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2021 Hyundai Elantra seatbelts problems
critical
Owners of the 2021 Hyundai Elantra have filed 21 NHTSA complaints about the seatbelts at roughly $500 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of September 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.See seatbelts across all vehicles →
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021 Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, Genesis GV80 and 2022 Genesis GV70 vehicles
An exploding seat belt pretensioner could project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 10, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 211 and 009G. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall numbers 22V-354 for Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles, 22V-458 for Venue vehicles, and 23V-094 for Genesis vehicles. Elantra, Elantra HEV, Venue, and Genesis vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedies completed.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Elantra and 2020 Accent vehicles
Exploding seat belt pretensioners can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will replace the seat belt pretensioners, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed on May 31, 2022. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 223. This recall is replaced by NHTSA recall number 22V-354. Vehicles already repaired under this recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Accent, 2021-2022 Elantra, and 2021-2022 Elantra HEV vehicles
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, strike vehicle occupants, and result in injury.
Fix: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioner(s) with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 229. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796, 22V-069, 22V-218, and 22V-123 for Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles. All Accent, Elantra, and Elantra HEV vehicles already repaired under the previous recalls will need to have the new remedy completed.
The failure pattern owners describe
The dominant issue is NHTSA campaign 22V354000, a seat belt pretensioner explosion hazard active since May 18, 2022. Twenty of the 21 complaints center on this recall: owners received notices but dealers have no parts available months after the recall was issued. Multiple owners report dealers confirmed parts not in stock, with some citing month-long or longer wait times. One owner's case involved a fatal accident where the vehicle received the recall notice after the crash; Hyundai closed the case without resolution despite owner requests to reopen it.
Two additional distinct failures emerged: one owner reported a rear center seat belt that snagged on a child's car seat and refused to retract, tightening around the child's chest and neck until two adults cut it free. Another owner reported simultaneous failure of the horn and seat belt chime after fuses tested good.
The pretensioner defect carries severe consequences—owners and dealers describe metal fragment ejection hazard during crashes. The combination of a known safety defect and prolonged parts unavailability has left owners expressing frustration about driving vehicles with unrepaired critical safety systems.
Same Hyundai Elantra seatbelts reports on nearby years: 2022
Failure modes owners describe
Seat belt pretensioner explosion hazard
Front seat belt pretensioners at risk of exploding and sending metal fragments into occupants during crash events. Owners report being notified of this defect via NHTSA recall campaign 22V354000 active since May 18, 2022.
When: During crash/high-impact collision
Symptoms owners cite: Pretensioner explosion during accident; Metal fragment ejection; Serious occupant injury from fragments
Codes mentioned:22V354000
Repairs/costs cited: Recall parts unavailable as of complaint dates; extended lead times reported (one month or longer mentioned). Multiple owners cite dealer confirmation that parts not in stock.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign Number 22V354000 (Seat Belts) issued May 18, 2022. Hyundai notified of delays; manufacturer confirmed parts unavailable in multiple cases. One case closed by manufacturer without resolution despite owner demand for reopening.
Seat belt entrapment in rear center seat
Rear center seat belt snagged on underside of child car seat and failed to retract properly, trapping child with belt tightening around upper chest and neck. Two adults unable to release mechanism.
When: While child occupant in rear center seat with car seat installed
Symptoms owners cite: Belt snagged on car seat underside; Retraction mechanism failed; Belt tightened around child's chest and neck with movement; Cannot be manually released by occupants
Repairs/costs cited: Belt cut to release child and prevent strangulation.
Seat belt chime and horn electrical failure
Seat belt warning chime and horn both failed simultaneously. Owner had fuses checked and confirmed functional, indicating issue beyond simple electrical connection.
When: Occurred suddenly, timing not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Horn non-responsive to manual press and key fob activation; Seat belt chime non-functional; Simultaneous failure of both systems
Repairs/costs cited: Fuses verified functional; root cause not diagnosed by owner.
Synthesized from 21 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
3 most recent
seatbelts
· filed 12/14/2022
NHTSA Recall Number 22V354000 has been active since May 18, 2022. The dealership says no dealers in the area have received the part to fix it. The recall itself carries serious safety concerns as the seatbelt will explode metal fragments in an accident. The dealer has also told me that 35 other people are waiting for the recall to be fixed as well. This is ridiculous, Hyundai needs to get these…
seatbelts
· filed 12/05/2025
The horn is not working when I press the horn or on the key fob. I had it checked and the fuses were fine. The seat belt chime also does not work out of nowhere, same time the horn stopped working.
seatbelts
· filed 11/18/2022
The contact owns a 2021 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V354000 (Seat Belt) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not…
Had seatbelts trouble with your 2021 Hyundai Elantra?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the seatbelts problem on the 2021 Hyundai Elantra?
It's a serious issue. 21 complaints have been filed, including 1 reports involving a crash and 1 fatality(ies). We've classified it as critical based on NHTSA's reported outcomes.
At what mileage does the seatbelts typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $500 for seatbelts repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to seatbelts?
Yes — 3 active recall(s) cover seatbelts issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2021/Hyundai/Elantra.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.