Hyundai and Kia Issue Recall for Nearly 92,000 US Cars Over Fire Risk from Oil Pump Controller
Hyundai and Kia have announced a recall of approximately 92,000 cars in the United States due to concerns over a potential fire risk from the electronic controller in the oil pumps. Both automakers are urging owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from structures until necessary repairs can be completed.
The recall by Hyundai covers several 2023 models, including the Tucson, Sonata, Elantra, Kona, and Palisade vehicles. Kia’s recall involves the 2023 Soul, Sportage, and Seltos models. The decision to recall these vehicles comes as a precautionary measure, as no fires or injuries have been reported so far.
Kia has reported six incidents of melting components related to the oil pump controller, while Hyundai has received information about four similar incidents. Fortunately, none of these incidents have resulted in injuries.
Starting September 25, Hyundai will send out notifications by mail to owners of affected vehicles, while Kia will begin notifying impacted owners from September 28. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has assured owners with damaged oil pumps that they can have them replaced free-of-charge at their local dealerships.
Owners may identify if their car is affected by various warning lamps illuminating, the vehicle going into ‘limp home mode,’ the engine failing to turn off, smoke coming from the engine compartment, or the vehicle becoming inoperative, according to Kia.
Hyundai has stated that owners can continue driving potentially affected vehicles. However, as a precautionary measure, the company strongly recommends parking these cars outdoors and away from structures. Kia echoes this advice, urging its owners to keep their vehicles parked outside.
The recall is due to damaged electrical components found in the Idle Stop & Go oil pump system, which is designed to save fuel by automatically shutting down the engine when the vehicle is stationary.
This latest recall follows a previous one less than five months ago, where Hyundai and Kia jointly recalled a total of 571,000 vehicles due to faulty tow hitch harnesses posing a fire hazard. These automakers are taking proactive steps to address potential safety concerns and ensure the well-being of their customers.
Disclaimer: This article is a news piece and does not contain any promotional language. The information presented here is based on the sources cited and is accurate at the time of writing. Please refer to the official recall notices and contact the respective automakers for the most up-to-date information.