Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain 2022 Elantra and Elantra HEV vehicles
An exploding seat belt pretensioner can 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 May 19, 2022. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's number for this recall is 220. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall numbers 21V-796 and 22V-069. 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 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
Twenty-two owners of 2022 Hyundai Elantras are dealing with seatbelt pretensioner problems tied to NHTSA recall 22V354000. The recall identifies a defect where seatbelt pretensioners can deploy improperly or rupture, sending metal shrapnel into the passenger compartment. Hyundai issued recall notices starting in July-August 2022, but told owners the parts to fix it weren't ready yet—and remain unavailable.
Owners report contacting dealerships (including Happy Hyundai in Oak Lawn, IL and Cookeville Hyundai in Tennessee) only to be told parts are not in stock with no repair timeline. Several waited six months or longer with no progress. One dealership allegedly prioritized fixing unsold inventory over repairing customer vehicles. Owners express frustration that they're expected to drive cars Hyundai acknowledges as unsafe while the company takes its time with the remedy.
One owner reported an actual pretensioner malfunction: his teenage daughter had the seatbelt lock and tighten around her abdomen during normal seating repositioning, cutting off circulation. It wouldn't release no matter how gently she moved, forcing him to cut the belt to free her. This occurred outside the formal recall scenario, suggesting the underlying component has broader failure modes.
Same Hyundai Elantra seatbelts reports on nearby years: 2021
Failure modes owners describe
Seatbelt pretensioner rupture risk under recall
Seatbelt pretensioners subject to NHTSA recall 22V354000 can deploy improperly or rupture, potentially projecting metal shrapnel into the passenger compartment during operation or collision.
When: Affects 2022 model year; recall issued August 2022
Symptoms owners cite: Seatbelt pretensioner may deploy in faulty manner; Risk of metal shrapnel projection into occupant compartment; Potential to cause injury to vehicle occupants
Codes mentioned:22V354000
Repairs/costs cited: Recall repair parts unavailable as of complaint submission dates. Dealerships report parts not in stock with no timeline for availability. One narrative mentions six months waiting period with parts still unavailable.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA recall 22V354000 issued; Hyundai announced recall remedy preparation but did not have parts available. Multiple dealerships (Happy Hyundai Oak Lawn IL, Rogers Hyundai Chicago IL, Cookeville Hyundai TN) confirmed parts not available. Dealership Cookeville prioritized unsold inventory over customer safety repairs.
Seatbelt pretensioner overlock/failure to release
Seatbelt pretensioner engages and locks up around occupant on seated repositioning or minor movement, cutting off circulation and requiring manual cutting of belt to release.
When: Occurred during normal seating repositioning; no collision or deployment event
Symptoms owners cite: Seatbelt tightens around waist/abdomen upon occupant movement; Belt continues to tighten and locks with each small movement; Pretensioner will not release or retract; Circulation restriction to abdomen
Repairs/costs cited: Seatbelt cut manually by occupant to release due to failure of pretensioner to release. No repair cost cited as belt was destroyed to free occupant.
Synthesized from 22 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting
3 most recent
seatbelts
· filed 11/16/2022
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V354000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. 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 experienced a failure. Parts distribution…
seatbelts
· filed 11/16/2022
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V354000 (Seat Belts); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made aware…
seatbelts
· filed 10/21/2022
The contact owns a 2022 Hyundai Elantra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V354000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not…
Had seatbelts trouble with your 2022 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 2022 Hyundai Elantra?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 22 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
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/2022/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.