# 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA — AIR BAGS
> NHTSA complaint `991900` · 2013-07-07 · Hyundai Motor America
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** HYUNDAI
- **Model:** ELANTRA
- **Year:** 2012
- **Manufacturer:** Hyundai Motor America
- **Component:** AIR BAGS
- **Miles at failure:** 32,000
- **Speed:** 5 mph
## Narrative
MY 2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA WAS HIT IN WHAT I BELIEVE IS KNOWN AS THE B-PILLAR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE (THE CENTER COLUMN BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR DOORS).I AM UNCERTAIN HOW FAST THE OTHER VEHICLE WAS GOING BUT IT WAS FAST ENOUGH TO DO APPROXIMATELY $6000 WORTH OF DAMAGE, AND I SUFFERED A HEAD AND BACK INJURY.THANKFULLY I DID NOT HAVE ANY PASSENGERS OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED.I NORMALLY HAVE BOTH OF MY CHILDREN IN THE REAR SEAT BUT THEY WERE NOT WITH ME AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.I HAVE BEEN GIVEN SEVERAL EXPLANATIONS AS TO WHY THE SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY, NONE OF WHICH MAKE SENSE TO ME.I UNDERSTAND THAT AIRBAGS THEMSELVES CAN CAUSE HARM AND THEY ARE DESIGNED ONLY TO DEPLOY WHEN NEEDED.  WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE IMPACT POINT ON MY VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE AT EXACTLY THE POINT OF THE SENSOR IN THAT PILLAR (ACCORDING TO THE ILLUSTRATION IN MY OWNER'S MANUAL).I RECOGNIZE THAT MY CAR CAN SENSE WHETHER I HAVE A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, BUT I AM NOT AWARE OF A SENSOR BEING IN THE REAR SEAT. I WORRY ABOUT WHAT THE RESULT WOULD HAVE BEEN IF ONE OF MY CHILDREN HAD BEEN IN THAT REAR SEAT.MY VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE SO I HAD TO LEAVE IT AT A BODY SHOP THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.I AM UNABLE TO TRANSPORT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND THE DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THEY ARE UNABLE TO INSPECT IT AT THE BODY SHOP.THEY TELL ME TO BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION AFTER THE REPAIR.THE BODY SHOP TELLS ME THEY HAVE TO RELY ON THE VEHICLE'S COMPUTER SYSTEM TO DISPLAY A PROBLEM IF THERE IS ONE
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*