Hyundai has been forced to recall thousands of cars across Australia over safety concerns.

The Korean car manufacturer issued an urgent recall on Tuesday after it was discovered the buckle anchors of the rear-centre seatbelts “did not meet specifications” during testing.

The safety issue means the seatbelts’ safety features may not work as intended.

“In the event of an accident, a seat belt not operating as intended could increase the risk of injury or death to vehicle occupants,” Hyundai said in a recall notice.

The recall affects more than 14,550 Hyundai Kona SX3 vehicles across the nation, with cars carrying the defect manufactured between 2025 and 2026.

Replacement parts for the faulty seatbelt are not yet available for Australians — meaning Hyundai has urged drivers to cease using the rear centre seat of their vehicle until repairs can occur.

“Once parts become available, owners of affected vehicles will be contacted in writing asking them to schedule an appointment with an Authorised Hyundai Dealer to have the repair carried out free of charge,” the company said.

It’s the third recall the Korean brand, which is the fifth most popular car brand in Australia, has issued in September.

More than 3000 hybrid i30 sedans were recalled on September 1 over a software issue that could cause overheating in the hybrid unit.

Two days later, a software problem affecting critical safety information led to 11,460 Hyundai Tucsons to also be recalled across Australia.