2008 Hyundai Sonata warning

1
FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
39
!
WARNING:
o Move your seat as far back as practical
from the front airbags, while still main-
taining control of the vehicle. You and
your passengers should never sit or lean
unnecessarily close to the airbags. Im-
properly positioned drivers and passen-
gers can be severely injured by inflating
airbags.
o No objects should be placed over or near
the airbag modules on the steering
wheel, instrument panel, and the front
passenger's panel above the glove box,
because any such object could cause
harm if the vehicle is in a crash severe
enough to cause the airbags to deploy.
o If the airbags deploy, they must be re-
placed by an authorized Hyundai dealer.
Deployed airbags WILL NOT inflate again
and will provide no protection in subse-
quent collisions.
o Do not tamper with or disconnect SRS
wiring or other components of the SRS
system. Doing so could result in injury,
due to accidental deployment of the
airbags or by rendering the SRS inopera-
tive.
!
WARNING:
o The SRS is designed to deploy the front
airbags only when an impact is suffi-
ciently severe and when the impact angle
is less than 30° from the forward longi-
tudinal axis of the vehicle. The front
airbags will not deploy in side, rear or
rollover impacts. Additionally, the
airbags will only deploy once. Seat belts
must be worn at all times.
o Front airbags are not intended to deploy
in side-impact, rear-impact or rollover
crashes. In addition, front airbags will
not deploy in frontal crashes below the
deployment threshold.
B240A02NF
Rear impact
Side Impact
Rollover
!
WARNING:
o Even though your vehicle is equipped
with the occupant classification sys-
tem, do not install a child restraint sys-
tem in the front passenger seat position.
A child restraint system must never be
placed in the front seat. The infant or
child could be severely injured or killed
by an airbag deployment in case of an
accident.
o Children younger than 13 years must
always be properly restrained in the rear
seat. Never allow children to ride in the
front passenger seat. If a child over 13
must be seated in the front seat, he or
she must be properly belted and the seat
should be moved as far back as possible.
o For maximum safety protection in all
types of crashes, all occupants includ-
ing the driver should always wear their
seat belts whether or not an airbag is
also provided at their seating position to
minimize the risk of severe injury or
death in the event of a crash. Do not sit
or lean unnecessarily close to the airbag
while the vehicle is in motion.

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI40
11.Side Impact Sensor
12.Retractor Pre-tensioner Assemblies
13.Side Impact Airbag Module
14.Curtain Airbag Module
The SRSCM continually monitors all elements
while the ignition is "ON" to determine if a frontal
or near-frontal impact is severe enough to
require airbag deployment or pre-tensioner seat
belt deployment.
The SRS "AIRBAG" warning light on the instru-
ment panel will illuminate for about 6 seconds
after the ignition key is turned to the "ON"
position or after the engine is started, after which
the "AIRBAG" warning light should go out.
B240B01L
!
WARNING:
o Sitting improperly or out of position can
result in serious or fatal injury in a crash.
All occupants should sit upright with
the seat back in an upright position,
centered on the seat cushion with their
seat belt on, legs comfortably extended
and their feet on the floor until the ve-
hicle is parked and the ignition key is
removed.
o The SRS airbag system must deploy very
rapidly to provide protection in a crash.
If an occupant is out of position because
of not wearing a seat belt, the airbag may
forcefully contact the occupant causing
serious or fatal injuries.
B240B03NF-AATSRS Components and FunctionsThe SRS consists of the following components:
1. Front Impact Sensor
2. "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" Indicator
(Front passenger's seat only)
3. SRS "AIRBAG" warning light
4. Knee Bolster
5. Passenger's Airbag Module
6. Driver's Airbag Module
7. SRS Control Module (SRSCM)
8. Occupant Classification System
(Front passenger's seat only)
9. Driver's and Front Passenger's Seat Track
Position Sensors
10.Driver's and Front Passenger's Seat Belt
Buckle Sensors/Buckle Pre-tensioner As-
semblies
B240B01NF-A

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI42
B990A02NF-AATOCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEMYour vehicle is equipped with an occupant
classification system in the front passenger's
seat.
The Occupant Classification system is de-
signed to detect the presence of a properly-
seated front passenger and determine if the
passenger's front airbag should be enabled
(may inflate) or not. The driver's front airbag is
not affected or controlled by the Occupant
Classification system.
If the front passenger seat is occupied by a
person that the system determines to be of adult
size, and he/she sits properly (sitting upright
with the seatback in an upright position, cen-
tered on the seat cushion with their seat belt on,
B990A02NF-A
!Passenger's Front Airbag
B240B05L
!Always wash all exposed skin areas thor-
oughly with lukewarm water and a mild
soap after an accident in which the
airbags were deployed.
o The SRS can function only when the
ignition key is in the "ON" position. If the
SRS "AIRBAG" warning light does not
illuminate, or continuously remains on
after illuminating for about 6 seconds
when the ignition key is turned to the
"ON" position, or after the engine is
started, comes on while driving, the SRS
is not working properly. If this occurs,
have your vehicle immediately inspect-
ed by your Hyundai dealer.
o Before you replace a fuse or disconnect
a battery terminal, turn the ignition key
to the "LOCK" position and remove the
ignition key. Never remove or replace the
airbag related fuse(s) when the ignition
key is in the "ON" position. Failure to
heed this warning will cause the SRS
"AIRBAG" warning light to illuminate. panel or air ventilator), it may damage
these parts. If the liquid from the air
freshener does leak onto these areas,
wash them with water immediately.
WARNING:
o If an airbag deploys, there may be a loud
noise followed by a fine dust released in
the vehicle. These conditions are nor-
mal and are not hazardous - the airbags
are packed in this fine powder. The dust
generated during airbag deployment
may cause skin or eye irritation as well as
aggravate asthma for some persons.
WARNING:

1
FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
43
!
legs comfortably extended and their feet on the
floor), the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" indi-
cator will be turned off and the front passenger's
airbag will be able to inflate, if necessary, in
frontal crashes.
You will find the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF"
indicator on the center facia panel. This system
detects the conditions 1~4 in the following table
and activates or deactivates front passenger
airbags based on these conditions.
Condition and operation in the front pas-
senger occupant classification system*1) The system judges a person of adult size as
an adult. When a smaller adult sits in the front
passenger seat, the system may recognize
him/her as a child depending on his/her
physique and posture.
*2) Do not allow children to ride in the front
passenger seat. When a larger child who
has outgrown a child restraint system sits in
the front passenger seat, the system may
recognize him/her as an adult depending on
his/her physique or posture.
*3) Never install a child restraint system on the
front passenger seat.
Front
passenger
airbag
Activated
Deactivated
Deactivated
Activated Condition
detected by
the occupant
classification
system
1. Adult*
1
2. Child*
2 or
child restraint
system*3
3. Unoccupied
4. There is a
malfunction
in the
systemSRS
warning
light
Off
Off
Off
On
"Passenger
air bag off"
indicator light
Off
On
On
Off
WARNING:
Riding in an improper position or placing
weight on the front passenger's seat when
it is unoccupied by a passenger adversely
affects the occupant classification system
(OCS).
o NEVER excessively recline the front pas-
senger seatback.
B990A03O
o NEVER put a heavy load in the front
passenger seat.
B990A08O

1
FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
45
!
!
NOTE:The "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" indicator
illuminates for about 6 seconds after the
ignition key is turned to the "ON" position
or after the engine is started. If the front
passenger seat is occupied, the occupant
classification sensor will then classify the
front passenger within approximately 10
seconds after the ignition is turned on.
CAUTION:
If the occupant classification system is not
working properly, the SRS airbag warning
light on the instrument panel will
illuminate because the passenger's front
airbags are connected with the occupant
classification system. If there is a malfunc-
tion of the occupant classification system,
the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" indicator
will not illuminate and the passenger's front
airbags will inflate in frontal impact crashes
even if there is no occupant in the front
passenger's seat. If the SRS airbag warning
light does not illuminate when the ignition
key is turned to the "ON" position, remains
illuminated after approximately 6 seconds
when the ignition key is turned to the "ON"
position, or if it illuminates while the vehicle
is being driven, have an authorized Hyundai
dealer inspect the occupant classification
system and the SRS airbag system as soon
as possible.
!
WARNING:
o Even though your vehicle is equipped
with the occupation classification sys-
tem, never install a child restraint system
in the front passenger's seat. A deploy-
ing airbag can forcefully strike a child
resulting in serious injuries or death.
Any child under 13 years of age should
ride in the rear seat. Children too large
for child restraints should use the avail-
able lap/shoulder belts. No matter what
type of crash, children of all ages are
safer when restrained in the rear seat.
o If the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" indi-
cator is illuminated when the front
passenger's seat is occupied by an adult
and he/she sits properly (sitting upright
with the seatback in an upright position,
centered on the seat cushion with their
seat belt on, legs comfortably extended
and their feet on the floor), have that
person sit in the rear seat.
o If you change the weight on the front
passenger seat just after sit-in or restart
of the engine, the "PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF" indicator may be turned on or
off for a few seconds, disabling or en-
abling the passenger airbags. After the
initial stage of about 30 seconds, the
"PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" indicator
will not toggle.
WARNING:
Do not allow an adult passenger to ride in
the front seat when the “PASSENGER
AIRBAG OFF” indicator is illuminated, be-
cause the airbag will not deploy in the event
of a crash. If the "PASSENGER AIR BAG
OFF" indicator remains illuminated after
the passenger repositions themselves prop-
erly and the car is restarted, Hyundai recom-
mends that passenger move to the rear seat
because the passenger's front airbag will
not deploy.
The “PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF” indicator
will not change according to the occupants
posture after the vehicle has been running
for 30 seconds. Front seat passengers
must stay properly seated to avoid serious
injury from a deploying airbag. For more
information see page 1-42.

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI46
!
WARNING:
o Do not modify or replace the front pas-
senger seat. Don't place anything on or
attach anything such as a blanket or
after market seat heater to the front
passenger seat. This can adversely af-
fect the occupant classification system.
o Do not sit on sharp objects such as tools
when occupying the front passenger
seat. This can adversely affect the occu-
pant classification system.
o Do not use accessory seat covers on the
front seats.
o Accident statistics show that children
are safer if they are restrained in the rear,
as opposed to the front seat. It is recom-
mended that child restraints be secured
in a rear seat, including an infant riding
in a rear-facing infant seat, a child riding
in a forward-facing child seat and an
older child riding in a booster seat.
o Airbags can only be used once – have an
authorized Hyundai dealer replace the
airbag immediately after deployment.
!
WARNING:
o A smaller-stature adult who is not seated
correctly (for example: seat excessively
reclined, leaning on the center console,
or hips shifted forward in the seat) can
cause a condition where the advanced
frontal airbag system senses less weight
than if the occupant were seated prop-
erly (sitting upright with the seatback in
an upright position, centered on the seat
cushion with their seat belt on, legs
comfortably extended and their feet on
the floor). This condition can result in an
adult potentially being misclassified and
illumination of the "PASSENGER AIR
BAG OFF" indicator.
B990B05Y-AATSide Impact Airbag (If installed)Your Hyundai is equipped with a side impact
airbag in each front seat. The purpose of the
airbag is to provide the vehicle's driver and/or
the front passenger with additional protection
than that offered by the seat belt alone. The side
impact airbags are designed to deploy only
during certain side-impact collisions, depend-
ing on the crash severity, angle, speed and point
of impact. The side impact airbags are not
designed to deploy in all side impact situations.
B990B02LZ

1
FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI
47
!
o For best protection from the side impact
airbag system and to avoid being injured
by the deploying side impact airbag,
both front seat occupants should sit in
an upright position with the seat belt
properly fastened. The driver's hands
should be placed on the steering wheel
at the 9:00 and 3:00 positions. The
passenger's arms and hands should be
placed on their laps.
o Do not use any accessory seat covers.
o Use of seat covers could reduce or pre-
vent the effectiveness of the system.
o Do not install any accessories on the
side or near the side impact airbag.
o Do not place any objects over the airbag
or between the airbag and yourself.
o Do not place any objects (an umbrella,
bag, etc.) between the front door and the
front seat. Such objects may become
dangerous projectiles and cause injury
if the supplemental side impact airbag
inflates.
o To prevent unexpected deployment of
the side impact airbag that may result in
personal injury, avoid impact to the side
impact sensor when the ignition key is
on.
WARNING:
WARNING:
o The side impact airbag is supplemental
to the driver's and the passenger's seat
belt systems and is not a substitute for
them. Therefore your seat belts must be
worn at all times while the vehicle is in
motion. The airbags deploy only in cer-
tain side impact conditions severe
enough to cause significant injury to the
vehicle occupants.
!
B990B01NF-A
Side impact sensor
B990C01LZ-GATCurtain AirbagCurtain airbags are located along both sides of
the roof rails above the front and rear doors.
They are designed to help protect the heads of
the front seat occupants and the rear outboard
seat occupants in certain side impact collisions.
The curtain airbags are designed to deploy only
during certain side impact collisions, depending
on the crash severity, angle, speed and impact.
The curtain airbags are not designed to deploy
in all side impact situations, collisions from the
front or rear of the vehicle or in most rollover
situations.
HLZ2051
Curtain Airbag

1FEATURES OF YOUR HYUNDAI48
o If the airbags inflate, they must be re-
placed by an authorized Hyundai dealer.
o Do not tamper with or disconnect SRS
wiring, or other components of the SRS
system. Doing so could result in injury,
due to accidental inflation of the airbags
or by rendering the SRS inoperative.
o If components of the airbag system must
be discarded, or if the vehicle must be
scrapped, certain safety precautions
must be observed. Your Hyundai dealer
knows these precautions and can give
you the necessary information. Failure
to follow these precautions and proce-
dures could increase the risk of personal
injury.
o If your car was flooded and has soaked
carpeting or water on flooring, you
shouldn't try to start the engine; have
the car towed to an authorized Hyundai
dealer.
!
WARNING:
B240C03NF-AATSRS CareThe SRS is virtually maintenance-free and so
there are no parts you can safely service by
yourself. If the SRS "AIRBAG" warning light
does not illuminate, or continuously remains on,
have your vehicle immediately inspected by
your Hyundai dealer.
Any work on the SRS system, such as remov-
ing, installing, repairing, or any work on the
steering wheel must be performed by a qualified
Hyundai technician. Improper handling of the
SRS system may result in serious personal
injury.
WARNING:
o Do not install a child restraint system in
the front passenger seat position.
A child restraint system must never be
placed in the front seat. The infant or
child could be severely injured by an
airbag deployment in case of an acci-
dent.
o Modification to SRS components or wir-
ing, including the addition of any kind of
badges to the pad covers or modifica-
tions to the body structure, can ad-
versely affect SRS performance and lead
to possible injury.
o For cleaning the airbag pad covers, use
only a soft, dry cloth or one which has
been moistened with plain water. Sol-
vents or cleaners could adversely affect
the airbag covers and proper deploy-
ment of the system.
o No objects should be placed over or near
the airbag modules on the steering wheel,
instrument panel, and the front
passenger's panel above the glove box,
because any such object could cause
harm if the vehicle is in a crash severe
enough to cause the airbags to inflate.
!
HSM393