NHTSA will decide if the Sonata seat belt is a safety issue is real or just a quirk of the regulations.
Hyundai has told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that is replacing the center rear seat belt on more than 1,600 Sonata Hybrid models because the belt does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. The recall will allow Hyundai and its dealers to sell the vehicles that are in inventory once the proper seat belt is installed.
However, Hyundai is refusing to recall the more than 13,000 Sonata hybrid models that have been delivered to customers during 2011 and 2012 because it claims the non-compliance is “inconsequential.”
NHTSA had no immediate comment on the request, which covers a center rear safety belt with a release mechanism that detaches both the lap and shoulder portion at the lower anchorage point. This design is legal for non-folding rear seats, but for the folding ones installed in the Sonata hybrid. NHTSA alerted Hyundai of the violation of federal regulations as part o its ongoing compliance testing.
