US: Hyundai recalls Sonatas on front p/s airbag

16 April 2008 | Source: just-auto.com editorial team

Hyundai Motor Co. has said it is recalling 393,714 Sonata passenger cars in the United States to fix a problem with the airbag system in the front passenger seat.

The automaker said the recall affects 2006-2008 Sonata vehicles equipped with an advanced airbag system. The system disables the front passenger seat's front airbag when it detects the presence of a child restraint system or a small child in the seat.

The right front airbag is disabled to prevent injuries to a child that could result from the airbag inflating during a crash.

Hyundai said it received some complaints that the system was misclassifying a small adult as a child and shutting off the passenger airbag. The automaker said the misclassification would prevent the airbag from inflating in a crash, potentially leading to an injury to the passenger.

Hyundai said it was not aware of any injuries and was conducting the recall to 'ensure the safety for our customers.'