Fountain Valley, CA — April 25, 2016 — Hyundai Motor America is recalling 173,000 Sonata sedans produced between 2009 and 2010, all with the 2011 model year. The cause comes from power steering concerns which could alter the driver’s steering ability while the car is in motion. Though the issue won’t completely stop steering control, it will shut off the assist in some cases, forcing drivers to put more effort into manning the vehicle.
If the circuit board connected to the affected autos’ electronic power steering is damaged, drivers may unexpectedly have to work harder. The Part 573 Safety Recall Report for this problem described the way electronic power steering systems receive multiple inputs from the vehicle, including steering wheel torque and position data. Every owner of a potentially affected vehicle will be instructed to seek out a dealer for EPS replacement.
Drivers should pay attention to the instrument warning lights and specifically look for the red EPS signal. Although the report was submitted on March 31, the planned dealer and owner notification date isn’t until May 31. According to an accompanying vehicle recall chronology, the first investigations date back to last year.
“The investigation revealed the manufacturing process for the printed circuit board (PCB) in the EPS Control Unit was modified in October, 2010 by revising the protective coating to the circuit board to help improve the PCB’s resistance to potential environmental effects,” it said.
Last month, investigators from Korea came to the U.S. to observe possible steering problems in these vehicles: Mobis, the listed component supplier, is based in Korea. As the chronology stated, the recall grew out of these investigations. The power steering system has been a part of the Sonata since it was introduced to the U.S. market in 2009, seven years before the current Hyundai recalls.
