The 2004 Hyundai Elantra has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 278,452 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 209 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Recall campaigns
AIR BAGS05V4790002005-10-172,105 affected
Defect
CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE…
Consequence
THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 15, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI OF PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.
AIR BAGS05V3950002005-09-12231,160 affected
Defect
CERTAIN VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN ADVANCED AIR BAG SYSTEM. THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) INSTALLED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT OF THE VEHICLE MAY MISCLASSIFY A CHILD RESTRAINT SEAT (CRS) AS AN ADULT. THIS MAY OCCUR IF THE CRS IS INSTALLED AFTER AN ADULT HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. IF THERE…
Consequence
THE POSSIBILITY OF MISCLASSIFICATION OF A CRS AS AN ADULT MAY ALLOW THE RIGHT FRONT AIRBAG OR SIDE IMPACT AIRBAG TO DEPLOY IN A CRASH AND COULD RESULT IN INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT OCCUPANT.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPROGRAM THE VEHICLE'S OCS ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) TO REMOVE THE FEATURE THAT MAY CAUSE THE CRS TO BE RECOGNIZED AS AN ADULT. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) OFFSET FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT FUEL TAN DAMAGE COULD OCCUR. ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP THAT IS LOCATED NEAR THE FUEL TANK MAY NOT BE POSITIONED PROPERLY AND COULD CAUSE FUEL LEAKAGE.
Consequence
FUEL LEAKAGE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE MAY RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EARS AND CORRECTLY POSITION THE CLAMP, IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 5, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI DE PUERTO RICO AT 1-800-981-0188.
DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) OFFSET FRONTAL BARRIER IMPACT TEST ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, FUEL SPILLAGE OCCURRED AS A RESULT OF FUEL TANK DAMAGE CAUSED BY CONTACT BETWEEN A VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR AND THE FUEL TANK. THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR WAS FOUND TO BE MISPOSITIONED AND…
Consequence
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE COULD CAUSE THE MISPOSITIONED CLAMP TO PUNCTURE THE FUEL TANK CAUSING FUEL LEAKAGE. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE POSITION OF THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP AND CORRECTLY POSITION THE CLAMP, IF NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON MAY 24, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT HYUNDAI AT 1-800-633-5151.
AIR BAGS03V3220002003-08-2675 affected
Defect
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, IF THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED OR IS OCCUPIED BY SOMEONE LIGHTER THAN 56.4 POUNDS, THE PASSENGER AIR BAG IS DEACTIVATED AND WILL NOT DEPLOY IF A CRASH OCCURS. HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR MAY INCORRECTLY INTERPRET THAT A SEATED ADULT IS AN INFANT SEAT AND DEACTIVATE…
Consequence
IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURY TO THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER.
Remedy
THE OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SENSOR WILL BE REPROGRAMMED.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
57
16crashes16injuries
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE
34
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL
18
6crashes6injuries
SEAT BELTS
8
1crashes3injuries
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
7
1fires
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
7
SUSPENSION
6
1crashes
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW
5
1crashes1injuries
ENGINE
5
1crashes
CHILD SEAT
4
Total complaints209
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“Rapid rusting of rear subframe cross member. Car rarely gets driven in snow or even bad weather. Went from minimal signs of rust to looking pretty rotted within the past year. Saw recalls on similar hyundai vehicles. Maybe possible the same steel was used, or same lack of corrosion preventative.”
“Rapid rusting of rear subframe cross member. Car rarely gets driven in snow or even bad weather. Went from minimal signs of rust to looking pretty rotted within the past year. Saw recalls on similar hyundai vehicles. Maybe possible the same steel was used, or same lack of corrosion preventative.”
“Vehicle 2004 hyundai involved in accident on the street, this vehicle owner was belted when the accident occurred, the airbags deployed, this vehicle owner sustained severe injuries including fractured vertebrate of lumbar 1 and 2 and fractured ribs, note no other vehicle was involved, this…”
“Srs (airbag) service reminder indicator came on. I went to an auto parts store and they ran an obdii report on a bosch scanner. A b1448 oc (occupant classification) - passenger sensor mat defect came back. This is the same problem that the 2006-2008 hyundai sonatas have a recall on. The front…”
“I have contacted customer care and was told it's standard to remove a front seat and give the car back until they get parts for the recall I feel this could cause air bag systems not to be active and also without the seat the cars ability to hold up in a crash is reduced due to missing components…”
“I have contacted customer care and was told it's standard to remove a front seat and give the car back until they get parts for the recall I feel this could cause air bag systems not to be active and also without the seat the cars ability to hold up in a crash is reduced due to missing components…”
“I have contacted customer care and was told it's standard to remove a front seat and give the car back until they get parts for the recall I feel this could cause air bag systems not to be active and also without the seat the cars ability to hold up in a crash is reduced due to missing components…”
“I was driving to work and suddenly while trying to change lane the steering freezes on me, this happen now for the second time.”
Defect investigations
InvestigationPE04041 Opened 2004-04-16 · closed 2004-07-13
POST-CRASH FUEL TANK LEAK
PE04-041 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE A FUEL LEAK INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) FRONTAL CRASH OFFSET TEST ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLE.THIS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR WAS MISPOSITIONED AND FACING TOWARD THE FUEL TANK, WHICH ENABLED THE VAPOR TUBE…
InvestigationPE04041 Opened 2004-04-16 · closed 2004-07-13
POST-CRASH FUEL TANK LEAK
PE04-041 WAS OPENED TO INVESTIGATE A FUEL LEAK INCIDENT THAT OCCURRED DURING AN INSURANCE INSTITUTE FOR HIGHWAY SAFETY (IIHS) FRONTAL CRASH OFFSET TEST ON THE SUBJECT VEHICLE.THIS INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE VAPOR TUBE HOSE CLAMP EAR WAS MISPOSITIONED AND FACING TOWARD THE FUEL TANK, WHICH ENABLED THE VAPOR TUBE…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2004 Hyundai Elantra as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
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