NEW YORK -- Honda has issued a recall for certain 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a potential safety issue with the front seat belt pretensioners. The recall stems from a missing rivet that secures the quick connector and wire plate in the pretensioners, which could lead to ineffective seat belt restraint during a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Honda both released notices earlier this week, warning about the potential risk of injury associated with the faulty pretensioners. If the rivet is missing, the seat belts may not be adequately tightened upon impact, potentially compromising passenger safety.

While no injuries or fatalities have been reported as a result of the malfunctioning pretensioners, Honda has received seven warranty claims regarding the issue, according to documents published by the NHTSA on November 16.

To address the problem and ensure customer safety, Honda has instructed its dealers to inspect the affected vehicles. If necessary, the seat belt pretensioner assembly will be replaced by authorized dealerships at no cost. Additionally, customers who have already paid for repairs related to the pretensioner issue may be eligible for reimbursement.

Honda estimates that less than 1% of the affected vehicles will require a full seat belt pretensioner replacement. The majority of the impacted cars are expected to be resolved with a thorough inspection alone, confirmed a Honda spokesperson in a statement to The Associated Press on Saturday.

Notification letters will be mailed to registered owners of the affected vehicles starting January 8, 2024. Replacement parts are expected to be available to dealers at the end of the month. However, customers can already bring their vehicles to authorized Honda dealers for inspections.

For more information about the recall and to check if their vehicle is affected, owners can visit the NHTSA website or Honda's online recall pages.

This story corrects references to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

In summary, Honda has initiated a recall for select 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles to address a potential safety issue with the front seat belt pretensioners. The missing rivet in the pretensioner assembly could compromise the effectiveness of seat belt restraint during a crash. Honda is taking necessary measures to inspect and, if required, replace the faulty parts to ensure customer safety.