Airbag warning light

The mat may be faulty causing a faulty reading in weight. There is a recall for this but I did not see a fault code reading for your concern. Here is what the recall says:


Collision

 15

2008 Hyundai Sonata

 

L4-2.4L

 

 

Recall 08V161000: Air Bag System Defect

Vehicle Restraints and Safety Systems Technical Service Bulletins Recall 08V161000: Air Bag System Defect

RECALL 08V161000: AIR BAG SYSTEM DEFECT

MAKE/MODELS: MODEL/BUILD YEARS: 

Hyundai/Sonata 2006-2008

MANUFACTURER : Hyundai-KIA America Technical Center Inc. 

MFR'S REPORT DATE: April 01, 2008 

NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V161000 

NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: N/A 

COMPONENT: Air Bags 

POTENTIAL NUMBER OF UNITS AFFECTED: 393714 

SUMMARY: 
Hyundai is recalling 393,714 M/Y 2006-2008 Sonata vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system which features an Occupant Classification System (OCS) in the right front seat. The purpose of the OCS is to disable the right passenger seat front air bag when it detects the presence of a child restraint system or small child in the right front seat. The right front air bag is disabled to prevent injuries to a child that may result from a right front air bag inflation during a crash. 

CONSEQUENCE: 
Misclassification of a small stature adult as a child in the right front passenger seat may cause the right front air bag to not inflate in an accident that merits air bag deployment and may result in injury to the right front occupant. 

REMEDY: 
Dealers will verify that the OCS does not properly recognize a properly seated adult occupant. After verification, dealers will remove the right front seat cushion assembly and ship it to an evaluation and repair facility. This facility will evaluate and repair or reprogram the seat cushion and OCS as necessary. The recall is expected to begin on or about May 26, 2008. Owners may contact Hyundai at 1-800-633-5151. 

NOTES: 
Hyundai recall No. 083. Customers may contact The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

If the recall was already done then as you stated earlier with an internal fault, the mat can have an internal fault. In this case the mat would need to be replaced and calibrated. The calibration would need to be done at the dealership or a specialized independent Huundai repair shop. Call the number listed and have the VIN# ready to verify if the recall applies.

Thanks for your answer,

You wrote, "The mat may be faulty causing a faulty reading in weight"
To confirm what I said previously, the passenger airbag light seems to be working fine. When I put light items on the seat, the light stays on, but when an adult sits on the seat it immediately turns off. Doesn't that go counter to an OC passenger sensor mat defect? What do you think?

Should I reset the codes and see what happens next? Could that be my next best solution?

I have contacted Hyundai Motor America’s Customer Care Center, and they want me to go back to a dealer for them to make a determination. I simply don't trust them, both in terms of ethics and competency. I have read numerous misdiagnosis or the inability to fix an airbag warning light problem.

This problem was under recall, but only the cars they deem affected by the defect.

I live in Pasadena, CA, and if you think of one good Hyundai dealership, please let me know.

Thanks again

When you put items on the passenger seat, the low weight can be interpreted as a child and make the passenger airbag to turn off. A light should illuminate to warn you the passenger airbag has been deactivated.

When a full size adult sits on the same seat the warning message will turn off and have the passenger airbag active and ready to deploy in an event of an accident. Can you post a couple of pictures of the lights coming on when you put light items and when an adult sits on the seat?

As for finding a trusted Hyundai dealership I cannot make any recommendations. If you do have an open recall I would recommend you take it in for the proper repairs. Also another issue you have is the connector not snapping in correctly. The connectors need to lock. If it does not then you need to inspect the connector for bent pins. Can you take a picture of that connectors pins and post them on here?

Here are the pictures that you asked for.

That looks normal and is doing what it is suppose to be doing for now. You should still take it in for the recall if it is still open.