Hyundai Auto Recalls and Defects
The Hyundai Motor Group is a South Korean automaker and one of the biggest automobile manufacturers in the world. Hyundai is the largest auto manufacturer in South Korea, followed by its own subsidiary, Kia. The Hyundai Motor Group was formed through the purchase of Kia by Hyundai Motor Company, a subsidiary of the Hyundai Group that was spun off after the 1997 Asian financial crisis. In 2017, Hyundai was declared to be the third-largest vehicle manufacturer in the world, following only Toyota and the Volkswagen Group. Hyundai boasts an annual revenue of over $224 billion and employs over 278,000 people worldwide.
Hyundai markets itself as a “forward-thinking” company, looking to the next generation of electric and hybrid vehicles. It’s just as well Hyundai looks to the future, because their existing vehicles have been subject to many recalls after the discovery of dangerous, deadly defects. Hyundai has even been sanctioned for misleading the public about its dangerous vehicles.
Our California Lemon Law Firm has compiled a list of notable recent Hyundai recalls and defects. Check your vehicle identification number (VIN) on Hyundai’s website or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) database to determine if your vehicle is or was subject to a recall. If you bought or leased a Hyundai auto and discovered a significant defect, or if your Hyundai is subject to a recall, you have vital legal rights. The Lemon Law attorney at Nita Lemon Law Firm is here to help.
2016-2019 Santa Fe, 2014-2015 Tucson: Spontaneous Fires
In February 2022, Hyundai and its subsidiary, Kia, issued a recall of close to 500,000 cars and SUVs sold in the United States. Vehicles covered by the recall include the 2016-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe, 2017-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL, 2014-2015 Hyundai Tucson, 2014-2016 Kia Sportage SUVs, and the 2016-2018 Kia K900 sedan.
The vehicles covered by the recall were all equipped with a faulty Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU), which is part of the anti-lock brake system. According to the automakers, the anti-lock brake systems may have been affected by “foreign contaminants,” which can cause the control modules to short circuit and, in turn, lead to a fire in the engine compartment. The fires can occur even while the vehicles are parked and the engines are off; the auto company advised owners to park their vehicles outside of their garages and away from their homes until the defects are resolved.
2019-2022 Accents, 2021-2023 Elantras, 2021-2022 Elantra HEVs: Seatbelt Explosion
In May 2022, hundreds of thousands of Hyundai vehicles were recalled after federal safety regulators informed the automaker that their seatbelts were at risk of explosion upon deployment. The recall affects around 61,000 model year 2019-2022 Accents, 166,000 2021-2023 Elantras, and 12,000 2021-2022 Elantra HEVs (hybrid electric vehicles).
According to the recall notice issued by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), the driver and passenger-side seat belts in the covered vehicles were built with a faulty pretensioner, which is the device that causes a seatbelt to suddenly pull taught in the event of a crash. The defective pretensioner can “cause metal fragments to enter the vehicle occupant compartment, which may result in injury to vehicle occupants.” In other words, in the event of a crash, instead of protecting the vehicle occupants, the seatbelts might explode and shoot metal fragments at them.
2019-2021 Konas, 2019-2020 Elantras, 2019-2021 Velosters: Engine Defects
In April 2021, Hyundai issued a recall of the 2019-2020 Elantra, 2019-2021 Kona, and the 2019-2021 Veloster. The recall stemmed from oil pistons that were not properly heat-treated. The defect can lead to engine damage, which can cause engine stalling while the car is in motion, increasing the risk of a crash. Any of the noted models equipped with a 2.0L “Nu” MPI engine are subject to the recall.
Call a Dedicated Auto Fraud and Lemon Law Lawyer at Nita Lemon Law Firm for Help Recovering Compensation for Your Defective Hyundai
If you bought a defective Hyundai or any other faulty car in California, you have the right to get the product you paid for or get your money back. If you or someone you care about was hurt because of a dangerously defective car, you have the right to seek compensation, and the right to seek justice. The California Lemon Law team at Nita Lemon Law Firm is ready to help.
For a free, no-obligation consultation, please call the Nita Lemon Law Firm toll-free at 877-921-5256, submit a free case evaluation on our website at www.nitalemonlaw.com, or email us directly at nick@nitalemonlaw.com. Either way, we will personally evaluate your case and promptly respond to your inquiries. We look forward to hearing from you.
