According to US safety regulators, the recall will cover three models which displayed unique issues in the US. The issues, which range from electrical, brake, and suspension malfunctions, were posted at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website.
Out of the three recalls, the biggest involved 225,000 Santa Fe SUVs that are manufactured from 2001-2006. The vehicle needed a replacement of its front coil springs which are found to be susceptible to rusting and cracking when driven in states that have cold weather. The springs can suffer from a fracture and can cause the car to crash if a contact is made with the car tire.
The Santa Fe SUVs was sold in cold places where the roadways are filled with clear snow and ice. Clearing the roads would need the use of salt. It should be noted that road salt can cause the coil spring to rust. The coil spring with rust could fracture and puncture the vehicle's tire which increases its risk to commit a crash.
Apart from Washington DC, the 20 states where the recall is rolling out would include Wisconsin, Vermont, Pennsylvania, New York, New Hampshire, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Maine, Indiana, Delaware, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Ohio, New Jersey, Missouri, Michigan, Maryland, Iowa, Illinois, and Connecticut.
The second type of vehicle that is being recalled is the Veracruz crossover which covers the model years of 2007 to 2012. The recall, which will affect a total number of 61,000 vehicles, will deal with an oil leak problem. If not treated, the problem can lead to damaging the vehicle's alternator and charging system that could result to a total loss of power, hence, placing the occupants at the risk of a crash.
The third set of recall involves the mid-size Sonata sedans from the model years of 2011 to 2014. Around 133,000 of these vehicles showed issues of a leaking brake fluid while 883,000 had displayed a potentially defective transmission shift cable.
Hyundai will notify the owners of affected vehicles by the end of September. They can go to the nearest dealer and have their vehicle's coil springs replaced for free. Other free services would include hose replacement and repair or replacement of the car's alternator and front valve cover gasket.
So far, the company already received 1,200 claims on the product's warranty wherein 90 cases had claimed that the car springs came in contact with a tire. There were no reported cases of crashes or injuries prior to the recall.
