Hyundai, Kia recall 91,000 US vehicles as precaution to fire risks

Cars are lined up for shipment at Hyundai Motor's Ulsan Plant parking lot in August 2022. (Newsis)

Hyundai Motor and Kia are recalling over 91,000 vehicles in the US due to fire risks tied to a possible defect in certain components that could overheat, according to the Korean automobile manufacturers on Friday. They advised owners to park their vehicles outdoors and away from structures until they are verified for safety or repaired.

The affected vehicles include Hyundai's 2023-2024 Palisade, 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra and Kona models, and the 2023-2024 Seltos and 2023 Kia Soul and Sportage models. About 52,000 Hyundai and nearly 40,000 Kia vehicles are subject to the recall.

The carmakers said they are taking the recall measure as they find the electronic controllers of the oil pump assembly in the Idle Stop & Go system of the vehicles may have damaged electrical components. The Idle Stop & Go system turns the engine on and off to conserve fuel through the oil pump to ensure a smooth restart from a standstill.

Faulty electrical parts that regulate this assembly can cause overheating of the pump and trigger short circuits, possibly leading to system failures and even fires, a Hyundai official explained.

Vehicle owners in the US will be contacted from late September. Dealers will then inspect and, if necessary, replace the faulty oil pump controllers, according to the automakers.

The automakers said it received a number of thermal incidents potentially related to the electrical components -- six from Kia and four from Hyundai -- but that there were no accidents or injuries.

“This recall is primarily a proactive measure to mitigate any potential risks against safety. Preventing fire hazards is one reason, but our key objective is to replace the faulty components within the pump controller that could overheat,” the official said.

The automakers reported to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the suspect part was removed from the production line in March.

Hyundai advised that any owners feeling unsafe should request a rental vehicle from their US dealer until a recall fix is available. The company also warned that any vehicles emitting a burning or melting odor should not be driven and should be towed to the nearest dealer.

By Moon Joon-hyun(mjh@heraldcorp.com)