Millions of Kia and Hyundai owners should park their vehicles outside until a faulty fuse in the anti-lock braking system can be repaired, federal regulators said.
The issue has resulted in dozens of fires or other “thermal incidents” to date, according to a late September notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Brake Fluid Leak
According to the NHTSA, the recalled vehicles’ anti-lock brake system modules could leak brake fluid internally, posing a risk of an electrical short and, in turn, a fire in the engine compartment.
Regulators urged owners to part the affected cars outside, away from homes or other structures. Fires can occur both while driving or when the vehicle is turned off.
Fires and ‘Thermal Incidents’
Hyundai indicated that it was aware of 21 fires and 22 “thermal incidents” — such as burning, melting, or smoke — linked to the issue, while Kia identified six melting incidents and four fires. Neither automaker was aware of any injuries, fatalities, or crashes related to the problem.
Affected Models
The affiliated Korean automakers have recalled more than 3.3 million vehicles, including some 1.73 million Kias and 1.64 million Kia and Genesis cars. Affected models include the Kia Cadenza, Forte, Optima, Rio, Rondo, Sorento, Soul, and Sportage, as well as the Hyundai Accent, Azera, Elantra, Equus, Santa Fe, Sonata, Tucson, Veloster, and Veracruz across various model years between 2010 and 2017.
Kia ‘Still Working’ on a Fix
Hyundai intended to notify owners to bring recalled cars to dealerships to have the module fuse repaired, while Kia, the NHTSA notice said, was “still working on a remedy.”
Image credit: otomobil/Shutterstock
