Hyundai Recalls Accents, Elantras Due to Seatbelt Pretensioner Problems

Steven Tobin
by Steven Tobin

Hyundai has widened a recall for so-called ‘exploding seatbelts’ to 239,000 vehicles. Model-year 2019-2022 Accents and 2021-2023 Elantras are the targets of the recall.

The recall revolves around seatbelt pretensioners that can explode in the event of an accident.

Seatbelt pretensioners are meant to use an explosion to retract rapidly. However, these particular pretensioners may be exploding uncontrollably (giggle stifled) and sending shrapnel flying.

Hyundai is aware of three such incidents happening thus far, two in the U.S. and one in Singapore. The design appears to be at fault, though Hyundai says that it has not seen the same problem in other models. That may have something to do with how the structure of these models performs in a collision.

Hyundai is in the process of reaching out to the owners of the affected vehicles.

Hyundai plans to replace the defective pretensioners with a modified design that includes a pressure relief valve. This valve will, of course, be designed to keep the device from exploding when a crash occurs.

[Image: Hyundai]

Steven Tobin
Steven Tobin

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  • Yogi89 Yogi89 on May 25, 2022

    I have been driving the ID.4 for about 11 months now with 17k miles. There have been some issues but I like the car. I will not purchase another VW as the software interface is so bad and they have not had an update in the U.S. yet. They have promised over and over but the can keeps getting kicked down the road while the EU has had updates. I have preordered another EV from a major manufacturer and it is scheduled to arrive in 2023. The ID.4 will be dumped.

  • RHD RHD on May 26, 2022

    In order to avoid confusion and bring truth to marketing, the next vehicle to be produced by H/K will be named the Hyundai Recall.

  • Xtoyota Xtoyota on Jul 29, 2022

    Self and many family members have owned 20 Hyundai with no recalls or warranty problems. I'm sold on this brand.

  • Arthur Dailey Arthur Dailey on Jul 29, 2022

    Strange, we have had 4 H/K vehicles in the family over the past 13 years. Our experience with Kia has been so good that a member of the family recently acquired another.


    The only problems we encountered (knock wood) were with my MT Sonata which had been sitting outside on a lot for nearly one full year. Related issues were all corrected under warranty. The brake calipers are a bit 'funky' and require regular maintenance which I felt was unusual. But now some Nissans 'require' changing the brake fluid every 40,000kms.


    Certainly the re-sale is not Toyota/Honda style, but then neither is the cost of entry. And the extra years/mileage on the warranty does provide additional peace of mind.


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