Hyundai Accent, Elantra units recalled to check ‘exploding’ belt pretensioner

Hyundai has issued a recall order for select Accent and Elantra models in the US to check a possible fault in the seatbelt pretensioner which, in the worst case, could explode during an accident and cause grievous injury to front and rear-seat passengers because of shrapnel. Reports suggest that the affected models of the Hyundai Accent and Elantra sedans may have been fitted with faulty seatbelt pretensioners that the company now wants to check and replace.

According to reports citing data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US, the exact cause of the fault is not yet known but Hyundai has decided to issue the recall order anyway. Hyundai Accent models manufactured between February 28 and April 4 of 2020 and Elantra models manufactured between February 24 and July 15 of 2021 are part of the recall order.

NHTSA had already asked Hyundai to investigate the possible fault after one such incident saw a person inside an Elantra receiving injuries when a shrapnel hit his leg post an accident.

Hyundai will now issue a notification to owners of the suspect models and these cars will have to be driven in to dealerships for inspection. If found necessary, the seatbelt pretensioners would be replaced.

There is, however, growing concern that this possible issue may also exist in other models and may potentially impact hundreds of more units. At a time when several major automotive brands have had to issue recall orders to check faulty or suspect Takata airbags the world over, this could just be one more post-sales safety check to add to the growing list.

Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape.