— A Hyundai exploding seat belt pretensioner recall has been announced following two previous Hyundai recalls that were issued after the automaker discovered the pretensioners could explode when they deploy.
Seat belt pretensioners deploy in a crash to quickly tighten and secure an occupant in a crash.
This latest recall involves about 15,000 model year 2023 Genesis G80 Electric, 2021-2022 Santa Fe Hybrid and 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles.
This is an expansion of a May exploding seat belt pretensioner recall which involved about 239,000 Accent, Elantra and Elantra Hybrid cars in the U.S. (The photo to the right shows a gas generator of a 2021 Hyundai Elantra and the shrapnel removed from an occupant's leg after the pretensioner exploded.)
In July, another Hyundai exploding pretensioner recall was announced, this time for about 72,000 Venue SUVs.
In this latest pretensioner recall, Hyundai dealers will secure the front seat belt pretensioner micro gas generators and delivery pipes with caps to allegedly prevent the pretensioners from blowing apart.
The Hyundai front pyrotechnic-type seat belt pretensioners can explode in a crash due to overpressurization of the pretensioner pipe. An exploded pretensioner can throw shards of metal throughout the cabin of the vehicle.
"The potential for this condition is dependent on vehicle characteristics, pretensioner load limiter specification, airbag control unit logic, crash duration and severity." — Hyundai
Hyundai says there were problems during testing of Genesis G80 EV and Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid vehicles outside the U.S.
The automaker says this recall is out of "abundance of caution" because there have been no abnormal pretensioner deployment incidents globally on the Hyundai G80 EV and Santa Fe HEV/PHEV vehicles.
However, Hyundai says engineers continue to test for problems with the Samsong pretensioners.
Hyundai expects to mail recall letters December 30, 2022.
Owners of 2023 Genesis G80 Electric, 2021-2022 Santa Fe Hybrid and 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-In Hybrid vehicles may call the automaker at 855-371-9460.
Hyundai's exploding seat belt pretensioner recall number is 238/011G.
