Kia/Hyundai seat belt pretensioners under investigation

By The Associated Press

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Office of Defects Investigation has opened an investigation into seat belt pretensioners on certain 2020-2022 Kia/Hyundai vehicles, saying that they may rupture or explode. A seat belt pretensioner is a part of the seat belt system that locks the seat belt in place during a crash. The ODI said that if the pretensioner ruptures it could release shrapnel, causing abrasions or other injuries. It is aware of three separate incidents of possible faulty seat belt pretensioners.