Another recall from Hyundai illustrates ongoing electronic troubles at makers.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 2010 Tucson models that may have defective software that would allow the right front passenger airbag to inflate when a child is seated there.

It is just one of a growing number of recalls that is related to growing use of electronic controls in cars, which is under scrutiny in Toyota unintended acceleration matters.

It turns out that while NHTSA was pressing Toyota for recalls and telling it to stop sales for uncontrolled acceleration, it was also asking Ford Motor Company about airbags inadvertently deploying  and causing injuries to at least 66 people. Millions of Ford’s best-selling F150 pickup trucks are potentially affected covering 2004-2006 production.  (Click here.)

During tough questioning last week in front of Congressional oversight panel, Ray LaHood, the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, could not or would not answer how many software engineers the agency has working on recall matters.

In a NHTSA filing two weeks ago, which was just made public this morning, Hyundai said that a right front passenger weighing more than about 240 pounds causes the passive occupant detection system (pods) module program to illuminate the “air bag” warning lamp, and thereby ignore the weight of a subsequent passenger. If that passenger is a child, and an accident occurs, the airbag will inflate when it should not.  

Tucson vehicles produced beginning November 10, 2009 through November 30, 2009 are affected. No accidents or incidents have been reported.

Hyundai recommends “that Child Restraint Seats (CRS) must always be properly installed in the rear seat.  Child restraint seats must never be installed in the front seat.  Hyundai also recommends that all children under the age of thirteen always ride only in the rear seat, properly wearing their seat belts.  Should an accident occur and cause the right front air bags to inflate, it could cause severe injury or death for an infant or child seated in a CRS or for a child seated in the right front seat.”

Owners have already been contacted by telephone, according to Hyundai, about its recall number 095.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, or go to http://www.safercar.gov. NHTSA Campaign ID Number: 10V061000.

Last week, Hyundai Motor also  issued a recall for about 46,000 of the new, 2011 Sonata in the largely closed South Korean market. A small number of the sedans were affected in the U.S.

In a statement, Hyundai Motor said that it has “discovered a mechanical problem with its front door latches which, in very rare instances, will not close properly.”

Apparently, 1,300 of the defective Sonata models now in customer service in the United States would also be recalled.

In total, about 5,000 model year 2011 Sonatas, produced from  December 11, 2009 until February 15, 2010 in a non-union assembly plant in Alabama are affected.

In Korea, Hyundai claimed the recall, which will begin sometime in March, was caused by a “handful” of customer complaints.

Hyundai also says that there have been no reports of accidents or injuries because of the safety defect.