Fountain Valley, CA – November 15, 2022 – Hyundai (NASDAQ:HYMTF) is recalling 14,928 electric and hybrid vehicles whose seat belt pretensioners – which remove the slack from the seat belt during a crash – could explode while deploying, injuring the car occupants. This is the manufacturer’s seventh recall for this issue.
The latest edition includes the following models:
- 2023 Genesis G80 Electric
- 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid
- 2022 – 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid
Recall summary
All listed vehicles are equipped with seat belt pretensioners, whose job is to tighten the seat belt during the crash, additionally protecting the occupants’ torso. The working principle behind this device was already explained in one of the previous Hyundai recalls.
In affected vehicles, front driver- and passenger-side pretensioners may deploy incorrectly, shattering their housing into pieces and sending pieces of metal flying through the cabin.
The components in question are seat belt assemblies with pretensioner, with part numbers 888A0-JI500 and 88810-CL000 for the driver’s side and 888B0-JI500 and 88820-CL000 for the passenger’s side.
Recall risks
Metal fragments flying at high speeds act as shrapnels, potentially injuring occupants if they hit them.
Background of the recall
This is Hyundai’s seventh recall for this issue. Over 325,000 vehicles have been affected so far and the manufacturer is currently testing additional vehicles that are not part of this recall that may also be affected. The pretensioners in question are made by Korean auto parts manufacturer Samsong, as reported.
In connection with the current recall, no injuries or accidents have been reported.
Other Hyundai recalls
Among previous Hyundai Santa Fe recalls, the most recent happened a few days ago. It was caused by automatic transmissions that may shift out of Drive on their own.
There was a Hyundai Genesis recall last year due to the risk of these cars catching fire. Both Hyundai and its sister company Kia have issued a tremendous number of fire-related recalls and are currently subject to a U.S. government investigation over adequacy of the remedies issued under some of these recalls, as reported.
The repair
Dealers will install a protective cap into the pretensioner, which should prevent them from deploying abnormally and shattering its housings. This repair is free of charge.
Notifications to vehicle owners will be sent on December 30, 2022.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
Almost 15,000 cars are being recalled over these Hyundai seat belt issues. To do a Hyundai recall check and see if yours is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
