Millions Of Cars Recalled For A Fatal Flaw But Most Are Still On The Road

(PatriotPostNews.com) – Millions of vehicles were recalled in September 2023 over a manufacturing flaw that could lead to fires, but most of the cars included in the warning are still on the road.

Hyundai and Kia released a recall six months ago, warning that 3.4 million cars in America are at risk of catching fire, even if the engines are turned off. The warning urged owners to park their vehicles outside and away from structures due to the fire risk.

The companies—which operate separately even though Hyundai owns a portion of Kia—have said that they do not expect to be able to repair most of the damaged cars before June. The nine-month delay in repairs for the vehicles is said to be in part because of the massive number of automobiles that need to be fixed.

Fires erupted within the flawed vehicles when brake fluid leaked and got into circuit boards for antilock braking systems, according to the dealers. This, in turn, triggered an electrical short and caused the fluid to catch fire. The parts needed to fix the dangerous issue include fuses designed to diminish the electrical currents from the circuit boards. However, Hyundai and Kia said they have had trouble gathering enough parts to fully resolve the widespread issue.

The impacted vehicles include the Santa Fe model from Hyundai and the Sportage model from Kia, both of which are top-selling vehicles. The production dates of the cars range from 2010 to 2017. Both companies have advised car owners to contact their dealers if warning lights appear on the dashboard of their vehicles or if they detect a burning smell.

However, Hyundai and Kia also said that owners can continue driving the vehicles. The ongoing fire hazard is only a portion of the total 13 million recalled cars from the two companies for engine problems since 2010.

At the time of the September 2023 recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said there had been 21 fires and 22 “thermal incidents” in Hyundais, along with four fires and six “thermal incidents” in Kias. As of the department’s release, there had been no injuries, deaths, or crashes connected to the recalled vehicles.