Your car does more than get you from Point A to Point B. It can also be a sanctuary, a gear storage container, a camper, and a safe space that protects your family. The last thing you want to hear is that it could cause you harm. Unfortunately, if you’re an owner of a Kia or a Hyundai vehicle, your car might do just that.
The automakers have warned that some 485,000 vehicles could catch fire. So far in the United States, there have been 11 reports of fire, but no injuries. For now, safety regulators recommend that owners park outside until they’ve had the repairs done, so if their car catches fire, it won’t burn their house or garage down.
That can be a hard message to hear if you’ve experienced an unexpected fire resulting from a faulty product. In this case, the manufacturer has a responsibility to make sure the vehicles it produces don’t have safety issues inherent in the design or production. Here’s how to know if your vehicle is at risk, and what you should do if it is.
The following Kia and Hyundai vehicles are currently under recall:
Kia Sportage SUV, 2014 - 2016
Kia K900, 2016 - 2018 K900 sedan
Hyundai Sante Fe, 2016 - 2018
Hyundai Sante Fe Sport, 2017 - 2018
Hyundai Santa Fe XL, 2019
Hyundai Tuscon 2014 - 2015
To find out if your vehicle has a recall, go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website to enter your vehicle identification number (VIN). The site will let you know if your vehicle is one to be worried about. Your VIN is usually located on the edge of your driver’s side door or on the lower left of your car’s windshield. You might also be able to find it on your vehicle registration or insurance card.
If your car has a recall, it’s best to follow the safety advice to park it outside until you can have the repairs done. Repairs are free – all you have to do is make an appointment through your nearest dealership’s service desk. Just make sure to take care of that as soon as possible to keep your car, and you, safe.
The problem stems from contamination in the antilock brake module. This can cause a short, which might cause a fire when the vehicles are parked or driven. The repair solution is just to replace a fuse. It’s a simple solution to a simple problem, but it may have dire consequences for some.
If you’re injured from a car malfunction like this one, you should contact Cok Kinzler immediately for representation. In a product liability case like this, you don’t want to be left to pay for your physical and mental injuries on your own when another party is to blame. Reach out right away so our legal pros can help with the heavy lifting. You don’t need to work hard to hold a manufacturer responsible for a preventable injury – that’s our job.