In the wake of Volkswagen’s and Fiat Chrysler’s latest issues with the EPA, Hyundai have made a swift move by recalling close to half a million Hyundai Sonata sedans so that engine problems can be fixed.
According to the latest reports, Hyundai feels that the recalled Sonatas may be having some engine parts that are prone to problems that may cause the engine of the mid-size sedan to fail.
470, 000 Hyundai Sonata sedans recalled
To be precise, Hyundai has recalled 470,000 Sonatas starting from the models that were rolled out in 2011 and 2012, but only those with 2-liter or 2.4-liter gasoline powertrains. During these releases, the Hyundai Sonata was the top selling model for this automaker in the U.S.
Hyundai blames possible engine failures on metal debris
In a report that was published on Friday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, it seems Hyundai is laying the blame of the potential failure of engines of Sonatas on metal debris. The auto maker says that these materials may not have been properly removed from the crankshaft when it was being manufactured in Alabama. With this debris, it is possible for oil to be restricted from flowing to the connecting rod bearings. Since these rod bearings are cooled by oil, failure is very possible and eventually the engine could fail or stall and lead the driver into a crash.
The good news for the company is that there are no reports of any Sonata crashes that have been caused by this problem.
So, why recall the Hyundai Sonatas now?
Hyundai Sonata engines were the first to be produced at Hyundai’s Alabama engine plant. During the 2011 production process, a mechanical process was used in the extraction of metal debris from the crankshaft. However, the process was revised and changed in 2012, with high pressure wet blasting coming in for removing the same metal materials from the crankshaft.
The inspection of the 2011 and 2012 Sonatas will be done by any Hyundai dealer and in case of need for replacements; the whole thing will be free. It has also been reported that the engine warranty will be increased to 120,000 miles or 10 years. The company said that it will notify owners beginning November 2 and the second notice will come in when the parts are available.
100,000 Hyundai Accent models recalled too
The list does not end there; rather, there are also another 100,000 Accent small cars that have been recalled by the same company, but this time the issue is related to possible failure of brake lights.
The recall will be covering certain 2009-2011 models, which the company claims is just an expansion of a 2013 recall. According to the company’s report, the brake light switch of the Accent could fail, leading to failure of lights, even when the driver steps on the brakes. In addition, it was noted that stepping on the brakes may not disable cruise control. Just like with the case of Hyundai Sonata models, there are no reported cases of accidents caused by this problem on Hyundai Accent models.
The brake switch replacement process will kick-off on November 2.
