Front seat cushions are under a lot of pressure these days. It is a strenuous job, as they are tasked with determining how heavy the derrière sitting on them actually is. According to Hyundai, passenger seat sensors in the cushions of some 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonatas may not be up to the task of distinguishing between a child and an adult, so they are sending out recall notices to 394,000 Sonata owners. Weight sensors in the passenger seats of most late-model vehicles are designed to disable the passenger-side airbag when a child is riding up front. However, Hyundai told the NHTSA that an error with some of its sensors may keep the passenger airbags off when small adults are occupying the seats, as well.
Notified Sonata owners are being asked to check whether or not the airbag is activated when the seat is occupied by an adult. If their vehicle is among the estimated 1 percent of vehicles that have "confused" airbag sensors, the seat cushions will be removed and sent to the West Coast for reprogramming. Owners will receive a rental car while their cushions are in California getting reprogrammed -- and some R&R, of course.
[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
John @ Apr 16th 2008 2:24PM
How many times does Hyundai need to fix seat sensors? This seems to be an ongoing problem with their vehicles.
The need to get a better supplier or find someone who knows what they are doing.
T.O_Guy @ Apr 16th 2008 2:42PM
Give them a break. 1% of vehicles are effected...
Seminole @ Apr 16th 2008 4:14PM
At least they are doing something about it. My S40 has had the seat sensor show "Airbag Off" when my girlfriend has sat in it at least 5-6 times. Each time I brought it to Volvo and they "reflashed" the software. And each time it came back. Finally the last time the light went off I drove over there with my girlfriend still in the seat, showed them the light again, and demanded the sensor be replaced because if I was ever in an accident and the airbag fails to deploy I'll hold the dealership personally responsible. They finally ordered a new one.
But when I got back into my car after they did the work sitting on the passenger seat was a piece of paper. It was a notice from Volvo Corporate to all owners experiencing the same problem I was. Basically it was some BS about how each person is different and the sensor may be confused by how someone is sitting in the seat. Also it said if the light is on, that may not mean the sensor is broken but rather the way you are sitting, so to solve the problem adjust your body in the seat.
Thats a good way for Volvo to cop out instead of realizing there is a problem with the sensor.
John @ Apr 16th 2008 2:48PM
They have had recalls at least 4 different times for advanced airbag sensors. There is a fundamental problem with their parts. Do you know what happens when the sensor is reading the wrong input and you get into an accident? Your family will be attending your funeral.
These are critical safety parts, it's happened repeatedly with Hyundai, and they shouldn't get a free pass or "break" as you suggest.
John R @ Apr 16th 2008 2:43PM
Ruh-Roh. However, 1% seems like a really low estimate though. I'm glad they're not taking any chances.
Franz @ Apr 16th 2008 2:44PM
As far as recalls go, one percent isn't that bad. Especially in light of the recalls that have plagued the entire industry since last year.
pscs @ Apr 16th 2008 2:45PM
"Front seat cushions are under a lot of pressure these days" -- you've made my day!
These airbags are getting so cheap to produce now days. But it's the sensors that's tricky to programme.
P.S. Don't you just get so irritated when you see these Asian car adverts (I'm talking about Japanese and Korean and elsewhere) that they always chop a side of the demo car off (doors and entire A,B,C-pillars) to get this side shot? It looks so fake lol, and they always overlay some low-opacity airbag images over it.
Dan @ Apr 16th 2008 4:09PM
Having survived years of vehicles with no airbags at all, I find it awfully hard to get excited about this type of failure.
Stranding the driver, spontaneous fires, loss of control at speed, very serious. Front airbags? Unless they go off when they shouldn't, BFD.
From this description, it sounds as if the 'passenger airbag deactivated' light remaining on with an adult passenger is an indicator of a vehicle with the problem. You'd think owners would have noticed that from day one.
stimr2 @ Apr 16th 2008 5:29PM
Here's a article with more details of the recall.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2888737
Brian W @ Apr 16th 2008 10:16PM
It's Hyundai so it's no big deal. Lets make excuses for them again.
stimr2 @ Apr 18th 2008 3:02AM
Here's a better article on the recall.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2888737
Beth @ Apr 24th 2008 12:49AM
Hyundai is full of crap, saying those sensors just aren't working properly..... they're working just the way Hyundai set them, at a weight trigger of (at least) 120 pounds! We got rid of our almost new Sonata a couple years ago for this safety hazard (we HAVE been hit by airbags before, and yes, they can indeed save lives). Tried getting the Gaithersburg, MD. dealership to adjust the weight setting, and was told that a 120 pound adult would be BETTER OFF WITHOUT AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT! I guess their sales must really be hurtin' these days, since they clearly didn't give a damn about this issue before. And that 1%? HA - they're dreaming.....