--- title: "Hyundai Recalls 239,000 Elantras, Accents for Potentially Explosive Seat Belts" date: "2022-05-24" modified: "2022-05-24" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/hyundai-recalls-239000-elantras-accents-for-potentially-explosive-seat-belts" categories: - "Car Tech" - "Hyundai News" - "Manufacturing" - "News" - "News by Brand" tags: - "Accent" - "compact" - "Hyundai" - "recalls" - "safety" - "sedan" --- # Hyundai Recalls 239,000 Elantras, Accents for Potentially Explosive Seat Belts ![]() Hyundai said Tuesday it would recall roughly 239,000 cars for potentially explosive seat belt pretensioners, which can send metal shrapnel through the cabin if they malfunction. The recall includes 66,000 2021-2023 [Elantras](), 12,000 2021-2023 Elantra Hybrids, and 61,000 2019-2022 Accents. Three injuries due to faulty seatbelt pretensioners have been reported so far. The seat belt pretensioner tightens the seat belt in a crash to help keep passengers tightly in place to avoid injury. It uses a small pyrotechnic charge to tighten the belt once sensors detect a crash. In this case, the pyrotechnic charge is what can send metal fragments hurtling through the cabin. Both [Hyundai ]()and its supplier for seatbelt pretensioners, Samsong, are looking into the cause of the defect. The recall follows a smaller recall for the same issue last year. That recall encompassed 7,712 vehicles with one reported injury. ![]() Hyundai dealerships will install a cap over the pretensioner's "micro gas generator" to fix the potentially faulty system, and to keep any metal from entering the cabin and away from occupants. The fix for affected vehicles is free. According [to the NHTSA](), the estimated defect rate is 1 percent. Customers with affected cars will have to wait until at least July 15 before bringing their cars in for repairs. If you own one of the cars mentioned in the recall and would like to know about your recall status before July 15, call 855-371-9460 and specify recall No. 229. To prevent future issues, Hyundai said the pretensioner cap will be installed in cars built at its plants in Alabama and Korea beginning May 23. *Got tips? Email me at nicolas.demattia@teamrecurrent.io* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()