Threatened By Short Circuit! Hyundai And KIA Advise 484K Car Owners To Park Away From Home

Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Corp, announced separate recalls in the US. (photo: doc. unsplash)

JAKARTA - South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia on Tuesday, February 8, advised owners of 484,000 US vehicles to park outside and away from other vehicles because of the risk of fire, until they complete repairs and new recalls.

Hyundai Motor Co and its affiliate Kia Corp, announced separate recalls in the US because the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) module could malfunction and cause an electrical short, which could result in an engine compartment fire. The dealer will install a new fuse for the circuit board to address the risk of fire.

The new recall covers some 2014-2016 Kia Sportage, 2016-2018 Kia K900 and 2016-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles. The owner must park the vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles or buildings, even if the vehicle is turned off.

As Reuters reported, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urged owners to follow the automaker's advice, saying "manufacturers believe electrical components in the anti-lock brake system may have experienced an internal electrical short which could increase the risk of fire both while the vehicle is being driven. or parked."

The recall covers 126,747 Kia vehicles and 357,830 Hyundai vehicles. There were no reports of injuries but a total of 11 fire reports, the automaker said.

The Korean automaker has issued and expanded several recalls in recent years for fire risks.

In November, NHTSA issued a first-time reward to whistleblowers, handing out more than US$24 million to former Hyundai employees who reported to NHTSA in 2016 that Hyundai failed to address a design flaw associated with the Theta II engine, which is prone to damage. catch and burn.

In 2020, Hyundai and Kia's US units agreed to a record $210 million civil fine after NHTSA said they failed to recall the vehicle due to engine problems in a timely manner.