2005 Hyundai ELANTRA: complaints, problems and recalls

THE PASSENGER'S AIR BAG SENSOR WILL NOT ENGAGE IF THE WEIGHT CAPACITY IS NOT MET, WHICH MEANS THAT THE AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. CONTACTED THE DEALER,, AND WAS TOLD TO BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE OR SIT THE PASSENGER IN THE BACK SEAT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10111474 at NHTSA ↗

OWNER OF A 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA REPORTING VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *BF THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED SUDDEN ACCELERATION ON TWO OCCASIONS. THE FIRST COLLISION ENDED WITHOUT VISIBLE DAMAGE. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED SUDDENLY IT COLLIDED INTO A FIRE TRUCK DAMAGING THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUEST THAT THE DEALER TAKE THE CAR BACK AND REFUND THE MONEY PAID. *NM

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10113125 at NHTSA ↗

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG OFF INDICATOR LIGHT COMES ON SPORADICALLY IN OUR NEW 2005 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WHEN PEOPLE ARE SITTING IN THE SEAT. MY WIFE WEIGHS IN EXCESS ON 190 POUNDS AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AT LEAST 5 TIMES DURING A TRIP OF 124 MILES IN EARLY MARCH AND HAS COME ON ONCE OR TWICE DURING TRIPS OF 26 MILES TO THE GROCERY STORE. WE TOOKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING SINCE THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

Owner-reported narrative. 354 miles reported. Look up ODI 10114829 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER'S AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY STAYED ON. PASSENGER'S WEIGHT REQUIREMENT FOR THE SEAT WAS SPECIFIED IN THE MANUAL, HOWEVER, THE LIGHT WOULD NOT GO OFF. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FOUND A RECALL ON THE AIR BAG SOFTWARE. PER THE RECALL THE TECHNICIAN REPROGRAMMED THE AIR BAG SENSOR AND THE LIGHT WENT OFF. CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED BECAUSE HE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM .*AK *BF *NM

Owner-reported narrative. 1,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10115483 at NHTSA ↗

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 DEP…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116136 at NHTSA ↗

THE PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR IS FAULTY. THE AIRBAG OFF LIGHT CONSISTENTLY TURNS ON EVEN THOUGH THERE IS AN ADULT IN THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THEY ARE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM ,AND THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO.*AK

Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10116459 at NHTSA ↗

PASSENGER AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY SINCE PURCHASE IN NOVEMBER 2004. HYUNDAI SENT TECH TO REPROGRAM AIRBAG SENSOR IN FEBRUARY 2005 AND NOW WORKS FOR MY SON WHO WEIGHTS 135 LBS, BUT STILL DOES NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY OR CONSISTENTLY WHEN MY DAUGHTER WHO IS 19 AND WEIGHTS 105 LBS SITS ON THE PASSENGER SEAT. TODAY APRIL 15, 2005 WHEN I COMPLAINED AGAIN TO HYUNDAI, I WAS TOLD THE ELANTRA CONFORMS WITH US GOVERNMENT STANDARDS. DOES THE US GOVERNMENT SANCTION OR APPROVE THE USE OF AIRBAG SENSORS THAT FAIL TO PROTECT THE LIVES OF…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10116753 at NHTSA ↗

DT: THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON APRIL 1, 2005. DURING THE ACCIDENT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE SEAT BELTS ALSO FAILED TO LOCK DURING IMPACT. *NM *SB

Owner-reported narrative. 6,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10119984 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-04-28 (April 28, 2005)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH THREADED PORTIONS OF THE STEERING GEARBOX ASSEMBLY'S LEFT AND RIGHT INNER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLIES THAT CONTAIN INTERNAL CRACKS IN THE MATERIAL STRUCTURE.

Consequence: IF THE INNER BALL JOINT ASSEMBLY WAS TO BREAK AS A RESULT OF THE INTERNAL CRACK, THE TIE ROD END ASSEMBLY WOULD NOT LONGER BE ATTACHED TO THE STEERING GEAR BOX. THIS WOULD PREVENT STEERING CONTROL OF THAT FRONT WHEEL BY THE SEPARATED TIE ROD WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STEERING GEARBOX ASSEMBLIES ON THESE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. OWNERS WERE CONTACTED BY TELEPHONE BEGINNING ON APRIL 8, 2005, AND INSTRUCTED NOT TO DRIVE THEIR VEHICLES. HYUNDAI WILL ARRANGE TO PICK UP AND RETURN THEIR VEHICLES AFTER REPAIR. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2005-09-12 (September 12, 2005)

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. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.

Reported: 2005-10-17 (October 17, 2005)

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. IF THERE HAS NOT BEEN A 'KEY ON' ' KEY OFF' CYCLE WITH THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER SEAT EMPTY PRIOR TO INSTALLATION OF THE CRS.

Consequence: THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.

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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.

Reported: 2009-07-21 (July 21, 2009)

HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,011 MODEL YEAR 2005-2007 ELANTRA, TUCSON, SONATA, AZERA AND ACCENT VEHICLES. A MALFUNCTIONING STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO FAIL TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR MAY CAUSE THE BRAKE LIGHTS TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. A DEFECTIVE STOP LAMP SWITCH MAY ALSO AFFECT THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKE-TRANSMISSION SHIFT INTERLOCK FEATURE SO THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO BE SHIFT OUT OF THE "PARK" POSITION. IT MAY ALSO CAUSE THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) MALFUNCTION LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE, AND IT MAY NOT DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED.

Consequence: ANY OF THESE MALFUNCTIONS COULD LEAD TO A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE STOP LAMP SWITCH FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 1-787-999-4310.