Hyundai is recalling 155,000 2011 model-year Sonata for an airbag problem.
Airbag recalls are still dominating headlines in 2018 as Hyundai announced it is recalling nearly 155,000 Sonata midsize cars in the U.S. because the airbags may not inflate in a crash.
The action covers cars from the 2011 model year. The problem is unrelated to the ongoing issue with Takata airbags.
South Korean automaker Hyundai claims a short circuit in the airbag control computer can stop the seat belts from tightening before a crash as well as prevent the airbags from deploying.
According to federal documents, there are four reports of airbags failing to inflate. It’s not clear if there are any injuries or deaths related to the problem. It affects vehicles produced between Dec. 11, 2009 and Sept. 29, 2010.
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Hyundai is still working on a fix for the problem but expects the recall to start on April 20.
The recall of Takata airbags is still a priority for U.S. regulatory officials. The supplier’s faulty airbags, which have been blamed for 21 deaths and hundreds more injuries. The inflator in the airbag degrades over time causing the unit to explode with too much force.
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The resulting explosion sends pieces of shrapnel into the car’s cabin. More than 100 million airbag models are scheduled to be replaced as part of the recall effort. Takata’s airbag business went bankrupt