Recalls are free repairs for widespread safety defects or issues that doesn’t meet federal safety standards. They are usually limited to a specific set of vehicles based on things like model year, manufacture date, and VIN range. Recall repairs are offered free to owners and lessees, but most are limited-time offers.
The Sonata has been recalled 56 times, the most of any Hyundai vehicle.
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So now the company finds itself staring down the barrel of an all-out battery replacement program for 76,000 Kona EVs worldwide (that's a $900 million dollar barrel, FWIW).
Also included are some Ioniq EVs and Electric City buses that have also run the risk of being torched. The recall will begin in South Korea before expanding to other countries. There is no official word on a North American recall, but it's only a matter of time.…
Owners of the 3rd generation Tucson (2016-2021) are being urged to keep their parked vehicles away from anything that can burn until they have a fuse in the antilock braking system (ABS) replaced.
If you're wondering if they really mean that, yes. Yes they do Multiple SUVs have caught on fire, both while parked and in motion, due to a short circuit in the ABS.
An investigation found that the fires may not occur if the operating current in the ABS module traveled through a lower amperage fuse so they want to swap the system's current 40-amp fuse for a 25-amp version. I'd personally like a little more certainty than "may not occur," but that's just me.…
The 1st generation Veracruz (2007-2012) has been recalled a second time to fix oil sneaking past defects in a valve cover gasket and damaging the alternator.
The oil-soaked alternator will lose voltage, leading to problems such as the battery system not properly charging or the vehicle entering "limp home" mode while driving.
Only 83% of the vehicles originally recalled were ever repaired and of those roughly 1% of the vehicles suffered from gasket leaks about two years later. Hyundai extended the warranty for the 60,000 affected vehicles hoping that would be enough, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) ordered them to recall the problem ... again.
The recall (#197) is expected to begin on January 8th, 2021.
Hyundai is recalling 11,000 Kona Electric SUVs and asking the owners to park outside after reports of 13 battery fires.
Hyundai believes an electrical short-circuit is being triggered in the lithium-ion batteries as they charge and approach 100%. Most of the fires happened while the SUVs were parked and charging. While the root cause is still under investigation, electrical deficiencies in the LG batteries or software issues in the battery management software are likely to blame.
In March, Hyundai issued a Kona Electric service campaign to upgrade the battery management system software to detect abnormalities in the battery while the vehicle is parked. But over the last 7 months an additional 7 fires were reported.
Now an interim repair will limit the battery's maximum charging capacity to 90%, which removes the risk of fires but will limit the owner's range until a more permanent solution is available.
Recall #196 expected to begin in Devember 2020. Because of the nature of the recall, Hyundai strongly emphasizes that owners need to park outside and away from any structures that could catch on fire.
The best way to find out what's wrong with a vehicle is from the people who drive them. Not only do owner complaints help us rank vehicles by reliability, but they're often used to spark class-action lawsuits and warranty extensions. Plus, they're a great way to vent.
