Hyundai and Kia are investigated over exploding seat belts

Hyundai and Kia are investigated over exploding seat belts

September 4, 2022 Bojan Popic ,

Washington, D.C. – September 4, 2022 – The U.S. government’s auto safety regulator is investigating several Hyundai (NASDAQ:HYMTF) and its subsidiary Kia (OTCMKTS:KIMTF) models over an allegation that their seat belt pretensioners may explode when deployed. This may send metal shrapnel flying through the cabin, potentially injuring the occupants. 

If the investigation leads to a recall, it could affect an estimated 275,000 vehicles, including: 

  • 2020 – 2022 Hyundai Accent
  • 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Elantra
  • 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Elantra HEV
  • 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Venue
  • 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid 
  • 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV
  • 2022 Kia Sorento Hybrid 
  • 2022 Kia Sorento PHEV
  • 2022 Genesis GV70
  • 2021 Genesis GV80

Investigation summary  

The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation on August 8, 2022 following three complaints about seat belt pretensioner rupturing or exploding during deployment. Based on the allegations, occupants were injured by flying metal shards in all three cases. 

There have been five recalls  – with all of them including one of the vehicles above – due to this issue. The investigation is being opened to both evaluate “the adequacy” of these recalls and their scope. 

What are seat belt pretensioners?

Seat belt pretensioners help tighten up the seat belt around the passenger’s torso in case of a collision. These are pyrotechnic devices, designed to deploy quickly and forcefully without breaking apart.

Risks

If the pretensioner explodes, it could send metal fragments into the vehicle,  striking occupants and resulting in an injury. 

Other Hyundai recalls 

There was a Hyundai Genesis recall in the spring of last year due to the risk of “short circuit risk in the anti-lock brake system,” as reported.

Both Kia and Hyundai are subject to a separate U.S. government investigation due to multiple non-crash related fires, as reported.

The latest recall for exploding pretensioners  was in May 2022, and it affected more than 200,000 vehicles. There was also a similar recall just before it, in April 2022, although with a significantly smaller scope.  

Is your vehicle part of a recall?

This investigation may eventually lead to a Hyundai seat belt recall, possibly affecting over a quarter of a million vehicles. To do a Hyundai recall check and see if your car might be a part of it, please bookmark MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicHyundai and Kia are investigated over exploding seat belts
Hyundai issues another recall over seat belt pretensioners that may explode

Hyundai issues another recall over seat belt pretensioners that may explode

May 28, 2022 Senamile Nkosi

Fountain Valley, CA – May 28, 2022 – Hyundai (OTCMKTS:HYMTF) is recalling 239,000 vehicles whose seat belt pretensioners – which are part of a mechanism that tightens the seat belt during a crash – may be defective. This increases the risk of injury to the driver and passengers. 

The recall includes the following models:

  • 2019 – 2022 Hyundai Accent
  • 2021 – 2023 Hyundai Elantra
  • 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Elantra HEV 

Recall summary

Seat belt pretensioners help lock the seat belt in case of a collision. The vehicles in question have pyrotechnic pretensioners that are designed to deploy quickly and forcefully. In the affected vehicles, however, the pretensioners are at risk of exploding when deployed for unknown reasons.

The components involved are the seat belt assembly with pretensioner for the driver’s and passenger’s sides, with part numbers 88810-J0600, 88820-J0600, 88810-AA500 and 88820-AA500.

Recall risks

If the pretensioner explodes, it could send metal fragments into the vehicle,  striking occupants and resulting in an injury.

Other recent Hyundai recalls

This is not the first pretensioner-related Hyundai seat belt recall that has been issued in recent months. In April there were 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Elantra and 2020 Hyundai Accent recalls over a similar issue. Another related recall was issued in October 2021.

In February, Hyundai issued the latest in a series of fire-related recalls. The subject vehicles may develop a fire inside the engine compartment, which could lead to injury.

Prior to that, some Hyundai vehicles were subjected to a recall over windshields that may detach. This has been attributed to a supplier error in which insufficient sealant was used to keep the windshield in place. 

Repair

To remedy the issue, Hyundai dealers will install a cap intended to prevent the seat belt pretensioner from deploying abnormally. This will be at no cost to owners.

Vehicle owners can expect to receive communication regarding the repair program by July 15, 2022.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

This Hyundai Accent and Hyundai Elantra recall affects more than 200,000 vehicles. To perform a Hyundai recall check and see if your vehicle is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Senamile NkosiHyundai issues another recall over seat belt pretensioners that may explode
Hyundai recalls vehicles with pretensioners that may explode

Hyundai recalls vehicles with pretensioners that may explode

April 15, 2022 Bojan Popic

Fountain Valley, CA – April 15, 2022 – Hyundai (NASDAQ:HYMTF) is recalling 6,240 vehicles with front seat pretensioners – which are supposed to protect the car occupants in the event of a crash – that can explode while deploying. The metal shrapnel may injure the car occupants.

 The recall includes the following models: 

  • 2020 Hyundai Accent 
  • 2021 – 2022 Hyundai Elantra 

Recall summary  

Pretensioners are part of seat belt retractors whose job is to tighten the seat belt to protect the occupant’s torso during the crash. To do that, they use “expanding gas to…retract a seat belt buckle during the first moment of an accident.”

In affected vehicles, front-seat passenger and driver pretensioner housing may shatter during activation, flinging metal shrapnel at the people inside the car.

The components in question are seat belt pretensioners, with part numbers 88810-AA500 or 88820-AA500 for the right-hand side and 88810-J0600 for the left-hand one. 

Recall risks

These flying fragments may hit one or more occupants and injure them. 

Other Hyundai recalls

There are several previous Hyundai Elantra recalls that owners should be aware of. The most recent one, from January this year, is caused by improperly fitted windshields being the most recent.

In addition, there is a Hyundai Accent recall from August 2021 because of faulty trunk latches. That recall also included Sonata and Azera vehicles.

The repair

Dealers will rectify the problem by replacing seat belt pretensioners on all affected vehicles. Notifications to vehicle owners will be sent on May 31, 2022.  All repairs will be free of charge.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

This Hyundai seat belt recall affects more than 6,000 vehicles. To do a Hyundai recall check and see if your SUV is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicHyundai recalls vehicles with pretensioners that may explode
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