FOX Business’ Max Gorden appears on ‘Varney & Co.’ to discuss how the elimination of federal EV tax credits is affecting sales and Hyundai’s strong focus on electric and hybrid models.
Hyundai is recalling over 47,000 Kona SUVs in the United States after identifying a defect in the rear center seat belt buckle that could increase the risk of injury during a crash.
The recall encompasses 47,749 vehicles, including specific 2025 Kona Electric models and 2026 Kona models, as documented by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The rear center seat belt buckle may fail to properly restrain an occupant in a crash, Hyundai warned.
HYUNDAI MOTOR BRINGS BOSTON DYNAMICS’ ATLAS HUMANOID ROBOT TO FIFA WORLD CUP IN GROUNDBREAKING ACTIVATION
A Hyundai City Store outlet in Karachi, Pakistan, photographed on February 8, 2022.(REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro / Reuters Photos)
“A seat belt buckle that fails to properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases the risk of injury,” NHTSA said in its recall notice.
Hyundai advises owners to avoid using the rear center seating position until the recall repair is completed.
The recall impacts 47,733 model-year 2026 Kona SUVs and 16 model-year 2025 Kona Electric vehicles.
HYUNDAI RECALLS MORE THAN 54,000 ELANTRA HYBRIDS OVER POTENTIAL FIRE RISK
A Hyundai dealership in Indianapolis photographed on May 15, 2016; Hyundai is a South Korean automaker.(iStock / iStock)
According to recall documents, Hyundai’s supplier, Joyson Safety Systems, informed the automaker in February that testing identified a potential issue with the rear center seat belt buckle used in the Kona.
Joyson determined that the issue likely stemmed from insufficient inspection controls, which allowed metal stamping dies used to manufacture the buckles to remain in service beyond their intended lifespan, causing excessive wear.
Although no confirmed crashes, injuries, fires, or other incidents have been linked to the issue, Hyundai chose to initiate the recall “out of an abundance of caution.”
Dealers will replace the rear center seat belt buckle assembly at no cost, and Hyundai will reimburse owners who previously paid out of pocket for the repair.
Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on September 11. Owners with questions can contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 and reference recall number 306. The NHTSA recall number is 26V452000, and vehicle identification numbers became searchable on NHTSA.gov starting July 15.
Hyundai did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.