2016 Hyundai Sonata air bags problems
21 owner complaints filed with NHTSA name the air bags on the 2016 Hyundai Sonata — 3% of all complaints for this model year.
What owners report
“Dear Hyundai Customer Care, I am writing to report a safety concern with my 2016 Hyundai Sonata. The dashboard has developed significant cracking near the passenger-side airbag, which raises concerns about proper airbag deployment in the event of an accident. This level of deterioration seems…”
filed May 3, 2026
“I was involved in a low-speed collision at a residential intersection after stopping at a stop sign and beginning to proceed. Going under 5 mph, I braked immediately, but contact occurred. Despite relatively minor front-end damage, the driver steering wheel airbag and driver knee airbag deployed…”
filed Jan 23, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Related recalls
- Affected vehicles have a driver-side frontal air bag that may not adequately protect the…Campaign 16V615000 · Aug 24, 2016
- In these vehicles, the driver's frontal air bag may be missing a chemical enhancer…Campaign 16V232000 · Apr 21, 2016
Related service bulletins
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the presence of substandard and dangerous driver’s-side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety System Co.…
DTN DL · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued an urgent safety advisory regarding dangerous, counterfeit driver‑side airbag inflators manufactured by Jilin Province Detiannuo Automobile Safety…
DTN DCS · Other · issued Apr 10, 2026
Air Bags problems in other Sonata years
| Year | Reports | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 Sonata | 1 | 1% |
| 2021 Sonata | 4 | 3% |
| 2020 Sonata | 7 | 4% |
| 2019 Sonata | 9 | 6% |
| 2018 Sonata | 4 | 1% |
| 2017 Sonata | 22 | 3% |
| 2015 Sonata | 25 | 2% |
| 2014 Sonata | 31 | 4% |
| 2013 Sonata | 101 | 5% |
| 2012 Sonata | 169 | 11% |
| 2011 Sonata | 418 | 12% |
| 2010 Sonata | 20 | 6% |
Other reported problem areas on the 2016 Hyundai Sonata
Counts are unique NHTSA complaints naming this component group. Complaints are unverified owner reports; mileage is computed only from complaints that included a usable odometer reading.