Hyundai is recalling about 239,000 vehicles following the injuries of three people when part of the seatbelt in their cars exploded. According to Fortune.com, two of these seatbelt injuries were reported in the United States and one in Singapore. The U.S. National highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a notice that certain recalled vehicles could have a defect with a “pyrotechnic” component of their seatbelt pretensioners.
Pretensioners are part of the seatbelts that 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.
Details of the Recall
The recalled vehicles include the 2019-2022 Hyundai Accent, the 2021-23 Hyundai Elantra and the 2021-2022 Hyundai Elantra hybrid electric. All the affected models are four-door vehicles. The NHTSA said in the recall notice that Hyundai was actively investigating the root cause. When the recall campaign begins on July 15, all vehicle owners will be notified via mail with instructions to take their vehicles to a Hyundai dealer where the pre-tensioners micro gas generator and delivery pipe will be secured with a cap to prevent potential “abnormal deployment.”
According to NHTSA, the cap will secure the pre-tensioner micro gas generator to control and assure proper gas deployment. Car owners concerned about their vehicle can also contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 229. The recall repairs will be done at no cost to consumers per federal law. The automaker said it had assembled cars with a vent valve on the seatbelt pre-tensioners 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.
Auto Product Liability Issues
If you or a loved one has been injured by a defective seatbelt or other defective vehicles, you may be able to seek compensation for the injuries, damages, and losses caused. Injured victims can seek compensation for medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. Families of deceased victims may also be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking compensation. An experienced auto defect lawyer will be able to provide victims and their families with more information about pursuing their legal rights.
Source: https://fortune.com/2022/05/25/hyundai-seat-belt-recall-239000-vehicles-over-exploding-seatbelt-parts-following-injuries/
