Hyundai Motor America is initiating a recall impacting a limited number of 2026 Genesis GV70, 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz, 2025 Hyundai Tucson, and 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and Santa Fe vehicles due to an issue with the installation of side curtain airbags. The recall, reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under recall number 25V809, affects a total of 273 vehicles produced at Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama (HMMA). The defect stems from a potential twisting of the side curtain airbags during the manual assembly process, which could lead to abnormal deployment in the event of a crash.
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The affected vehicles were produced within specific date ranges. For the 2026 Genesis GV70, production dates range from April 2, 2025, to April 30, 2025, with three potentially involved units. The 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz is affected by production dates from September 11, 2024, to July 28, 2025, involving 217 vehicles. For the 2025 Hyundai Tucson, production dates fall between September 25, 2024, and July 17, 2025, with 29 vehicles potentially impacted. The 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid and 2025-2026 Hyundai Santa Fe are also included, with production from December 11, 2024, to July 30, 2025, affecting 19 and 5 vehicles respectively.
The safety risk associated with this defect is an increased chance of occupant injury during a collision. The side curtain airbags, when improperly installed and twisted, may not deploy as intended. Hyundai states there are no warning signs that can alert drivers to this condition. The issue was identified through an internal “Speak Up For Safety” report from HMMA on August 9, 2025, concerning an improperly installed side curtain airbag on a 2026 Santa Cruz. Subsequent investigation by HMMA and Hyundai Motor Company (HMC) R&D confirmed that the manual installation process could lead to twisted airbags.
Hyundai has not received any reports of crashes, fires, injuries, or fatalities related to this specific defect as of the filing date of the recall report. To address the issue, Hyundai will notify owners of affected vehicles by first-class mail. Owners will be instructed to bring their vehicles to a Hyundai dealer or Genesis retailer, where technicians will inspect and, if necessary, reinstall the side curtain airbag module in the correct orientation. This repair will be performed at no cost to the vehicle owner, irrespective of whether the vehicle is still under its original new vehicle limited warranty. Furthermore, Hyundai will offer reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred by owners who have already sought a remedy for this recall condition, following a reimbursement plan submitted to NHTSA.
The recall remedy involves correcting the installation of the side curtain airbag module to ensure proper positioning and orientation. Production improvements have already been implemented at HMMA, with an in-line visual inspection system introduced on August 6, 2025, to help detect assembly-related abnormalities on all airbags during production.
Dealers were scheduled to be notified electronically on January 19, 2026. Owners are expected to receive their official notification letters by January 19, 2026, with the recall proceeding in phases. Owners can check the recall status of their vehicle using its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) starting November 22, 2025. Vehicle owners who have concerns or questions regarding this recall should contact Hyundai Customer Care or Genesis Customer Care.
Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from Hyundai Motor America and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
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