Hyundai Sonata Recall

Hyundai Motor Co. said Tuesday it is recalling 393,714 Sonata passenger cars in the United States to fix a problem with the air bag system in the front passenger seat.

Hyundai in Canada is offering to replace the faulty part in 31,000 Sonatas.

The automaker said the recall affects 2006-2008 Sonata vehicles equipped with an advanced air bag system. The system disables the front passenger seat's front air bag when it detects the presence of a child restraint system or a small child in the seat.

The right front air bag is disabled to prevent injuries to a child that could result from the air bag inflating during a crash.

Hyundai said it received some complaints that the system was misclassifying a small adult as a child and shutting off the passenger air bag. The automaker said the misclassification would prevent the air bag from inflating in a crash, potentially leading to an injury to the passenger.

Hyundai spokesman Miles Johnson said the company was not aware of any injuries and was conducting the recall to "ensure the safety for our customers."

Dealers will evaluate the air bag system and the make any necessary repairs. The recall is expected to begin in late May.

Barb Pitblado, a spokeswoman for Hyundai in Canada, says the company has not yet set a date for the start of the replacement program but it should be near the end of May or early June.

She said there will be no time limit and consumers may bring their vehicles in to dealers any time after the start of the program.