Half a Million Hyundai Owners Should Pay Attention to This Important Safety Alert | Carscoops

      The seatbelt buckles on Hyundai Palisade SUVs may not latch correctly and will be replaced as part of a recall.

      Hyundai is recalling 568,850 Palisades due to an issue with the seatbelt.

      The affected 2020-2025 SUVs have poorly machined seatbelt buckles.

      Owners are advised to pay attention for a lighter-than-usual latching click.

      Modern vehicles are equipped with numerous advanced electronic safety features, yet one of the most crucial safety devices remains the simple seatbelt. However, over half a million Hyundai owners have been alerted that their seatbelts may not function correctly and are advised to be attentive to a particular sound to prevent potential accidents.

      Hyundai announced last week a recall involving 568,850 SUVs after identifying a problem with the seatbelt buckle in 2022-2025 Palisades manufactured in Korea and sold in the U.S. This issue affects the seatbelts in both the first and second rows of the three-row SUV.

      Fault identified from supplier

      The issue arises from the metal tongue attached to the seatbelt, which may not latch properly into the socket. This could cause it to detach under load, which would mean it wouldn’t secure an occupant during a collision. Hyundai has traced the issue to poorly manufactured buckle guides from the supplier ZF Lifetec and plans to replace the buckles in U.S. Palisades starting this November.

      Hyundai states that owners can continue to drive their Palisades until the replacements are made, but they should be more careful when fastening their seatbelts and listen for a specific click that indicates a potential problem. A lighter-than-normal click when latching, possibly along with a depressed button on the buckle, are signs that the seatbelt may not be fully secure. They also noted that cold temperatures and inserting the tongue too slowly may increase the chances of improper latching.

      As is common with many recalls, this issue has been recognized for some time. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) began a preliminary investigation into inadequate seatbelt latching in the 2020-2023 Palisades last August, but it took 13 months for the ODI, Hyundai, and ZF Lifetec to complete their testing to determine the cause of the problem.

      Fortunately, although Hyundai has received 546 reports of defective buckles, they are not aware of any injuries resulting from the defect affecting drivers or passengers of a Palisade.