Gerry Palmers Auto 05.25.2022 21:May PM EDT

Exploding Seatbelts Injuring at Least 3 Forces Recall of 239,000 Hyundai Cars

A part of the seatbelts of Hyundai cars could explode anytime.

Because of this, the South Korean automaker is recalling 239,000 cars after injuries were reported in the U.S. and Singapore, CBS reported.

In a letter to the Korean automaker, government regulators said that the driver's and front passenger's seat belt pretensioners can explode upon deployment and send shrapnel throughout the vehicle. Pretensioners tighten the belts in preparation for a crash.

Hyundai 2019-2023 Accent, Elantra Covered by Recall Order

The recall covers 2019-2022 Accents, 2021-2023 Elantras and 2021-2022 Elantra HEVs, or hybrid electric vehicles, NPR.org emphasized in a report.

According to a Safety Recall Report from the U.S. National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 166,000 2021-2023 model year Elantra vehicles produced within the specified production date range by Hyundai Motor Company("HMC") and Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama ("HMMA") for sale in the U.S.

The report added that the total recall population was "determined based on manufacturing records of vehicles equipped with the subject pretensioner."

A pretensioner is attached to a standard seat belt and deploys in the event of a collision or under hard braking to restrict the movement of a passenger. The report further said that the pretensioner causes "abnormal pyrotechnic deployment" that would lead to metal fragments entering the vehicle occupant compartment, resulting in injuries to the passengers.

Hyundai, it added, is investigating its root cause amid the recall.

The NHTSA said it notified Hyundai last September that a passenger of a 2021 Hyundai Elantra allegedly suffered a leg injury after the driver's side seat belt pretensioner exploded, the Hill reported. The company has since been made aware of two similar incidents, one in the U.S. and the other in Singapore.

Hyundai Offers Free Fixes to Exploding Seatbelt Problem

Owners of these subject car models can bring their vehicles to their nearest dealerships for free to place a cap on the pretensioners, that would lock the seatbelt in place during a crash. Hyundai will notify owners via mail by July 15, the NHTSA said.

Owners who had brought in their vehicles for four previous recalls will need to service their cars again, the NHTSA further said. The latest recall comes after Hyundai recalled 215,000 cars in the U.S. earlier this month over leaking fuel hoses that could lead to engine fires. That recall covers certain 2013 and 2014 Sonata sedans, many of which were recalled for the same problem in 2020.

For more information, owners may reach Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 229. They can also call the NHTSA vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Any inspection and related repairs will be carried out free of charge for affected owners, including vehicles covered by the previous related recalls mentioned above. Future models are being built with different, redesigned pretensioner assemblies.