The New Jersey car accident attorneys at Breslin and Breslin are reporting that Hyundai and Kia recalled over 160,000 cars on Wednesday for a second, and in the case of Hyundai third, time in four years due to a problem that could cause their engines to catch fire.
The companies are under investigation by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which has been trying to figure out whether initial recalls performed between 2015 and 2017 covered enough vehicles.
Hyundai recalled about 100,000 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and 2013-2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport vehicles, according to a release from the manufacturer.
Just over 50,000 2011-2014 Kia Optimas, 17,000 2012-2014 Sorentos and 1,000 2011-2013 Sportages were also recalled, a statement from Kia said.
Over 1 million Hyundais were part of recalls in 2015 an 2017 that were supposed to address a manufacturing issue that “could lead to excessive bearing wear and engine failure” that could cause their engines to stall or catch fire in “certain circumstances” the release stated.
However, the auto manufacturer said that repairs may not have been properly completed at the time and issued the the latest recall “out of an abundance of caution.”
“In some cases, during engine replacements the high-pressure fuel pipe may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure and this could allow fuel to leak,” Hyundai’s release stated.
In the case of Kia, the affected cars were part of a previous recall where their engines may not have been properly repaired, the company said.
“In some cases, the high pressure fuel pipe may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, allowing fuel to leak increasing the risk of fire,” Kia said.
Kia said it was not aware of any accidents or injuries that occurred as a result of the engine issue.
The companies said owners of affected cars would be notified by letter and that dealers would check the fuel pipes for leaks and replace them if needed.
If you or a loved one has been injured by a malfunctioning automobile, you may be entitled to compensation for your losses. To learn more, contact Breslin and Breslin today at 201-546-5881.
