Recall 26V452 affects 47,749 2025-2026 Hyundai Kona and Kona Electric vehicles for a rear-center-seat belt buckle defect. Avoid that seat until the free dealer repair.
Hyundai is recalling 47,749 2025-2026 Kona and Kona Electric vehicles because the rear center seat belt buckle can fail to restrain an occupant during a crash. That failure increases the risk of injury, and the Hyundai dealer repair will be free once the remedy is available.
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What's wrong?
The rear center seat belt buckle in the 2025-2026 Hyundai Kona and Kona Electric is the latch point for the rear center passenger's belt. When the tongue clicks into the buckle, the buckle is supposed to stay locked so the belt can restrain that passenger during a crash. This recall is about that buckle assembly, not the whole rear seat.
On affected vehicles, the supplier's stamping die, a metal tool that shapes buckle parts, was used past its intended service life and was not maintained properly. That wear left some buckles outside specification. In a crash, the rear center buckle can fail to properly restrain the occupant, which is the safety issue in NHTSA campaign 26V452. The replacement buckles are made to specification with properly maintained tooling.
There is no warning sign before failure. A buckle can click and feel normal in everyday use, but the problem is whether it holds under crash loads.
Who's affected?
Kona and Kona Electric both use the same rear center seat belt buckle in this recall.
| 2026 Hyundai Kona | seat belt |
|---|---|
| 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric | seat belt |
| Units affected | 47,749 |
| Field incidents | NHTSA has logged no field incidents to date. |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific SUV.
What's the safety risk?
A rear center seat belt buckle that does not properly restrain an occupant in a crash increases injury risk. Keep passengers out of the rear center seat until the buckle assembly is replaced. Repair will be free at any franchised Hyundai dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2025-2026 Hyundai Kona or Kona Electric is included in this recall.
- Wait for Hyundai's owner letter, expected September 11, 2026, before scheduling the dealer repair.
- Avoid using the rear center seat until the seat belt buckle assembly replacement is complete.
- Contact a franchised Hyundai dealer once the remedy opens to schedule the free rear-center buckle replacement that fixes the restraint failure risk.
- Bring the recall notice if Hyundai has mailed one. If not, reference recall number 26V452 when you call.
- Call Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 with questions.
What happens at the repair
Until the recall remedy is performed, passengers should not use the rear center seat. Once the repair opens, a Hyundai technician will replace the rear center seat belt buckle assembly. The dealer repair will be free once available, with parts and labor covered under the recall. Hyundai used its general reimbursement plan on file, so eligible owners who already paid for a related repair should keep repair paperwork and contact Hyundai customer service about reimbursement under that plan.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| July 14, 2026 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| July 15, 2026 | VIN-searchable in NHTSA's database — Check your VIN to see whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle. |
| September 11, 2026 | Dealer notification began |
| September 11, 2026 | Dealer notification ended |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 26V452?
Recall 26V452 covers 47,749 Hyundai vehicles: 2025 Kona Electric and 2026 Kona models. The rear center seat belt buckle can fail to properly restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing injury risk. Hyundai dealers will replace the buckle assembly for free.
What should I do if my 2026 Hyundai Kona or 2025 Hyundai Kona Electric is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 26V452. If it is, do not use the rear center seat until a franchised Hyundai dealer replaces the seat belt buckle assembly. Reference Hyundai recall number 306 when you call.
Is the Hyundai recall repair free?
Yes. Hyundai's recall remedy says dealers will replace the rear center seat belt buckle assembly free of charge. The free repair applies at franchised Hyundai dealers, regardless of where you bought the vehicle.
Is it safe to use the rear center seat before the repair?
No. Hyundai advises passengers not to use the rear center seat until the recall remedy is performed. The defect involves the rear center seat belt buckle, which can fail to properly restrain an occupant during a crash.
When will Hyundai send owner letters for recall 26V452?
Hyundai expects to mail owner notification letters on September 11, 2026. VINs became searchable on July 15, 2026, so you can check your VIN now and contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460 with recall questions.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/26V452000 |
|---|---|
| Hyundai customer service | 1-855-371-9460 |
| NHTSA recall # | 26V452 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 26V452000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF) - Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on July 26, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →