2011 Hyundai Elantra Air Bags Problems
Owners have filed 77 complaints with NHTSA about air bags problems on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 99,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “air bag” (36% of reports).
- 77air bags complaints
- 99,000median miles at failure
- 12mention a crash
- 6mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $460typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Air bag: mentioned in 28 of 77 complaints (36%)
- Clock spring: mentioned in 10 of 77 complaints (13%)
- Failed deploy: mentioned in 6 of 77 complaints (8%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical air bags repair on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra at $460, and half of them between $410 and $840.
Based on 6 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2012–2018), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do air bags problems happen?
Based on 55 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 77 complaints, 12 mention a crash, 6 an injury.
Hyundai Elantra air bags complaints by model year
| Model year | Air Bags complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Elantra | 1 | 50% | — |
| 2025 Elantra | 3 | 14% | 3,300 |
| 2024 Elantra | 1 | 2% | 5,308 |
| 2023 Elantra | 6 | 6% | 44,000 |
| 2022 Elantra | 4 | 4% | 60,000 |
| 2021 Elantra | 2 | 2% | — |
| 2020 Elantra | 5 | 2% | 7,000 |
| 2019 Elantra | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2018 Elantra | 12 | 4% | 46,000 |
| 2017 Elantra | 32 | 4% | 26,500 |
| 2016 Elantra | 26 | 9% | 32,000 |
| 2015 Elantra | 23 | 9% | 25,673 |
| 2014 Elantra | 32 | 8% | 41,673 |
| 2013 Elantra | 168 | 13% | 71,088 |
| 2012 Elantra | 124 | 19% | 89,000 |
| 2011 Elantra | 77 | 18% | 99,000 |
| 2010 Elantra | 46 | 12% | 63,830 |
| 2009 Elantra | 42 | 17% | 82,500 |
| 2008 Elantra | 38 | 12% | 55,819 |
| 2007 Elantra | 46 | 17% | 66,055 |
| 2006 Elantra | 56 | 36% | 68,000 |
| 2005 Elantra | 71 | 52% | 35,500 |
| 2004 Elantra | 114 | 63% | 17,102 |
| 2003 Elantra | 48 | 21% | 46,000 |
| 2002 Elantra | 70 | 20% | 71,000 |
| 2001 Elantra | 118 | 37% | 62,000 |
| 2000 Elantra | 39 | 20% | 50,513 |
| 1999 Elantra | 20 | 16% | 80,500 |
| 1998 Elantra | 7 | 13% | — |
| 1997 Elantra | 21 | 18% | 141,000 |
| 1996 Elantra | 14 | 14% | — |
| 1995 Elantra | 35 | 31% | — |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Structure; air bags:side/window
Problem: Hyundai Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Elantra vehicles manufactured from November 12, 2010, through March 5, 2013. A support bracket attached to the headliner may become displaced during a side curtain airbag deployment.
Risk: If the headliner support bracket makes contact with an occupant during a crash, it may cause a laceration injury.
Fix: Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will apply adhesive strips to the headliner, free of charge. The safety recall began during April 2013. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. Hyundai's recall campaign number is 109.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
Vehicle: 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring Date of Crash: [XXX] Location of Crash: Duluth, MN Description of Incident: I was driving my 2011 Hyundai Elantra Touring straight through an intersection when another driver ran a stop sign and Tâboned the passenger side of my vehicle. The impact was severe…
Air bag fault light is on.
On October 1, 2023, I started my vehicle in the driveway to having the red airbag warning light appear as a dashboard symbol. No accidents have occurred. I do not see any recalls on this issue. Iâll be visiting the Hyundai dealership today- October 3, 2023.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2011 Hyundai Elantras have air bags problems?
No. NHTSA has 77 owner complaints about air bags for the 2011 Hyundai Elantra (18% of the 433 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra air bags?
Yes: 1 safety recall list air bags. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do air bags problems start?
The median reported mileage is 99,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix air bags problems on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra?
Owners report a typical cost of $460 (half paid between $410 and $840), from 6 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about air bags problems on the 2011 Hyundai Elantra?
The most frequent phrase is “air bag”, in 28 of 77 complaints, followed by “clock spring” (10).
Other 2011 Hyundai Elantra problems
- Engine problems (92)
- Steering problems (75)
- Suspension problems (66)
- Electrical System problems (51)
See all 2011 Hyundai Elantra problems or air bags problems across all Elantra years.