Latest Hyundai, Kia Recall: 92,000 Cars Called Back Over Fire Risks
» Posted September 27, 2023 • Resources | Share This Post
It is deja vu all over again for Hyundai and Kia owners.
The Korean auto brands are once again calling back tens of thousands of vehicles. Once again, the cars are at risk of going up in flames and the automakers are urging owners to park their vehicles outside until they can be fixed.
“Owners can continue driving these vehicles; however, Hyundai recommends parking their vehicles outside until the recall remedy is completed,” the company said in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall covers certain 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Palisade sport utility vehicles, as well as some 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra and Kona vehicles. The recalled Kias include the 2023 Soul and Sportage, along with certain 2023 and 2024 Seltos vehicles.
Faulty printed circuit boards (PCBs) in the cars’ electric oil pumps are to blame for the recall, Hyundai recently told federal regulators. The PCBs were damaged in the manufacturing process, according to the automaker.
“A damaged capacitor on the pump controller PCB could impact electrical operation leading to heat damage to the electric oil pump circuit board, connector, and wiring harness,” Hyundai said. “The electrical heat damage within the electric oil pump assembly increases the risk of a vehicle fire.”
Hyundai and Kia told NHTSA that they are aware of at least 10 reports of components melting. No accidents or injuries were reported in those cases, according to the companies.
The automakers plan to notify owners of recalled cars by September 25, they told NHTSA. Hyundai and Kia will ask owners to bring their vehicles to authorized dealers for inspection and repair. They also pledged to cover out-of-pocket expenses related to the defect.
Legal Rights for Hyundai, Kia Drivers
These kinds of recalls have become routine for Hyundai and Kia, not to mention other major vehicle manufacturers.
Just five months ago, for example, Hyundai and Kia recalled some 571,000 vehicles over separate fire risks. They blamed faulty tow hitch harnesses for the recall, adding that the risk can be present even when cars’ engines are off. They also warned owners to park outside and away from structures until the vehicles could be inspected and repaired.
There is some good news for Hyundai and Kia drivers in California, however. The state’s lemon law gives you some valuable rights and protections.
The California lemon law requires automakers to perform a variety of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also requires the companies to buy back or replace cars that they cannot or simply refuse to fix. That includes covering the car’s purchase price, as well as financing fees, rental car costs and other related expenses.
Our California Lemon Lawyers Can Help
At Bickel Sannipoli, our California lemon law attorneys have assisted hundreds of clients across the state stuck with defective or malfunctioning vehicles.
We are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney today.
