NHTSA Complaint #10091003 — 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS NOT ACTIVATED WHEN MY WIFE OF 120# IS SEATED IN MY 2004 HYUNDAI ELANTRA. THIS HAS OCCURRED FROM THE TIME I ACQUIRED THE VEHICLE. I TOOK THE CAR IN AND WAS GIVEN THE RUN-AROUND IN THAT THERE WAS NOT A FIX. ON YOUR SITE YOU STATE THAT THE REMEDY IS A RE-PROGRAMING BY THE DEALER. THE MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR AT THE DEALER HAS NOT HEARD OF THAT. I ACQUIRED THIS CAR AS A RESULT OF MY 2001 ELANTRA BEING TOTALED IN AN ACCIDENT THAT ACTIVATED BOTH OF THE FRONT AIR BAGS, WHICH I CONSIDER PREVENTED SERIOUS INJURY TO ME AND MY WIFE. MY LAST CONVERSATION WITH THE SUPERVISOR AT THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE IS A POSIBLE FIX IN THAT THE AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT WOULD BE MODIFIED TO ENABLE DEPLOYMENT AT ALL TIMES. HE ALSO STATED THAT I WOULD HAVE TO SIGN A WAIVER IF THEY WERE TO DO SO. THIS IS BEYOND ME. I DON'T KNOW HOW ANYONE COULD DESIGN A SYSTEM WITHOUT THE MEANS TO CALIBRATE IT FOR PEOPLE WITH NARROW REARS. THE AIR BAG SENSOR IS SUPPOSED TO BE ENABLED FOR WEIGHTS GREATER THAT 56# AS STATED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. A 60# INDIVIDUAL IS NOT VERY WIDE.