Hyundai Motors recently recalled 485,000 newer vehicles. What does this mean for the reputation of the company, and what should you do if you own a faulty car?
have issued recalls for close to 500,000 vehicles after 11 incidents of spontaneous engine fires have been reported by US customers. Both companies have been traditionally considered dependable automakers, but recently that reputation has been shaken due to statistically frequent engine fires and short-circuiting.
Despite operating as independent companies, both are owned by parent company Hyundai Motors. As such, both automakers utilize the Hydraulic Electric Control Unit, or HECU, part of the ABS which is the source of the fires. The ABS is susceptible to foreign contaminants, which then
, and away from buildings.” Signs that your car could be affected include the ABS warning light switching on, the scent of something burning or melting, and a smoking engine.
Recalled vehicles include Kia’s 2014-2016 Sportage SUVs and 2016-2018 K900 Sedans and Hyundai’s 2014-2015 Tucson SUVs, 2016-2018 Santa Fe SUVs, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sports, and 2019 Santa Fe XLs.
Thankfully, no one has been injured, and Hyundai claims that the cars are still safe to drive. Nonetheless, it’s not a good look for Kia or Hyundai, and has garnered criticism from many auto safety organizations:
“Although NHTSA has the authority to order a recall and potentially a buyback of all affected vehicles, the separate fire defects that have plagued millions of Hyundai vehicles across multiple model years makes this a very difficult task,” said Michael Brooks of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety.
(Vehicle Identification Numbers) into their website to check for issued recalls. Both companies will be mailing recall notices to owners also, but most won’t arrive until early April. Check every week as recalls tend to be updated frequently
, whether your car is on the recall list or not, you may bring your vehicle to its respective dealership to have the fuse or ABS control module replaced at no charge.
Should you notice any indicators, such as the ones Hyundai listed above, while you’re driving, pull over as soon as it is safe to do so, turn off the car to let it cool, and try to get 100-150 feet between yourself and the car.
Unfortunately, it seems none of this controversy is news to either company. Over the past few years, the two combined have issued a total of 3.5 million recalls! They were even penalized for a total of over $2 million in fees
by the NHTSA for not issuing said recalls in a timely manner.
However, Hyundai and Kia are trying to be proactive in the future by equipping 3.7 million US cars with engine failure driver notification software.
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