Hyundai and Kia continue recalls of several of their vehicles due to a risk of fires.
The Korean automakers have had continued struggles with their vehicles since February of 2020.
According to The Center for Auto Safety (CAS), in October 2019, Kia and Hyundai reached a $760 million settlement with customers affected by non-crash engine fires after The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigated this defect.
The investigation came after more than 300 consumer complaints of Kia and Hyundai vehicles bursting into flames.
In November of 2020, NHTSA ordered Kia and Hyundai to pay $137 million in fines for safety improvements because they “moved too slowly” to recall more than one million vehicles.
The new recall from the Korean automakers involves a failure in the antilock brake control module that can cause an electrical short. This increases the risk of other non-accident-related fires.
Hyundai and Kia are encouraging the nearly half-million owners of the affected vehicles to park their vehicles outside because affected vehicles can possibly catch on fire while not even on.
CAS has also called for a total recall of all 2011-2014 Kia Optima, Kia Sorento, Kia Soul, Hyundai Sonata, and Hyundai Santa Fe, and all 2010-2015 Kia Souls (a total of almost three million vehicles)
The new recall affects specific year models of the KIA Sportage SUV and K900 sedans. The recall affects certain of Hyundai’s Tucson line and Sante Fe SUVs, Sante Fe Sport, and Sante Fe Xl.
A complete list of recalled vehicles can be found here.
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