Hyundai, Kia recall over 400,000 vehicles in four separate recalls
Rust and other maladies are responsible for this series of back-to-back recalls.
It's a rare occasion when automakers throw out several recalls in a row. Back in April, Ford issued five separate recalls at once, covering some 300,000 vehicles. While Hyundai's (and its sister company, Kia's) latest spat of recalls only contains four, they cover more vehicles, totaling more than 400,000 cars and minivans.
As with the Ford recalls, there is no singular thread that ties all these recalls together. Certain recalls apply to more than one vehicle, or the problems are similar, but there's no grand unifying theme here.
Sadly, there appears to be at least one injury associated with Kia and Hyundai's recalls. All the recalls mentioned below can be fixed at dealerships, free of charge, but it's best to call ahead, as they don't all start at the same time.
Recall the first: Sedonas and salt
2006 Kia Sedona
Kia's first recall covers approximately 98,000 examples of the 2006-2012 Sedona minivan, with build dates between June 15, 2005, and August 14, 2012.
The issue lies with the front lower control arm, a part of the suspension. Exposure to salt water, like you might find on wintry roads, can cause these arms to corrode and possibly break. This could cause a loss of control, leading to a collision.
Kia will replace the lower control arms on 2006-2007 models and either replace or add additional anti-corrosion protection to 2008-2012 models. This recall should begin on July 25.
Recall the second: Sedona hood latches
2006 Kia Sedona
Kia's next recall affects 219,800 examples of the 2006-2014 Sedona minivan. These vehicles have build dates between June 15, 2005, and April 4, 2014, so some minivans might be covered under both this recall and the one above.
In this case, the secondary hood latch is to blame, the one that continues to hold the hood after pulling the hood-release lever inside the car. This secondary latch may not engage correctly, which could cause the hood to fly up while the car is moving, in the event the interior release lever is pulled by accident.
The fix involves either replacing the latch or cleaning and lubricating the one currently on the car. This recall is also expected to begin on July 25.
Recall the third: Tucson hood latches
2016 Hyundai Tucson
Hyundai has a similar problem with its secondary hood latch. This recall covers about 81,000 examples of the 2016 Tucson crossover. Here, the build dates are between May 19, 2015, and March 14, 2016.
Again, if the secondary hood latch does not hold the hood in place, and the first latch is inadvertently disengaged, the hood might open at an inopportune time. If it happens when the vehicle is moving fast enough, it may contact the windshield and cause further damage.
Hyundai told Automotive News that the Tucson would warn drivers with both sounds and visual warnings in the event the hood is not entirely secure. This recall begins just a bit sooner than the others, on July 15.
Recall the fourth: Forte seatbelts
2013 Kia Forte
The smallest recall of the batch covers just 5,245 examples of the 2013 Kia Forte. The affected vehicles carry build dates between September 10, 2012, and October 31, 2012.
This time around, seatbelts are to blame. The retaining plate that holds the seat belt retractor in place may break during an accident. If that happens, it could come into contact with an occupant, which is exactly the scenario that alerted Kia to this problem in the first place.
Fixing this problem involves inspecting and replacing both front seat belt assemblies where necessary. This recall should start the earliest, on June 30.