Hyundai, Kia Recall 2017: 1.3 Million Cars In US Likely To Be Recalled Over Faulty Engines

South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co. and its affiliate Kia Motors Corp. said Friday they are planning to recall 1.3 million cars in the U.S. over engine defects. In their home country, the car manufacturers announced the recall of more than 170,000 vehicles due to the same engine issue.

Hyundai and Kia have submitted a plan to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to withdraw their vehicles in the country over faulty engines that could cause them to stall, Yonhap News Agency reported. The affected cars have Theta 2-liter turbo and 2.4-liter gasoline direct injection power plants developed and manufactured before August 2013. There are five models of the automakers’ vehicles. They reportedly include the Santa Fe SUV and the K5.

"The recall is related to a manufacturing process problem, not the structural problem of Theta 2GDi engines and we have completed improvements through appropriate measures," the companies said in a statement, according to Reuters.

In South Korea, the companies will recall 171,348 cars — Hyundai’s Sonata (YFa) and Santafe (AN), and Kia’s K5 (QF), Sorento (XMa) and Sportage (SL) models, Yonhap reported. The recall in the country will begin May 22.

“The cars in Korea were found to have dirt in the crankshaft’s oil feed holes,” Hyundai reportedly said.

The owners of the five models with the faulty engines are required to visit the companies’ repair and service centers, according to the South Korean news agency.

"If their engines turn out to be faulty, Hyundai or Kia will replace them with engines that are problem-free. Engines with no problems will not be replaced," a Hyundai spokesman told Yonhap.

“We will examine whether the engines cause problems such as noise and exchange faulty engines,” the automaker said. “If the recall plan is confirmed in the U.S., similar steps will be taken.”