US Auto Safety Regulators Launch Investigation into Hyundai SUVs

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Friday that it is opening a preliminary evaluation into approximately 332,288 Hyundai SUVs in the United States.

The investigation, Excel Magazine International learnt, focuses on certain Hyundai Palisade SUVs from model years 2020-2023, which may have a potentially faulty seat belt.

According to the NHTSA, the seat belts in these vehicles may inadvertently unlatch without warning, increasing the risk of injury due to full loss of seat belt protection.

The NHTSA’s preliminary evaluation is the first step in the investigation process. If deemed necessary, the agency may escalate the investigation to an engineering analysis.

Only after completing the engineering analysis can the NHTSA demand a recall if necessary.

The agency’s investigation aims to determine the cause and scope of the potential problem.

Hyundai has not yet commented on the investigation.

The South Korean automaker has faced several recalls in recent years, including a massive recall of over 1 million vehicles in 2020.