Hyundai Elantras under federal investigation after air bag mishap
The United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has begun investigating approximately 123,000 model year 2012 Hyundai Elantras after a consumer complained of suffering ear lacerations after the vehicle’s side impact air bag deployed in a traffic collision. When the Elantra’s side curtain air bag deployed during an auto accident last month, the consumer reported, it launched with it a metal bracket that lacerated the consumer’s ear in the process. Included with the complaint were photos taken after the collision that showed a piece of metal protruding from the car’s frame into the area above the driver’s seat. The metal, according to the complaint sliced the vehicle’s driver across the face and left ear. At this time, no product recall has been issued, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating other vehicles from the same model year to determine if the side curtain air bag in this vehicle presents a safety hazard to other motorists as well. Currently, the administration reports receiving only this single complaint of injury caused by this vehicle model, and safety experts from the agency have as of yet been unable to examine the original complainant’s vehicle to determine the cause of the reported injury. The company has also not been able to investigate the vehicle, according to current reports. Since June 2011 Hyundai has sold more than 164,000 model year 2012 Hyundai Elantras in the United States.
