Hyundai announced two recalls Tuesday affecting more than 390,000 vehicles in the United States and Canada that could result in engine fires or failure.
Both recalls were distributed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The first recall affects more than 203,000 Santa Fe Sport SUVs, spanning the 2013 to 2015 model years, that in some cases involve the vehicles’ anti-lock brake systems.
According to the company, brake fluid can leak into the anti-lock brake computer, causing an electrical short that can result in fires. Owners are advised to park their vehicles outdoors and away from structures until the problem is fixed.
To date, the brake computer issue has caused 18 fires in the United States but no injuries, and dealers will replace a fuse or the entire computer if necessary, according to both the automaker and the NHTSA.
“Owners will bring their vehicles to the nearest Hyundai dealership for inspection of the ABS module and, if necessary, replacement with a new one. In addition to the ABS module inspection, the ABS multi-fuse will be replaced with a revised one to mitigate the risk of a fire caused by an internal electrical short,” the company said in a prepared statement provided to The Hill.
Owners will be notified by late June if they need to bring their vehicles in for the replacement of a fuse and/or computer.
Hyundai also noted the latest recall “enhances the remedy” from one issued in September 2020.
Meanwhile, the second recall affects nearly 187,000 Elantras from the 2019 and 2020 model years, as well as 2019-2021 Konas and Velosters.
According to the NHTSA, the piston rings on affected vehicles may not have been properly heat-treated, which can cause engine damage, oil leaks and possible fires. Specifically, Hyundai said that the rings can be too hard and can be chipped, scuffing the engine cylinder.
To date, the piston problem has caused five fires, but no injuries have been reported.
Per the recall, owners will be notified in June, and dealers will inspect and replace the 2-liter engines if necessary, as well as install piston noise-sensing software.