NHTSA complaint #11715523

Owner complaint summary

NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint Report I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety defect involving the rear seatbelt in my 2025 Hyundai Tucson Limited. The vehicle currently has approximately 6,000 miles, and this issue has created an extremely dangerous situation for passengers. While traveling out of town, the rear passenger seatbelt suddenly jammed and would not retract or release properly. The belt became completely stuck and unusable. Three adults attempted to safely unjam the seatbelt, but it would not retract or function as designed. Because the restraint system failed, the rear seating position became unsafe and unusable. We were forced to arrange alternate transportation for our passenger because it was not safe or legal for them to ride without a functioning seatbelt. This failure represents a major safety concern. A seatbelt is a critical safety component that should never lock up or become permanently jammed under normal use, especially on a nearly new vehicle with very low mileage. The inability to secure a passenger created a hazardous situation and could have resulted in serious injury if an accident had occurred. I am contacting Hyundai Customer Affairs today to formally report this safety issue. I will also be taking the vehicle to the dealership for inspection and repair, as I do not feel it is safe to drive the vehicle until the defective seatbelt is properly repaired and confirmed safe. Given that seatbelt failures directly impact occupant safety, I believe this issue requires immediate investigation. A restraint system that becomes stuck and cannot be used is unacceptable and poses a significant risk to drivers and passengers. I am requesting that NHTSA review this defect, investigate potential manufacturing or design problems, and determine whether other vehicles may be affected.