Hyundai Electric Car Recall Comes With $900 Million Price Tag

Hyundai’s recent recall of some 82,000 electric vehicles at risk of fires is reportedly one of the most expensive on record.

The Korean carmaker announced in late February that it is recalling certain Kona EV and Ioniq EV cars. The company said it will fully replace the batteries in the vehicles in response to complaints of engine fires.

Although the recall began in Korea, it is likely to extend to the U.S. and Canada, according to reports.

“We are working closely with NHTSA and Transport Canada on the recall and will communicate the details to affected customers shortly,” the company told The Verge.

The call back is expected to cost the company $11,000 per vehicle, CNN reports. The move to replace the entire battery is extremely rare, along the lines of swapping out an entire engine in a has-powered vehicle, according to CNN.

The recall reportedly came in response to at least 15 complaints of engine fires. It also includes certain electric buses built over a three-year period that ended in March 2020.

Hyundai is not the only major automaker that has struggled to make electric vehicle batteries that are safe. General Motors recently recalled 70,000 Bolts over similar reports of fires.

This is also not the first time that Hyundai has played with fire. The company recalled nearly 430,000 Elantra sedans last year, citing a potential anti-lock brake system short that could cause fires. Hyundai and Kia also recalled another 591,000 vehicles, telling owners and federal regulators that brake fluid leaks could cause fires.

How a California Lemon Law Attorney Can Help You

Sadly, millions of vehicles are recalled each year because of serious issues - like the potential engine fires - that put everyone on the road in harm’s way. Fortunately, California’s lemon law offers some important rights and protections to car owners and lessors in the Golden State. 

The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act requires carmakers to perform a variety of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The lemon law also obligates those companies to buy back - or, in some cases, replace - cars that the manufacturer either cannot or refuses to fix.

There is no set number of repair requests or attempts that must be made before the buy back or replace requirement kicks in. That is one of several reasons why it is crucial to seek the assistance of an experienced lemon law lawyer.

A California lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you understand your rights and explore your legal options. Our attorneys work aggressively to resolve these cases for the people that we represent, guiding them through the legal process every step of the way.

Our offices are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an California lemon law attorney.