Hyundai Motor recalls 200,000 Sante Fes, Sonatas over airbag problems

SEOUL (Reuters) -- Hyundai Motor Co. is recalling more than 200,000 units of the Santa Fe and Sonata in the United States due to problems with their airbags, a U.S. state safety agency said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a report released on its Web site Sunday that Hyundai's U.S. dealers will recall 199,118 Santa Fe SUVs built between April 19, 2006, and July 7, 2008 and 22,512 units of Sonata sedans manufactured from January 24 to June 21 this year.

The front passenger airbags of the Santa Fe models appeared to have improper occupant classification system, putting small-bodied people at risk, the U.S. agency said.

"The occupant classification system (OCS) may need recalibration to accurately detect small statured adults," it added.

Sensors for the side airbags of the Sonatas are needed to be reprogrammed because they may inflate without receiving a signal, increasing injury risks, the agency said.