2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AIR BAG SENSOR WORKED INTERMITTENTLY WITH SOMEONE SITTING IN THE SEAT. CONSUME CONTACTED THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES. DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS THE COVER THAT WAS ON THE SEAT. AND THEN SAID IT WAS THE WAY THE CONSUMER WAS SITTING. HOWEVER THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

I PURCHASED A 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA IN SEPTEMBER 2004. I HAVE HAD LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE VEHICLE. I DRIVE TO WORK AT 4:30 AM. ONE MORNING, I TOOK A DIFFERENT ROUTE. THERE WERE BARRIER POLES PLANTED IN THE ROAD. I DID NOT SEE THEM UNTIL THE VERY LAST MINUTE. I SWERVED TO AVOID THEM. AT THE TOLL PLAZA, THE POLICE PULLED ME TO THE SIDE AND TOLD ME MY LIGHTS WERE OFF. THE SWITCH WAS ON, BUT THERE WERE NO HEADLIGHTS. SINCE THEN, A NUMBER OF DRIVERS SIGNALED TO ME THAT MY LIGHTS WERE OFF. I WAS AGAIN STOPPED BY THE POLICE AND TOLD MY LIGHTS WERE OFF. MY LIGHT SWITCH WAS IN THE ON POSITION. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR SERVICE AND THEY REPLACED THE ALTERNATOR. I STILL DO NOT FEEL THE LOW BEAM LIGHTS ARE BRIGHT ENOUGH. ANY HELP YOU COULD OFFER WOULD BE APPRECIATED. THANK YOU DIANNE C. BURGER. *AK

MY 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA PASSENGER AIRBAG IS NOT ENABLED EVEN WHEN A PASSENGER WITH TWICE THE ADVERTISED MINIMUM REQUIRED WEIGHT OCCUPIES THE SEAT. A HYUNDAI BULLETIN TELLS PASSENGESR TO SIT STIFF LIKE A MANNEQUIN TO ACTIVATE SENSORS TO ENABLE THE BAG, BUT THAT'S NOT PRACTICAL. HYUNDAI ALSO OFFERS TO REPROGRAM THE SENSORS TO REQUIRE LESS WEIGHT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH DEACTIVATING (PERMANANTLY SHUTTING OFF) THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT. BUT THERE'S NO REASON TO BELIEVE THAT LOWERING THE PROGRAMMED WEIGHT WILL ENABLE THE BAGS SINCE IT ALREADY DOESN'T COME ON WITH 130 POUNDS BUT IS SUPPOSED TO COME ON AT 56 POUNDS. DISABLING THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT IS ONLY AN EFFORT TO MAKE OCCUPANTS UNAWARE AS TO IF THE BAGS ARE ENABLED OR NOT AND THEREBY LESSEN THE BURDEN FOR HYUNDAI. OWNERS SHOULD NOT EXPECT A SOLUTION ANY TIME SOON SINCE THE TECHNOLOGY DOES NOT EXIST THAT KEEPS THE AIRBAGS ON WHEN AN ADULT PASSENGER MAY SQUIRM AROUND, CROSS THEIR LEGS, OR EVEN SIT NORMALLY AT TIMES. A POSITIVE SOLUTION WOULD BE TO RECALL THE VEHICLES TO INSTALL A KEYED SWITCH THAT CAN BE TOGGLED BY THE OWNER, AND ELIMINATE THE SENSORS ALL TOGETHER. AT THIS POINT, ANY CURRENTLY OFFERED SOLUTION BY HYUNDAI, WHICH INCLUDES NOT SITTING IN THE SEAT, OR USING ANOTHER CAR, OR SITTING PERFECTLY STILL, OR HAVING THE "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT DISABLED, IS ONLY DESIGNED TO BENEFIT THE COMPANY AND NOT THE CONSUMER, NOR TO MAKE THE BAGS WORK AS ADVERTISED. [email protected]. *AK

THE AIR BAG LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED, THE AIR BAG LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED AND STAYED ON. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *JB

FAILURE OF PASSENGER AIRBAG SYSTEM TO ARM ITSELF WHEN PASSENGER IN FRONT SEAT IS PRESENT. WARNING ON DASH PANEL SAYS "PASSENGER AIRBAG TURNED OFF". THERE WAS NO INCIDENT, JUST FAILURE TO ARM. DEALER CAN NOT CORRECT PROBLEM, SUGGESTS CONTACT WITH MANUFACTURER WHICH I DID. AM AWAITING REPLY. *JB

SINCE I PURCHASE THE CAR IN AORIL OF 2004, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG INDICATOR CONTINUES TO READ AIR BAG OFF WHEN A PASSENGER IS SEATED IN THE FRONT SEAT WHO WEIGHS OVER 56.4 POUNDS THROUGH ABOUT 160 POUNDS. THIS IS RECALL NUMBER 03V322000, HYUNDAI RECALL NO. 062. THE MANUFACUTURER WILL NOT FIX THE PROBLEM UNLESS I SIGN A RELEASE WHICH DOES NOT INCIDATE ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIR BAG WORKING WITH SOMEONE SEATED IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WEIGHING MORE THAN 56.4 POUNDS. THEY WANT ME TO WAIVE MY RIGHTS, NOT TELLING ME THE PARAMETERS THEY WILL RESET THE COMPUTER TO ACTIVATE THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IF NECESSARY. I HAVE A COPY OF THE AGREEMENT THEY WANT TO TO SIGN. ALONG WITH A LETTER I SENT THEM DATED 10/18/2004. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, THIS IS A PROBLEM ON ALL THEIR 2004 MODELS. PLEASE HELP ME.*AK

REGARDING: 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA GT THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. THE 2004 ELANTRA CONTAINS A SENSOR IN THE SEAT THAT DISABLES THAT PASSENGER SEAT IF THE WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGER IS LESS THAN A CERTAIN WEIGHT. A "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" LIGHT ILLUMINATES TO INDICATE WHEN THIS IS OCCURRING. SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE (4/29/2004), IT HAS BEEN FOUND THAT THIS LIGHT ILLUMINATES WITH ADULT PASSENGER'S IN THIS SEAT. THIS HAPPENS WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF INDIVIDUALS, SOME WELL OVER 150 LB. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN IN THE NEWS IN THE FOLLOWING LOCATIONS THAT I HAVE FOUND: 1) JUNE 24, 2004 EDITION OF AUTOTECH DAILY (HAMPTON AUTOBEAT LLC) IN AN ARTICLE ENTITLED "ELANTRA SMART AIRBAG TOO SMART?" 2) ABC STORY: HTTP://ABCNEWS.GO.COM/BUSINESS/STORY?ID=89770&PAGE=1 3) CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM: TTP://WWW.CONSUMERAFFAIRS.COM/NEWS04/HYUNDAI_AIRBAG.HTML AS THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I FOUND VERY TROUBLING AND UNSAFE, I WOULD APPRECIATE IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE IN RESOLVING THIS PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO TWO (2) DIFFERENT HYUNDAI DEALERS FOR SERVICE, BUT ACCORDING TO THEM, THE SYSTEM IS WORKING AS DESIGNED. *JB

MY 19 YEARS OLD DAUGHTER'S WEIGHT IS NOT LESS THAN 56.4 POUND. IT SHOWED DISPLAYED "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" WHILE THE SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. I THINK THE ALIGNMENT OF OCS IS OFF. IT NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFICS SET FOR 56.4 OR LESS. I THINK THE CAR SETTING IS HIGHER THAN 56.4 POUNDS. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY DEALER DURING THE 7500 MILE SERVICE AND I MENTIONED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM TO SERVICE MANAGER. I GOT A RESPONSE FROM THEM ON THE INVOICE. INVOICE SAYS "TESTED SYSTEM OUT WORKING TO FACTORY SPECS" I WAS SO UPSET THAT THEY DON'T BE BOTHER TO CHECK INTO THE DETAILS. THE HYUNDIA REPRESENTATIVE, MS. MUARA T. DOWD (DISTRICT PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER IN JAMESBURG, NJ) GAVE ME AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A MECHANIC TO SHOW ME WHAT HE HAVE DONE. WHAT I HAVE OBSERVED HIM. HE JUST PLUG HIS COMPUTER UNDER THE DRIVER. AND SHOWED ME THE COMPUTER FOUND NO PROBLEM RELATED TO THE AIRBAG. THAT'S ALL HE DO THE JOB AND LEAVE. NOT EVEN BOTHER TO CHECK INTO THIS MATTER. MS. DOWD TOLD ME THAT SHE HAVE SOMETHING TO FAX ME LATER ON. I FOUND OUT THAT THEY OFFERED ME TO SIGN THE WAIVE SOME SPECIFICS RELATED TO LIABILITY RELATED TO REPROGRAMMING IT. I FELT IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO DO THAT. I GOT A FAX FROM YOU REGARDING OCS REPROGRAMMING AUTHORIZATION. I THINK THAT IT IS NOT RIGHT FOR GETTING ME TO AUTHORIZE FOR REPROGRAMMING. I THINK IT NEEDS TO MAKE A CORRECT ADJUSTMENT ACCORDING TO YOUR COMPANY'S SPECIFICS TO 56 POUNDS OR LESS. I THINK IT IS NOT RIGHT AND I WOULD LIKE IT TO MAKE THE CORRECTION ON THIS PART. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM. WHAT I FOUND.... REFERENCE TO THE 2004 ELANTRA OWNER'S MANUAL SECTION "OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM" (SECTION 1 - PAGE 36-37). IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE LIGHTER THAN 56.4 POUNDS (25.G KG) THE INDICATOR "PASSENGER AIRBAG OFF" WILL BE DISPLAYED, AND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S AIRBAG WILL BE TURNED OFF AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IN FRONTAL CRASHES. *JB

THE AIR BAG SEAT SENSOR KEPT SHOWING NO PASSENGER IN THE SEAT, WHICH INDICATED THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. MANUFACTURER STATED THE CONSUMER SHOULD MAKE CONTACT TO HAVE THE BAG DEACTIVATED. CONSUMER DID NOT WISH TO HAVE THIS DONE.*AK