On the heels of the Ford Escape recall, Hyundai has announced a recall of nearly 220,000 Sante Fe SUVs and Sonata sedans due to a potential problem with their air bags.
According to an article on CNN.com, the car manufacturer has recalled almost 200,000 of their 2007-2009 model year Sante Fe SUVs. In the event of a crash, the front passenger airbags may not deploy because of a possible problem with the occupant classification system. This is the system that determines if the air bag should be deployed based on the size of the passenger. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the system may need to be recalibrated to detect “small statured adults.”
The recall also includes more than 22,000 Sonata sedans from the model year 2012-2013. According to the administration, the curtain side airbags may inflate for no apparent reason because of a manufacturing error.
Hyundai dealers will notify owners and replace the curtain side airbags free of charge. Dealers will also update the classification software for free in affected SUVs.