Guided by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Hyundai and Kia have announced a massive recall campaign encompassing 25 models and a total of 3,372,743 cars produced from 2010 through 2015.
All affected vehicles are theoretically prone to catching fire, as their brake liquid could leak and cause a short circuit. Kia has four documented cases of spontaneous combustion on its record believed to be linked to this issue, as well as six more cases of unexplained abrupt heating. Hyundai is even worse off with 21 cars likely burned down because of this design flaw – luckily, no injuries have been reported.
The Hyundai Elantra pictured here is at the greatest risk of causing fire and is also the most recalled car with over 777,000 affected units. Owners of around 400,000 Kia Sorento are asked to visit their nearest maintenance center for inspection and repairs, too. The third most problematic model is Kia Optima, with a touch above 380,000 affected units. The list goes on to mention the Kia Cerato, Soul and Sportage, as well as the Hyundai Accent, Santa Fe and Tucson among the most affected models. Some of the less popular vehicles from both brands are also at risk, so be sure to have yours checked if in doubt.
