Hyundai recalls some Sante Fes; Infinitis probed

Hyundai Motor Co is recalling some Santa Fe SUVs and Sonata sedans for separate air bag issues, U.S. safety regulators said Monday.

In the United States, Hyundai is recalling 199,118 Santa Fe SUVs from the model years 2007 to 2009 that were made from April 2006 through July 7, 2008, because the front passenger air bag may not deploy in a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a filing.

Separately, Hyundai is recalling 22,513 Sonata sedans in the United States for the model years 2012-2013, made from January to June this year, because the side air bag may inflate, to the surprise of the driver.

Meanwhile, U.S. safety regulators have opened an investigation into Nissan Motor Co's luxury brand Infiniti's new crossover vehicle JX35 on possible improper application of the emergency brake.

The probe is not a recall, but may lead to one. The probe focuses on about 8,000 vehicles from the 2013 model year.

Two consumers have complained "that the intelligent brake assist system inappropriately activated emergency braking autonomously bringing the vehicle to an immediate and complete stop," said a filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.