NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Preliminary Evaluation PE16-018: Front Passenger Seat Belt Anchor Failure
- Closed
NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Preliminary Evaluation PE16-018 on December 27, 2016 and closed it on October 23, 2017. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2013 Hyundai Sonata for it and links recalls 17V-152 and 17V-617 to it.
Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file
Key facts
- NHTSA number
- PE16-018 (also written PE16018)
- 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 October 23, 2017
- Opened
- Closed
- Vehicle or equipment manufacturer
- Hyundai Motor America
- Components
- Seat Belts — Front — Anchorage; Seat Belts — Pretensioner
- Recalls linked by NHTSA
- Vehicles and equipment
- 2013 Hyundai Sonata
NHTSA's summary
As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-018.
try.vin does not copy NHTSA's investigation documents; NHTSA's investigation record lists the ones NHTSA has published.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this investigation on December 27, 2016 based on two ODI consumer complaints reporting a failure of the front passenger seat belt to remain connected to the seat belt anchor and pre-tensioner during a crash.
On March 8, 2017 Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) filed a defect report with the agency stating that it would conduct a safety recall on 977,778 model year 2010-2014 Sonata vehicles produced from December 11, 2009 through May 29, 2014 and model year 2011-2015 Sonata Hybrid vehicles produced from December 2, 2010 through January 9, 2015.
The remedy for the recall was to inspect the front seat belt anchor connector for proper attachment to the seat belt pre-tensioner.
ODI continued the investigation in order to pursue a remedy that would be more lasting, rather than a one-time inspection.
The connector is designed so that it can be removed from the pre-tensioner, when required, during vehicle maintenance.
If it is not properly connected when originally installed or when re-installed after maintenance, the connector could potentially release in a crash. On September 4, 2017 Hyundai filed an amended defect report and advised the agency that the remedy would be modified to provide a permanent label, to be attached to the connector, at the time of inspection.
The label provides graphic instructions and illustration as to the proper orientation of the connector lock when it is properly installed.
On October 4, 2017 Hyundai filed an additional defect report (see 17V-671) to have the vehicles that have had only theinspection procedure performed return to dealers to have the permanent label applied to the connector.
ODI is closing this investigation based on Hyundai's recall action to add a permanent label to the connector. This preliminary evaluation is closed.
The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.gov/complaints under the following identification numbers: 10903469 and 10926737.
Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation
NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Preliminary Evaluation PE16-018. 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
Hyundai Sonata
What 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 PE16-018
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.