Hyundai is recalling 239,000 vehicles after three people were injured when part of the seatbelt in their cars exploded.
Two of the injuries were reported in the U.S., and one was reported in Singapore, according to the Associated Press.
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.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a notice that an estimated 1% of the recalled vehicles could have a defect with a “pyrotechnic” component of their seatbelt pretensioners.
Pretensioners tighten seatbelts in preparation for a collision, restraining vehicle occupants to prevent them from being thrown forward.
Pyrotechnically triggered seatbelt tensioners are common in modern vehicles.
However, the part in Hyundai’s recalled cars may be liable to malfunction and send metal shrapnel into the car, which could cause injury to vehicle occupants.
Which cars have a recall?
Three vehicle models have been recalled by the South Korean automaker.
They are the 2019-2022 Hyundai Accent, the 2021-2023 Hyundai Elantra and the 2021-2022 Hyundai Elantra hybrid electric.
All the affected models are 4-door vehicles.
The NHTSA said in the recall notice that Hyundai was “actively investigating [the] root cause.”
What to do if your car is on the list
All owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by mail with instructions to take their vehicles to a Hyundai dealer, where the seat belt pretensioner’s micro gas generator and delivery pipe will be secured with a cap to prevent “potential abnormal deployment.”
“The cap will secure the pretensioner’s micro gas generator to control and assure proper gas deployment,” the NHTSA said.
Vehicle owners and Hyundai dealers will be notified if they need to take action on July 15.
Car owners who are concerned about their vehicle can also contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 229.
The NHTSA vehicle safety hotline can be reached at 1-888-327-4236 or at www.nhtsa.gov.
Does Hyundai fix recalls for free?
Hyundai is offering to fix the problem at no cost to owners for all affected vehicles, “regardless of whether the affected vehicles are still covered under Hyundai’s New Vehicle Limited Warranty.”
Owners of the vehicles in question will also be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses incurred in order to get their cars fixed.
Will Hyundai replace the car?
Hyundai did not say it had any plans to replace recalled vehicles, but will offer the complementary repairs and has changed how its cars are manufactured.
The car maker said it had been assembling cars with a vent valve on the seat belt pretensioner’s micro gas generator pipe since May 16.
Meanwhile, all the vehicles Hyundai has been building since May 23 have been assembled with a cap on the micro gas generator pipe.
