11 of the
82 complaints about the 1997 Hyundai Accent are about the
airbag system — 13% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
62,500 miles.
DEAR SIR I WOULD LIKE TO BRING THE SURPRISING ISSUE IN FRONT OF YOU RELATED TO HYUNDAI ACCENT I HAVE BEEN DRIVING FOR MORE THAN A YEAR NOW. I WAS DRIVING THIS CAR ON THE 401 EAST HIGHWAY, ONTARIO, CANADA ON 16TH DECEMBER 2007 AT 2.35 P.M. MY WIFE AND MY LITTLE ONE AND A HALF YEAR DAUGHTER WERE ALSO ACCOMPANYING ME. I WAS COMING FROM WINDSOR AND HEADING TOWARDS TORONTO. SUDDENLY THE AIR BAG OF THE DRIVER SEAT BLEW UP WITHOUT ANY COLLISION OF MY CAR WITH ANY THING. I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH THAT I WAS DRIVING IN THE RIGHT LANE AND MANAGED TO BRING MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVING LANE. DUE TO ALMIGHTY'S GRACE NO CAR WAS FOLLOWING ME OTHERWISE THAT WOULD HAVE LEAD TO A DISASTER. I WAS AMAZED TO SEE THIS IN FRONT OF MY EYES THAT HOW COULD AIRBAG OF THE CAR BLEW UP WITHOUT ANY COLLISION. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THIS WOULD HAVE SURPRISED YOU TOO THAT HOW COULD YOU MANUFACTURE SUCH A DREADFUL VEHICLE IN WHICH THE PARTS ACTIVATE AT THE WRONG TIME AND COULD LEAD TO ACCIDENTS INSTEAD OF ACTIVATING FOR THE SAFETY OF PASSENGERS. I AM THANKFUL TO 911 EMERGENCY THAT THEY CAME ON TIME AND TOOK US OUT OF THE SITUATION AND WE MANAGED TO REACH BACK HOME SAFELY. I IMPRESS UPON YOU TO LOOK INTO THIS SERIOUS ISSUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. I AM ALSO INTERESTED TO BRING THIS ISSUE TO OTHER CAR MANUFACTURERS AND LEGAL DEPARTMENTS WHICH HAVE AUTHORIZED YOU TO MANUFACTURE CARS WITHOUT TAKING THESE THINGS INTO CONSIDERATION AND THE PASSENGERS HAVE TO PUT THERE LIVES ON RISK DUE TO YOUR SHEER NEGLIGENCE. I WOULD LIKE YOU TO COMPENSATE ME FOR ALL THE HASSLES AND RISK OF LIFE MY FAMILY AND I HAVE BEEN THROUGH AND PROVIDE ME WITH OTHER CAR WHICH IS FULLY CHECKED. I SPOKE WITH THE REPRESENTATIVE MS. MITCHEL AT THE HYUNDAI AMERICA NO. SHE HAS REGISTERED THIS SERIOUS ISSUE AND ASSIGNED CLAIM NO. 3182613. I WOULD LIKE THIS MAIL TO BE FORWARDED TO THE CONCERNED PERSON AS SOON AS POSSIBLE SO THAT THEY CAN LOOK INTO THIS MATTER SERIOUSLY. THANKS AND REGARDS RAJAN MALHOTRA
NHTSA complaint #10212307 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 65,000 milesPhiladelphia, PACrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HAD AN ACCIDENT. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS INJURED. ALSO, CONSUMER STATED THAT THE GUIDING ARM WAS VERY WEAK. THIS CAUSED PROBLEMS WITH THE STEERING.
NHTSA complaint #10101835 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 60,000 milesMesa, AZ
AIR BAGS
THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT STAYED ON CONTINUOUSLY. THE CONSUMER IS CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY CAUSE PREMATURE DEPLOYMENT OR NONE DEPLOYMENT OF THE AIR BAG. THE DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK *NLM
NHTSA complaint #10026636 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Derby, CTCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
WHILE STOPPING, WAS REARENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AND PUSHED FORWARD, AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER INJURED AND VEHICLE WAS TOTALED.*AK CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY SMASHED. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #8005082 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Manassas, VACrash
AIR BAGS
ON OR ABOUT MARCH 4, 2000, THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT, AT WHICH TIME THE DRIVER REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30-35 MPH. BOTH THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. SOON THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED. AFTER TAKING TO FARRISH IN MANASSAS, VIRGINIA, IT WAS REPORTED THAT THE COMPUTER INDICATED THAT I THE ENGINE WAS OUT OF TIME. THE TIMING BELT WAS REPLACED AND DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM. I WAS THEN TOLD I NEEDED A TUNE-UP, WHICH WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DONE AND DID NOT CURE THE PROBLEM, WHICH LEADS TO MY BELIEF THAT THERE IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THE EMISSIONS CONTROL SYSTEM. THE CAR NOW HEATS AND GETS HOT TO THE TOUCH AT THE FLOOR BOARD. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN CONTACTED AND HAS FAILED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. I PLAN TOMORROW TO REVOKE MY ACCEPTANCE OF THE VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #732192 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Holly Ridge, NCCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS
VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENT. DRIVER'S SIDE IMPACT. PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED FIRST. DRIVER, MY DAUGHTER STRUCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG THEN DEPLOYED BURNING BOTH ARMS OF MY DAUGHTER. NO FRONTAL CONTACT AT ALL.
NHTSA complaint #729118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Virgina Beach, VACrash
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER'S VEHICLE REAR ENDED ANOTHER VEHICLE AT 20 MPH, AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. DEALER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #861632 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sheboygan, WI
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON A AIRBAG ON/OFF SWITCH
NHTSA complaint #703984 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Sheboygan, WI
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
THIS IS A REQUEST FOR ADDITIONAL INFO FOR ON/OFF SWITCH FOR AIRBAGS
NHTSA complaint #703985 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Belleville, NJ
AIR BAGS:ON-OFF SWITCH ASSEMBLY
OWNER DENIED AN AIRBAG CUTOFF SWITCH BY MANUFACTURER. REQUEST WAS MADE TO ALLOW A TODDLER TO RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.
NHTSA complaint #540130 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Joplin, MOCrash1 injured
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
CONSUMER'S SON WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35MPH WHEN HE REAR ENDED A PONTIAC. THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SLOWLY INFLATED. THE BLOCK DID NOT MOVE PROPERLY, IT WAS STUCK ON THE LEFT SIDE, ALLOWING THE AIR BAG TO INFLATE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DRIVER. THE DRIVER WAS THROWN INTO THE WINDSHIELD, THE PASSENGER SIDE BAG DID DEPLOY PROPERLY. ALSO, DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK UPON IMPACT. VEHICLE WAS TOTALLED.
NHTSA complaint #830333 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.