NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE14-023: Seat Belt Buckle Electrical Malfunction
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE14-023 on July 22, 2014 and closed it on December 1, 2014. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2006–2008 Hyundai Sonata for it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE14-023 (also written PE14023)
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation The first stage of most defect investigations: NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation gathers basic information about a possible safety defect, including from the manufacturer.
- Status
- Closed December 1, 2014
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Hyundai Motor America
- Components
- Air Bags; Seat Belts; Seat Belts — Front — Buckle Assembly
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2006–2008 Hyundai Sonata
A recall appears here only when NHTSA's investigations file links one to the investigation; NHTSA's summary or record can name others.
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-023.
On July 22, 2014 the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened a preliminary evaluation to further analyze allegations of seat belt pretensioner malfunctions on model year (MY) 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonata vehicles.
ODI received 131 unique reports alleging a failure within the seat belt pretensioner system, which was typically preceded by SRS light illumination.
ODI requested more information from Hyundai in order to understand the nature of the failure and how the airbag deployment algorithm, the seat belt pretensioners, and/or the airbag function may be affected. In response to ODI?s information request (IR), Hyundai submitted 764 unique consumer and field reports and 19,847 warranty claims related to a failure in the front seat belt buckle assembly potentially causing a malfunction of the seat belt pretensioners.
In it's response, Hyundai advised that if the resistance specifications for the seat belt buckle pretensioner circuit, located in the seat belt stalk, exceed the nominal range, a diagnostic trouble code will be set and the SRS warning indicator lamp will illuminate.
The presence of this stored code will not affect the ability of the SRS Control Module (SRSCM) to detect a collision and command deployment of the pretensioners and airbags, if warranted.
In fact, the wiring harness connector may be unplugged from the seat belt buckle pretensioner, and the signal to deploy the pretensioner will still be commanded and recorded.
MY 2006-2008 Sonata?s utilize a dual pretensioner system by incorporating pretensioners into both the driver and front passenger seat belt retractor and the seat belt buckle assembly.
The retractor pretensioner is located inside the B-pillar and winds (pretensions) the seat belt webbing back into the retractor housing during a collision, helping to remove seat belt slack and restrain the upper torso and hips.
In contrast, the buckle pretensioner is located within the stalk of the seat belt assembly and acts to supplement lower limb protection.
Both pretensioners are controlled by the SRSCM but utilize separate wiring and connectors.
The seat belt retractor pretensioner circuitry and operation is independent of the seat belt buckle pretensioner connector and circuitry.
Hyundai produced analysis indicating that increased resistance in the seat belt pretensioner which occurs in vehicle service does not result in a loss of buckle pretensioner.
Hyundai further advised that in the unlikely event that a seat belt buckle pretensioner may not deploy due to increased resistance, the retractor pretensioner would still activate.
Hyundai advised that the subject vehicles maintain their 5 STAR NHTSA safety rating using the retractor based pretensioner only.
ODI notes that MY 2009-10 Sonatas reverted back to a single pretensioner system, and do not utilize seat belt buckle pretensioners. Hyundai advised its intention to initiate a warranty extension program to address concerns with the seat belt buckle prentensioner faults in MY 2006-2008 Hyundai Sonata vehicles.
This action will extend the warranty coverage for this issue for 15 years or 250,000 miles, whichever occurs first.
Given Hyundai's action and the minimal safety consequence this issue presents, further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.
Accordingly, this investigation is closed.
The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.
The agency will monitor the issue and reserves the right to take further action if warranted by the circumstances. The ODI complaints cited above can be reviewed at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID, se
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE14-023. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.
Hyundai
All Hyundai recallsWhat an NHTSA investigation is
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.
An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.
To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Hyundai VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Sources
NHTSA's investigation record for PE14-023
Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.