NHTSA complaint: 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE — AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
MY HUSBAND WAS IN A FRONTAL CRASH WITH THE SIDE OF A SCHOOL BUS AND THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED ON OUR 2002 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WE REPORTED THIS INCIDENT TO HYUNDAI AND THEY SENT AN INDEPENDENT COMPANY OUT TO INVESTIGATE. A FEW WEEKS LATER WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM HYUNDAI TELLING US THE AIRBAGS WERE OPERATIONAL AND MY HUSBAND NEEDED TO USE HIS BREAKS IN ORDER FOR THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THIS IS RIDICULOUS WHAT ARE AIR BAGS GOOD FOR WHEN YOU GET INTO AN ACCIDENT WHERE YOU DON'T HAVE ANY TIME TO REACT. THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME OUR HYUNDAI VEHICLE'S AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. IN 2001, I WAS IN A 65 MPH FRONTAL CRASH WITH A GUARD RAIL ON THE INTERSTATE IN MY 2000 HYUNDAI TIBURON. WHEN I CALLED HYUNDAI THEY TOLD ME I SHOULD HIT THE GUARD RAIL AT A CERTAIN ANGLE. WHAT ANGLE OTHER THAN STRAIGHT ON WILL DEPLOY THE AIRBAGS? I DID NOT PURSUE THE MATTER, WHICH I REGRET NOT DOING BUT KNOWING THAT ANOTHER HYUNDAI VEHICLE WE OWN HAS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT ISSUES I AM AFRAID AS I OWN ANOTHER HYUNDAI VEHICLE. I ASKED HYUNDAI TO INSPECT THE SAFETY OF MY 2006 SONATA BUT THEY HAVE REFUSED. *TR
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation