Struggled with this problem on our 2005 Santa Fe since new. Wife weighs around 125. Light is sometimes on and sometimes off. Received a recall pertaining to this problem within a year of purchase. Recall called for resetting the algorithm that runs when the engine is started--at least that is what the service rep said.
Returned a 2nd time when this did not correct the intermittent problem. They said everything was working properly. They pointed out that the owner's manual calls for all passengers to be seated before" the engine is started, since that is when the sensing algorithm runs. This is certainly bad design logic. We all have passengers unboard and board while the engine is running. We surely do not turn the engine off each time these boarding events occur.
However, being a professional engineer, I conducted my own test. Sure enough, each time I noticed the light being "off" when my wife was in the passenger seat I pulled over to the side of the road, turned the engine off and restarted. The light went out every time!
Intermittent problems with safety systems are, in my opinion, the worst kind. Given this is integral to the design, I firmly believe the design is faulty. And worse, there is nothing Hyundai service reps can do to remedy the problem.
Best regards,
TF
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