Fountain Valley, Calif. – Dec. 14, 2016 – Hyundai Motor America has just announced the recall of certain Entourage vehicles that have defective hood latches, which could contribute to reduced driver safety if not addressed.
The Defect
Hyundai will recall Entourage vehicles from the 2007-2008 model years that were manufactured between Feb. 16, 2006 and June 30, 2008, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The problem is that these vehicles have a secondary hood latch that might corrode and remain open, even when the hood is closed.
The purpose of this secondary latch is to act as a fail-safe in case the primary latch does not fasten. But if both fail, the hood could open unexpectedly. If this occurs when the vehicle is in motion, it could cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle.
Timeline of Events
June 2016 – A customer in Pennsylvania contacted Hyundai to complain about a latch disengagement on a 2007 Entourage. Further inspection could not replicate the problem or determine a potential cause.
September 2016 – Hyundai received another report from Massachusetts about latch problems on a 2008 Entourage, but the car was repaired before an investigation could be completed.
October 2016 – A report of a latch problem on a 2007 Entourage from New York was investigated, and Hyundai discovered corrosion on the secondary latch.
November 2016 – Hyundai conducted a recall of affected vehicles.
Resolution
Owners of vehicles sold or registered in the following states may have their latches replaced by a dealer, free of charge: Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. Owners of vehicles registered in other states may visit a dealer to have the latch either replaced or lubricated, depending on the extent of the corrosion.
