Hyundai recalls Santa Fe SUVs over malfunctioning airbags

Hyundai recalls Santa Fe SUVs over malfunctioning airbags 

August 29, 2024 Bojan Popic

Fountain Valley, CA – August 29, 2024 – Hyundai (OTCMKTS:HYMTF) is recalling 49,719 SUVs whose airbags may inadvertently activate or fail to deploy. This would up the risk of injury in a crash. 

The recall comes on the back of several incidents and affects the following models:

  • 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe 
  • 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid

Recall summary  

The airbags are connected to the car’s electrical system through a wiring harness that runs throughout the vehicle. Over time, due to a manufacturing issue, the harness may become damaged as it rubs against the second-row seats. This could cause an electrical short that would negatively affect the airbag’s operation.  

Recall risks

The occupants may get injured if the airbags fail to deploy in a crash. At the same time, airbags that inflate when not needed may also injure the car occupants and augment the risk of an accident.

Warning signs

A red airbag warning light will be illuminated on the dashboard if there is problem with this safety system.

Background of the recall

The recall comes on the heels of eight inadvertent airbag deployment incidents. No injuries or crashes have been reported. 

Other Hyundai Santa Fe recalls

In April 2024, Hyundai recalled over 18,000 Santa Fe SUVs due to limited rearview visibility, as reported.

Earlier this month, Santa Fe SUVs were involved in another recall due to the risk of a rollaway, also as reported.

The repair

Dealers will inspect the wiring and secure it to prevent excessive movement. If the harness is already damaged, it will be replaced.  All repairs will be free of charge. 

Owners should receive letters with more information on September 23, 2024. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

Almost 50,000 Santa Fe SUVs are affected by this Hyundai airbag recall. To do a Hyundai recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicHyundai recalls Santa Fe SUVs over malfunctioning airbags 
Hyundai recalls Genesis Coupes over unintended movement

Hyundai recalls Genesis Coupes over unintended movement 

August 26, 2024 Bojan Popic

Fountain Valley, CA – August 26, 2024 – Hyundai  (OTCMKTS:HYMTF) is recalling 12,612 2010-2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupes that may move when started, increasing the risk of a crash.

Only vehicles with manual transmission are affected by this recall. 

Recall summary  

To turn on the engine, the driver must press the clutch, which triggers a switch at the top of the clutch pedal. In the affected vehicles, the switch may break, allowing the vehicle to be started when the clutch is not depressed.

This would result in “unintended movement” upon startup if the vehicle is started in gear and the parking brake is not set.

Recall risks

The defect ups the risk of the car crashing into nearby objects or pedestrians, augmenting the risk of injury or property damage. In fact, the recall comes on the back of three accidents. No injuries have been reported.

Other Hyundai recalls

Earlier this month, Hyundai recalled Santa Fe SUVs over a transmission issue that would cause them to roll away, as reported.

In May 2024, Hyundai recalled over 31,000 Genesis cars that would stall due to a defective fuel pump, also as reported.

The repair

Dealers will replace the ignition switch free of charge. 

Owners should receive letters with more information on September 23, 2024. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

More than 12,000 coupes are affected by this Hyundai ignition switch recall. To do a Hyundai recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicHyundai recalls Genesis Coupes over unintended movement 
Tesla recalls nearly 2 million vehicles whose hoods may open while driving

Tesla recalls nearly 2 million vehicles whose hoods may open while driving  

August 20, 2024 Bojan Popic

Austin, TX – August 20, 2024 – Tesla  (NASDAQ:TSLA) is recalling 1.85 million electric cars whose hoods may open while driving. This would reduce visibility and increase the risk of a crash and injury. 

The company has already released an over-the-air (OTA) update to address the issue.

The list of the affected models includes: 

  • 2021 – 2024 Tesla Model 3 
  • 2021 – 2024 Tesla Model S
  • 2021 – 2024 Tesla Model X
  • 2020 – 2024 Tesla Model Y   

Recall summary  

Once shut, a vehicle’s hood is held securely with a latch, which also has a sensor to detect if the hood is left open. Due to a software error, the sensor may fail to warn the driver that the hood is not closed properly. 

Recall risks

The hood may open while driving and obstruct the driver’s view, upping the risk of a crash and injury.  

Other Tesla recalls

Some of these vehicles may have been affected by recall over insufficiently visible warning messages in February 2024.

Tesla is currently being investigated by the U.S. government over alleged steering loss. 

The repair

Tesla has already released a free over-the-air (OTA) software updates to resolve the issue. 

The owners should receive letters with more information on September 22, 2024. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

Nearly 2 million Tesla electric vehicles are affected by this fly-open hood recall. To do a Tesla recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicTesla recalls nearly 2 million vehicles whose hoods may open while driving  
BMW recalls X3 SUVs over faulty luggage rails

BMW recalls X3 SUVs over faulty luggage rails

August 16, 2024 Bojan Popic

Westwood, NJ – August 16, 2024 – BMW (OTCMKTS:BMWYY) is recalling 291,112 2018-2023 BMW X3 SUVs whose luggage rails may detach from the vehicles’ body in a crash, upping the risk of injury.

The recall comes on the back of a lawsuit from an affected owner.

Recall summary

The listed SUVs have rails inside their trunks that can be used to secure cargo for transport. These rails, however, may detach from the vehicles’ body in a crash.

Recall risks

If the car is rear-ended, unsecured luggage or the rails themselves may be flung at the car occupants, causing an injury.

Background of the recall

The recall follows on the heels an “extreme rear crash” around August 2022, after which the owner took legal action against the carmaker.  

Other BMW recalls

In November 2023, BMW recalled older X3 and 3 series vehicles that could stall while driving, as reported.

In May 2023, close to 100,000 Mini models were recalled because they could have caught fire due to an electric short. 

The repair

The dealers will replace the bolts that hold cargo rails in place with upgraded ones free of charge.  

The owners should receive notifications starting on August 30, 2024. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

More than 290,000 SUVs are affected by this BMW rear cargo rails recall. To do a BMW recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool. 

Bojan PopicBMW recalls X3 SUVs over faulty luggage rails
US government investigates Stellantis over SUVs’ power loss

US government investigates Stellantis over SUVs’ power loss

August 13, 2024 Bojan Popic ,

Washington, D.C. – August 13, 2024 – The U.S. government’s auto safety regulator is investigating Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which owns the Jeep brand, over allegations that their hybrid SUVs may lose power.

If the investigation leads to a recall, it could affect 94,275 vehicles, including: 

  •  2021 – 2024 Jeep Wrangler 
  •  2022 – 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe 
  •  2021 Jeep Wrangler PHEV

Some of these vehicles were already recalled over the same issue in December 2022. 

Investigation summary  

The regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened an investigation on July 5, 2024, following 68 complaints of vehicles suddenly shutting down.

Background of the investigation 

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler PHEV was already recalled for this issue in December 2022, as reported. 

However, following the recall, NHTSA received complaints concerning the remedied cars and ones that were not part of the original recall but experienced the same issue.

The investigation was thus opened to both to assess the effectiveness of the previous recall,  as well as to determine whether other models are also affected. 

Risks

A vehicle that stalls is difficult to control. This increases the risk of a crash and injury.

Other Jeep recalls

In March 2024, Stellantis recalled Jeep Wrangler and  Grand Cherokee hybrids over reduced visibility, as reported.

In May 2024, over 12,000 Jeep Cherokees were recalled due to faulty turn signals, also as reported.

Is your vehicle part of a recall?

This investigation may eventually lead to a Jeep stall recall, affecting almost 95,000 hybrid SUVs. To do a Jeep recall check and see if your car might be a part of it, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicUS government investigates Stellantis over SUVs’ power loss
Stellantis issues second recall for Chrysler Pacifica minivans that may catch fire; four people injured

Stellantis issues second recall for Chrysler Pacifica minivans that may catch fire; four people injured

August 8, 2024 Bojan Popic

Auburn Hills, MI – August 8, 2024 – Stellantis (NYSE:STLA), which owns the Chrysler brand, is recalling 19,516 2017-2021 Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) that may catch fire while parked and turned off. 

This recall comes on the heels of a U.S. government investigation and serves as an expansion and a replacement of a 2022 recall for the same issue. It appears that even with the new remedy the defect will not be fully resolved. 

Recall summary

These minivans have a high-voltage battery, which powers the electric motor that assists the conventional engine. Due to a supplier error – and a second, “unidentified factor’’ – the batteries may develop an electric short and burst into flames. 

Recall risks

A vehicle fire may result in injuries to its occupants, cause property damage and smoke inhalation issues for people in the area. In fact, this is exactly what happened in one of the accidents leading up to the recall where two family members of the affected owner experienced “adverse health consequences” following a fire which took “hours” to extinguish.

Safety tips 

The manufacturer advises drivers to park the vehicles away from structures and “refrain from recharging them” until the issue is fixed.

Background of the recall

The 2017-2018 Pacificas were recalled for the same issue in 2022 on the back of multiple fires and a complaint that described one of the cars “exploding into a fireball,” as reported. 

Leading up to the present recall, the manufacturer received reports of at least two fires and 14 customer complaints regarding both vehicles that were previously repaired and vehicles outside of the original recall. There have been at least four injuries related to the defect.

US government investigation

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation into the adequacy and the root cause of the 2022 recall in January 2024.

The repair

Dealers will update the battery software to equip with an ability to look for conditions that could lead to a fire. In addition, they will inspect the battery and replace it if needed. All repairs will be free of charge. However, it is not clear how the remedy will address the second, undetermined factor.

The owners should receive notifications on or around September 6, 2024. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

Nearly 20,000 hybrid minivans are affected by this Chrysler fire recall. To do a Chrysler recall check or check for other Chrysler recalls, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicStellantis issues second recall for Chrysler Pacifica minivans that may catch fire; four people injured
Hyundai recalls Santa Fe SUVs over rollaway risk

Hyundai recalls Santa Fe SUVs over rollaway risk     

August 6, 2024 Bojan Popic

Fountain Valley, CA – August 6, 2024 – Hyundai (OTCMKTS:HYMTF) is recalling 12,349 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe SUVs over a transmission issue that may cause them to roll away, increasing the risk of a crash and property damage. 

The recall comes on the heels of dozens of rollaway incidents.

Recall summary

The listed vehicles’ automatic transmission is controlled by a computer called the Transmission Control Unit (TCU). Due to a software error, the TCU may damage the transmission as well as the parking pawl, which is what locks the transmission in place when Park is engaged.

Recall risks

A vehicle with damaged Park gear may roll away if parked on an incline, potentially crashing into pedestrians or surrounding objects.  

Warning signs

The driver may have difficulty shifting gears or hear a grinding noise coming from the parking pawl.

Safety tips

Owners are advised to engage the emergency brake before leaving the vehicle.

Background of the recall

The recall comes on the back of 45 rollaway incidents. No crashes or injuries have been reported.

Other Hyundai recalls

Transmission glitches that could result in a vehicle rollaway were the cause of another Hyundai recall in April 2024, which affected luxurious Genesis GV70 SUVs. 

Around the same time, the Korean carmaker recalled 2024 Santa Fe SUVs over limited rearview visibility, as reported. 

The repair

The dealers will update the TCU software. In addition, they will inspect the transmission for any signs of damage and replace it if needed.  This repair will be free of charge.  

The owners should receive notifications starting on September 9, 2024. 

Is your vehicle a part of this recall?

This Hyundai rollaway recall affects more than 12,000 Santa Fe SUVs. To do a Hyundai recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool. 

Bojan PopicHyundai recalls Santa Fe SUVs over rollaway risk     
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