2009 Hyundai Elantra Air Bags Problems

NHTSA component category: AIR BAGS · data through 07/12/2026

40Air Bags complaints

16.2%Of all 247 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

STEERING127 · 51.4%

AIR BAGS40 · 16.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM23 · 9.3%

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL17 · 6.9%

SERVICE BRAKES17 · 6.9%

Share of the 247 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra overview page.

What owners report

“AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT ON THE DASH CAME ON, WAS RESET, AND CAME BACK ON CONSTANTLY AND REPORTED TO LIKELY NOT WORK PROPERLY. IT'S EXPECTED TO…”NHTSA complaint 10990695 — filed 05/20/2017

“THE INDICATOR LIGHT FOR AIR BAGS CAME ON AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MIGHT HAVE CAUSED IT AS MY WIFE AND I ARE VERY…”NHTSA complaint 10927565 — filed 11/22/2016

“DRIVING HOME WITH NO PASSANGER AND PASSENGER AIR BAG DEPLOYED BREAKING WINDSHIELD .”NHTSA complaint 10896125 — filed 08/15/2016

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

Air Bags complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2009 Hyundai Elantra have air bags problems?

Air Bags is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2009 Hyundai Elantra: 40 of 247 complaints on file (16.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2009 Hyundai Elantra have in total?

247 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 28 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 24 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 07/12/2026.