South Korean automobile majors Hyundai and Kia have issued notice to recall close to 500,000 vehicles in the US.
There were reports that there is a risk of a potential fire in the engines of several models like Santa Fe SUVs, 2017-18 Santa FE Sport SUVs, 2019 Santa Fe XL models, 2014-15 Tucson SUVs, Kia Sportage SUVs, and 2016-2018 Kia K900 sedans.
As a precautionary step, the auto companies have advised car owners to ensure that their cars are parked outdoors and away from buildings/structures.
Both the companies have notified that there is the possibility of a short circuit in their anti-lock brake systems because of the electrical components in its Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) even though vehicles are in a steady-state.
Hyundai and Kia recall vehicles due to potential fire risk
Kia is recalling 126,747 automobiles whereas Hyundai is recalling 357,830 vehicles across the USA. A new module will be installed along with a replacement fuse which will control the amount of power going into the module. There will be no additional cost levied to the owners.
Kia and Hyundai are in the process of notifying car owners via email with standard instructions to get their vehicles to nearby Kia or Hyundai dealer service centers for a free repair. Kia is expected to complete this process by 31st March whereas Hyundai said it would complete by 5th April.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on 8th Feb in a statement, “Kia and Hyundai will notify owners by mail with instructions to bring their vehicles to a Kia or Hyundai dealer for a free repair. Dealers will install a fuse designed to mitigate the risk of fire”.
NHTSA added, “The manufacturers believe an electrical component in the anti-lock brake system may experience an internal electrical short circuit that could increase the risk of fire both while the vehicle is being driven or parked.”
Vehicle owners who are interested to know if their vehicle is eligible or not for recall can check the NHTSA’s recall website.
Alternatively, they can also make a call to NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 following which they need to provide their 17-digit vehicle identification number.
North Carolina-based family reported that their 2022 Kia Sportage car randomly caught on fire. One of their family members used the car for the day when he noticed that smoke started coming out of the hood. Within no time the entire car was engulfed in flames. The car had no history of any accidents.
Hyundai Motor Group owns majority controlling ownership in Kia. They also share some manufacturing facilities and engineering in various models. However, both companies operate independently from each other in the US.
