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air bags?

7 years ago

This morning on way to school. A little after 6:30 and still fairly dark. On busy road... 2 lanes in either direction, always decent amount of traffic. Passenger side, side air bag "deploys"!! Almost scared the you-know-what out of me. Pretty much stayed in my lane but easily could have had a tractor trailer or school bus beside me. Aid bag neatly ripped the seam in upholstery from top to bottom and is now just kinda dangling in front seat.

I did a little googling to see if any recall... '04, Hyundai Sante Fe. Nothing I could find but places I went to only asked for VIN and no make/model/year? Going to stop at mechanic's tomorrow and see what they say. It's hard driving while holding your BREATH!! Until I know what the story is, I really don't want ANY of them working?!?

Even went back out into parking lot to take a closer look. Thinking maybe a deer had run into the side and the air bag "distracted" me, but nothing on outside. Have you ever had that happen... NO collision or impact at all.

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Comments (11)

User
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Wow, glad you're OK. That's downright frightening and dangerous.

Have you contacted Hyundai?

Has your car had a recall?

You need to notify and report this.

NHTSA
hayri_gw
7 years ago
The vin includes vehicle year, make and model. Agree you need to report. Glad no accident occurred.
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Sounds like an awful experience, jemdandy. I'm glad you were uninjured. We have deer in my neighborhood too and I dislike having them around. They're a nuisance - eating ornamental plants, carrying (and dropping) ticks, and creating road danger for motorists (and for the deer). The reduction of natural predators on the edge of inhabited areas has allowed deer populations to grow too high. Perhaps some day a viable and inexpensive contraceptive means will be available to humanely limit populations without having to cull or euthanize living animals. Note, a friend of mine just had an accident. Even though he was at fault, his insurance coverage provided for 20 days of rental car reimbursement. He got a check in the mail from his agent 3 days after the accident for $1000 (50 X 20) - you perhaps have that coverage too and could have resorted to using a rental car for your trip if your car hadn't been serviceable or if you'd wanted to accelerate its repair.
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Jasdip
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Yikes!!! I'm sure glad you're okay!! I've driven a Hyundai for 15 years and I've never heard of anything like this. Good luck getting to the bottom of it.
socks
7 years ago
I would think a trip to the dealership would be best. That is very frightening. So glad you are ok, except shattered nerves.
moonie_57 (8 NC)
7 years ago
Wow, so scary! Glad you werent hurt!
DawnInCal
7 years ago
Geeeez, that must have been frightening! Glad that you are ok. I'd be afraid to drive the car until it's checked out in case the driver's air bag decides to deploy. Keep us updated!
lindaohnowga
7 years ago
Thankful you are okay, although scared out of your wits. I feel like DawninCal, I'd be afraid to drive that car. I hope you get answers soon and the problem gets fixed.
golfergrrl
7 years ago
Friends of mine driver's airbag went off for seemingly no reason. Finds out later that he ran over something in the road and that set it off.
jemdandy
7 years ago
The passenger side air bag should not have deployed if there was no weight in the front passenger seat. I do not know when they started putting weight detecting switches under the right front seat, but I think that most late model cars have those. On my 2010 Honda CR-V, I have a light in the center of the dash that comes on when the passenger side dash bag is off.

Look around on the internet. There has been other instances in other models when that bag deployed and should not have. Those have generated recalls.
PRO
MDLN
7 years ago
Website to search for recalls

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchSafetyIssues?type=EQUIPMENT&SearchType=DrillDown&step=2

Please notify NHTSA's (vehicle safety hotline 888.327.4236) about the malfunction, so they can track it, it may save somones life.
jemdandy
7 years ago
Go to this link to see a variety of problems associated with air bags on the 2004 Hundai Santa Fe.

http://www.arfc.org/complaints/2004/hyundai/santa_fe/air_bags/problem.aspx

Apparently, Hyundai dealers are not fixing this air bag problem if the vehicle is out of warranty, although it is my opinion that it is a serious enough issue that the company should be doing something. Others with this problem have been quoted large sums of money to repair. The problem may be in the wiring harness or the switch under the front passenger seat. Below is a note that tells you how to contact NHTSA directly. Maybe if enough people complain to NHTSA, it may cause action. Keep a good record, one good enough to back up a law suit in case of injury.

Taken from web site: Complaints 2004 Hyundai Santa Fe

"Car problem(s) with the 2004 HYUNDAI SANTA FE.
This database includes information received by NHTSA from consumers
either directly or as recorded by the Vehicle Safety Hotline. This
information may be used by NHTSA during the investigation process.
You may file your own complaint by calling the NHTSA Monday-Friday 8am
to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153. You can also file your complaint online."

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