2006 Sonata "air bag" dashboard light came on

We have a 2006 sonata that we purchased used from a Hyundai dealer about 1
year ago (it was a lease turn in). It has about 40,000 miles on it.
Yesterday, I while driving, the red "air bag" dashboard light came on.
There was nobody in the passenger seat, and the "passenger air bag" was
"off". I was on my way home (only a few blocks away), so when I got home, I
turned the car off, waited a minute then re-started it. The air bag light
came one and stayed on, so I turned the car off.

A little while later I needed to move the car, and when I started it, the
air bag light behaved like the other lights, on for a few seconds at start
up, then off.

I figure if it comes back, I'll contact the dealer, but I did some internet
searching and saw some references to a recall in the air bag sensor in the
2006 Sonata. Was there a recall on this? Since we just got it last year, I
would think any recall would have already been done by the dealer.

We're on our 4th Hyundai from the same dealer, so we have a pretty good
trust level with them, but I figure any information I can get would help. I
checked the HMAService site and didn't see anything.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Mike O.

 

I don't recall if this was a recall, but I had the same problem with my
2006 Sonata and it was caused by the clockspring. Mine was covered
under warranty or maybe it was a recall, but I know it didn't cost me
anything for the repair.

There was also a more recent recall for the brake light switch so you
may wish to check to see that this recall was performed also. The risk
is that the switch quits working and you get rear-ended since your brake
lights won't work.

Matt

 

There are a few recalls for the 2006 Sonata including the airbags and
brakes. Here's the site to see them: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/

Middle of the page, under the green box that says "Check For Recalls"
click on "Search our recall database" and go from there.

 

There was recall on my 2001 Elantra to replace the air bag
wiring connectors and relocate them, they are under the front passenger
seat.
Wiring seems to be a problem with this car, the electric
door locks started acting up at about 5 years. Out of warranty
although it was known problem to the dealers, apparently due to
wear and tear where the wire harness exits the door frame.

 

Thanks.

Well, we used it several times today and it never came back on, so maybe it
was just a fluke. Either way, I'll call the dealer in the next day or two,
if it's a known issue, maybe they'll just take care of the spring.

I'll check into the brake light one, thanks.

Mike O.

 

The only recall I found was relating to the passenger side airbag system,
where it would mis-read a small adult as a child and disable the airbag.
Nothing that indicates the warning light to be triggered.

 

I noticed that too. Try checking under your seat the next time it comes
on. On the elantra if something gets under the seat and pushes against
the airbag connector there it turns on the light. I've had a water
bottle get under there before and do that.

 

The same light came on on my 07 Santa Fe last year. The dealer
determined that it was a problem in the fuse/circuit breaker box in
the engine compartment. I believe they had to replace the whole thing.
In any case it was fixed under warranty and the light has not come
back on. This repair also fixed an intermittent problem I had been
having with the ambient temperature display.

 

The recall to which you refer is to reprogram the passenger seat
bottom. This is in response to certain smaller people not causing the
"passenger air bag off" warning to go out. According to the bulletin,
Hyundai recommends the reprogramming only if the lamp doesn't go out
for one or more of your passengers, but will do it upon request.

 

Forgot to add-- seat belt buckles are a common problem.

 

The recall to which you refer is to reprogram the passenger seat
bottom. This is in response to certain smaller people not causing the
"passenger air bag off" warning to go out. According to the bulletin,
Hyundai recommends the reprogramming only if the lamp doesn't go out
for one or more of your passengers, but will do it upon request.

 

The recall to which you refer is to reprogram the passenger seat
bottom. This is in response to certain smaller people not causing the
"passenger air bag off" warning to go out. According to the bulletin,
Hyundai recommends the reprogramming only if the lamp doesn't go out
for one or more of your passengers, but will do it upon request.

Thanks everyone who commented. It's never happened since, and I never got
around to contacting the dealer, so at this point, I'll probably just wait
and see what happens..

 

I checked my records and my clockspring failed and was fixed under
warranty, but was not a recall. The failure caused the airbag light to
come on though.

Matt