Hyundai Recalls 239,000 Cars in the U.S.

Hyundai recalls 239,000 vehicles in the U.S. because of the danger of the seat belt pre-tensioners exploding and hurting car passengers. There were two injuries reported in the U.S. and one in Singapore.

A pre-tensioner is attached to a standard seat belt. It is developed to tighten the seatbelt by retracting some of its webbings. During a collision by pulling the seatbelt to secure occupants in a moderate or severe frontal crash.

In early May, Hyundai recalled over 215,000 2013 and 2014 Sonata sedans in the U.S. because fuel hoses can drip into the engine chamber and cause fires. Many of these sedan models were recalled for the same issue in 2020.

In a letter to Hyundai automaker, government regulators said that the front passenger’s and the driver’s seat belt pre-tensioners could explode upon deployment and dispatch shrapnel around the vehicle.

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration notice, the recall supersedes three prior ones, affecting approximately 166,000 2021-2023 Elantras, 61,000 2019-2022 Accents, and 12,000 2021-2022 Elantra HEVs vehicles.

Repaired vehicles under the prior recall need to be brought back to the dealership for repair.

Car owners of affected vehicles will receive notifications and instructions by first-class mail by July 15. Hyundai dealership will secure the seat belt pre-tensioner with a cap to prevent possible irregular deployment at no cost.

Vehicles not covered under the Hyundai warranty are still eligible for repair and will receive reimbursement for the out-of-pocket expenses.

Owners may reach Hyundai customer service for additional information at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 229. They may also contact the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or at www.nhtsa.gov.

Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Edited by Sheena Robertson

Sources:

CBS News: Hyundai recalls 239,000 cars because seat belts can explode
NBC News: Hyundai recalls 239,000 cars over exploding seat belt parts; by Rob Wile
NPR: Hyundai is recalling 239,000 cars for exploding seat belt parts

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