GLS FROM SCHAUMBURG HYUNDAI (IL) IN NOVEMBER 2000, AND HAD EXISTING DAMAGE OR TRAFFIC CRASHES WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL ON 10/07/2002, WHEN I WAS FORCED OFF THE ROADWAY BY A TRUCK AND STRUCK THE SIDE OF A ROCKY MOUNTAIN HEAD-ON. THE FORCE WAS ENOUGH TO BEND THE MIDDLE OF THE CAR'S FRAME AND TOTAL THE CAR. I WAS THRUST VIOLENTLY FORWARD AT IMPACT, AND SUFFERED MINOR NECK AND BACK INJURIES, AND HAD BEEN PROPERLY USING THE SEATBELT. HOWEVER, NONE OF THE CAR'S FRONT OR SIDE AIR BAGS DEFLATED AT TIME OF IMPACT. THIS CONCERNS ME GREATLY SINCE I AM A POLICE OFFICER AND AWARE OF PRODUCT DEFECTS, AND RECALLS WHICH EFFECT PUBLIC SAFETY. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SCHAUMBURG HYUNDAI DEALER AND ALSO HYUNDAI MOTOR FINANCE, NEITHER OF WHICH RESPONDED FAVORABLY TO THIS CONCERN. I GUESS IT MUST ACTUALLY TAKE A DEATH TO GET THEIR PROPER ATTENTION! I CHECKED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND REGRETABLLY LOCATED SIMILAR COMPLAINTS BY OTHER CONSUMERS.