Hyundai, Kia warn owners to park outside over fire risk

The last thing anyone wants to happen is for their vehicle to catch fire for no apparent reason. It’s why Hyundai and Kia aren’t taking any chances with their latest recall.

Hyundai and Kia have announced that they will recall nearly 500,000 vehicles in the United States as they could spontaneously combust. The automakers advise owners to park their vehicles outside, away from other vehicles and other structures until they're fixed. That’s because these could still catch fire even with the engine turned off. Yikes.

The recall covers a wide range of vehicles from the Kia and Hyundai lineup. Under Kia, certain models of the 2014-2016 Sportage and 2016-2019 K900 are affected. Meanwhile, the following Hyundai vehicles are affected – 2016-2018 Sante Fe, 2017-2018 Santa Fe Sport, 2019 Santa Fe XL, and 2014-2015 Tucson. A total of 484,588 vehicles consisting of 126,747 Kias, and 357,830 Hyundais, are included in the recall.

But what’s causing the vehicles to catch fire in the first place? According to the official recall notice, the Hyundais could suffer from anti-lock brake malfunction, causing a short circuit and leading to a fire. It’s a similar issue with Kia and its Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) which could short circuit and start a fire.

Kia and Hyundai will notify affected owners by mail to bring their vehicles to the nearest dealership for a free repair. Kia dealers will replace the HECU, while Hyundai dealers will add a fuse and inspect the ABS module and replace it if necessary. If you own any of the vehicles listed above, better to follow the manufacturers’ suggestion of parking outside.

Do note that the recall is specifically for the US market only. However, the affected vehicles are also sold in other markets around the world, including the Philippines. There has been no advisory from Hyundai or Kia in other markets yet, but we will keep you updated if ever they do.