Hyundai Recalls Sonata and Elantra Vehicles for Air Bag Defect
Hyundai is recalling specific 2015-2017 Sonata, Sonata Hybrid, and Elantra vehicles because the driver's frontal air bag may fail to fully deploy in a crash.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect where the air bag may fail to deploy, increasing the risk of injury in a crash, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for significant injury risk.
Plain-English summary
Hyundai Motor America is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Sonata vehicles, 2017 Elantra vehicles, and one 2016 Sonata Hybrid vehicle. The recall covers vehicles manufactured between May 29, 2014, and February 22, 2016, with the specific 2016 Sonata Hybrid manufactured on October 15, 2015.
The defect involves the driver's frontal air bag, which may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage of deployment. While the primary stage will deploy as intended, the second stage may not deploy in certain crashes. An air bag that does not fully inflate increases the risk of injury to the driver.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module free of charge. The recall began on May 5, 2016. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
The recalled product
- Product
- HYUNDAI ELANTRA, SONATA HYBRID, SONATA
- Brand
- HYUNDAI
- Manufacturer
- Hyundai Motor America
- Category
- Vehicle — Air Bags
- Affected units
- 33
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (3)
- ELANTRA
- SONATA HYBRID
- SONATA
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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