hyundai recalls kona and kona electric over rear seat belt defectHyundai Motor America has issued a safety recall impacting specific units of the 2025 Kona Electric and 2026 Kona crossovers. The recall focuses on a defective component in the rear seat layout that could fail to protect passengers during a collision.According to the safety report, the seat belt buckle assembly for the rear center seat may have been manufactured incorrectly, preventing it from properly restraining an occupant in the event of a crash.hyundai recalls kona and kona electric over rear seat belt defectWhat Owners Need to DoDue to the increased risk of injury, Hyundai is advising owners not to allow anyone to use the rear center seating position until the vehicle has been brought to a dealership for the official repair. The outboard rear seats (left and right sides) are unaffected by this defect and remain safe to use.The Remedy and Notification TimelineTo resolve the issue, authorized Hyundai dealership technicians will replace the entire rear center seat belt buckle assembly with a redesigned unit completely free of charge.AdvertisementAdvertisementVIN Search Availability: Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) for the specific vehicles involved in this campaign became searchable on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database on July 15, 2026.Notification Letters: Hyundai expects to begin mailing official owner notification letters on September 11, 2026.Owners seeking additional information can contact Hyundai customer service directly at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai's internal reference number for this safety campaign is 306. Drivers can also check if their specific crossover is included by entering their 17-digit VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.This article was co-written using AI and was then heavily edited and optimized by our editorial team.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.