NHTSA Complaint #10164112 — 2004 HYUNDAI TIBURON

MY AIRBAGS BLEW IN A VERY LOW IMPACT ACCIDENT (5 MPH). MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY UNDAMAGED FROM THE IMPACT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A BROKEN LICENSE PLATE BRACKET AND DAMAGE TO MY INTERIOR, CAUSED BY THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYING. ACCORDING TO MY AUTOMOBILES USER MANUAL, THE AIRBAGS ARE ONLY MADE TO DEPLOY ON HIGH SPEED IMPACT, WHICH WAS NOT THE CASE IN MY ACCIDENT. I WENT THROUGH HYUNDAI'S COMPLAINT AND RESOLUTION PROCEDURE, BECAUSE I FELT THAT THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE GONE OFF. I ALSO TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC AND A HYUNDAI MECHANIC, AND THEY BOTH AGREED THAT, JUDGING BY THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE EXTERIOR OF MY CAR (BROKEN LICENSE PLATE BRACKET). THE AIRBAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE WENT OFF. HYUNDAI CLAIMED THE AIRBAGS FUNCTIONED PROPERLY, AND CLOSED THE FILE. I STARTED SEARCHING FOR A NEW DASHBOARD, AND I WAS TOLD REPEATEDLY THAT THE AIRBAGS WERE SENSITIVE AND WENT OFF VERY EASILY. MY PERSONAL MECHANIC STANDS FIRM THAT MY AIR BAGS SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. THERE WAS LITERALLY NO DAMAGE TO MY CAR FROM THIS LOW IMPACT ACCIDENT, EXCEPT THE DEPLOYED AIRBAGS AND BROKEN LICENSE PLATE BRACKET. ALL THE DAMAGE WAS CAUSED BY THE AIRBAGS. MY MECHANIC AND ALL THE SALVAGE YARDS I HAVE SPOKEN TO CLAIM THE SENSOR IS OVERLY SENSITIVE. HYUNDAI''S MANUAL STRESSES OVER AND OVER, THAT THE AIRBAGS WILL ONLY DEPLOY ON HIGH IMPACT. WHEN I CALLED HYUNDAI TO ASK WHAT THE VEHICLE IMPACT THRESHOLD LEVEL IS FOR THE AIRBAGS, THEY COULD NOT TELL ME. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, AND I FOUND SEVERAL OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE AIRBAGS NOT FUNCTIONING CORRECTLY. HYUNDAI SHOULD BE RECALLING THESE, AS THEY DO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY, AND THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH THEIR AIR BAGS GOING OFF. .THEIR ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT HAVE HAD TO FORK OUT MONEY FROM THEIR OWN POCKETS BECAUSE OF THIS, OR HAVE HAD TO CLAIM THIS ON THEIR INSURANCE. IT JUST IS NOT RIGHT, AND I WOULD LIKE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. PLEASE HELP. SINCERELY, TAMARA THORNTON. *NM