U.S. safety regulators have started an investigation on Hyundai Genesis over the car's brake problems.
The South Korean auto maker has recalled around 27,500 Genesis luxury cars after the auto safety watchdog of the U.S., National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirmed that it will start an investigation regarding the problems with the car's brakes.
The Hyundai Genesis is available in other countries like Canada, South Korea, China and more. However, the company has not announced if it will recall any of the Genesis models outside the U.S.
Hyundai confirmed that the recall covers the cars models from 2009 to 2012 years. The company has sold over 69,000 units of the Genesis and about 60 percent of these cars have already been repaired through a service campaign that it began in March this year.
Owners of the recalled cars will be notified by mail, which will start in November. Dealers will pick the cars and will also offer a loan vehicle to the affected customers. However, Genesis customers who wants to get their car checked for the brake issue before a receipt of an email can bring their car to their dealer.
Dealers will examine the brake control modules and replace brake fluid in the cars for free. Brake fluid in the cars does not have a corrosion inhibitor and a gel can build up on the valves of the car's braking system, which may result in a loss of brakes. The new brake fluid put by dealers will have a corrosion inhibitor additive.
NHTSA says that it has received 23 complaints from Genesis owners who report that they have to push the brake pedal harder than normal to stop the car. The agency also reported that one Genesis car driver crashed into a halted vehicle and another Genesis owner has to apply emergency brake to stop the car. However, none of the incidences resulted in any injuries.
The U.S. and South Korea are Hyundai's biggest market in the premium sedan segment. The Korean automaker will hope that the recent recall will not have any serious impact on Genesis sales or its other car sales in the U.S.
