Hyundai Recall 2021: Do You Drive One Of These Vehicles That Could Cause A Fire?

Hyundai (HYMTF) has issued two safety recalls that could cause thousands of vehicles’ engines to cause a fire if they are not repaired.

The first recall, and the largest of the two, affects 151,205 Sante Fe Sport SUVs made from 2013 to 2015 that may have brake fluid leaking inside the anti-lock brake system module that could cause an electrical short.

According to Hyundai, an electrical short in the ABS module could increase the risk of an engine compartment fire while parked or being driven. For this reason, the automaker is advising vehicle owners to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the repair is completed.

To remedy the issue, Hyundai dealers will replace the ABS multi-fuse and inspect and replace the ABS module as necessary, free of charge for Sante Fe Sport owners. Hyundai said that SUV owners are expected to be notified by mail starting on June 25.

This is the second time that Hyundai has recalled some of its vehicles for a similar defect. A previous recall was issued in September 2020 for the same problem.

According to a notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the anti-lock brake system module short problem has caused 18 fires in the U.S., but no injuries were sustained in those incidents.

The second recall from Hyundai affects 125,840 certain 2019 to 2020 Elantra, 2019 to 2021 Kona, and 2019 to 2021 Veloster vehicles that are equipped with a 2.0 L Nu MPI engine.

In these vehicles, the piston oil rings may not have been heat-treated properly, which could cause engine damage due to abnormal scuffing of the engine’s cylinder bore. The engine could stall and lead to a crash. In addition, engine oil could leak into the hot exhaust components and cause a fire.

To repair the problem, Hyundai dealers will inspect, and if required, replace the engine free of charge. They will also deploy Piston Ring Noise Sensing System software on the vehicle if needed.

NHTSA documents indicated that the piston issues in the vehicles caused five fires but no injuries. Hyundai said vehicle owners are expected to be notified of the recall by mail by June 25.

Consumers with questions about either recall can contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460.

Hyundai and its South Korean counterpart Kia has been clouded with engine and fire problems for at least the last five years with more than 8 million vehicles being affected by the issues, ABC News reported.

In April, Kia recalled over 147,000 2020 and 2021 Soul and Seltos SUVs for improperly heat-treated piston rings that also could lead to an engine compartment fire. At the time of the recall, the automaker said it would replace the engine free of charge after it had received four reports of fires from the defect.