More than 6 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles under investigation
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) Office is currently investigating irregularities and discrepancies in some fifteen recalls issued by Hyundai and Kia concerning a fire hazard linked to a malfunctioning anti-lock braking system (ABS).
These recalls were made from 2016 to 2023, and affect more than 6.3 million vehicles on American soil. Hundreds of thousands more have been recalled in Canada, including the 600,000 announced at the end of September. These include several popular Hyundai and Kia models covering the years 2010 to 2017.
NHTSA wants to know why the recall campaigns differ in their descriptions of the problem and the solution, when the ABS system equipment, including the electronic hydraulic control module for the braking system, comes from the same Korean supplier in every case.
We understand that this is first and foremost an administrative exercise, but the stakes are high, given the very large number of vehicles involved and the possible fire hazard.
Hyundai and Kia have yet to react to this news. At the time of the recalls in question, both companies assured owners that they could continue to drive their vehicles, but advised them to park outside, away from structures and other flammable objects, until a repair was made.
Could there be a new recall for vehicles already repaired? Not impossible, depending on the outcome of the NHTSA investigation. If so, Canadian examples will also inevitably be affected.
