Laguna Hills, CA – Aug. 4, 2022 – Hyundai Motor America has remedied issues with 732 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles due to issues with the lower control arm ball joints that could detach and cause accidents. Additionally, 3 of these Hyundai Tucson models have been categorized as unreachable and 1 has been removed from the recall. One group of 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles were remedied in 2019, four groups in 2020, and one more group was remedied in 2021 for this issue with the lower control arm ball joints.

Laguna Hills, CA – Oct. 28, 2019 – Hyundai Motor America, an automaker with few recalls to speak of in 2019, is issuing advisories to owners of its 2019 Ioniq Hybrid and 2020 Elantra vehicles. There are two separate issues for the 2020 Elantra, one involving the lower control arm ball joint – which may also affect the Ioniq Hybrid – and the other potentially loose wheel lug nuts on the passenger-side right-rear wheel. Either of these problems manifesting themselves raises the risk of a crash and subsequent injury.

The small-scale recall is expected to begin shortly after Christmas. Owners who receive notifications alerting them to these problems are advised to contact their nearest Hyundai dealer so the appropriate repair work can be performed, which will be free of charge.

The Defect

Hyundai is recalling a total of 792 models over performance issues that could lead to the loss of control for operators of the compromised automobiles, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The vehicles involved are as follows:

• 2019 Ioniq Hybrid
• 2020 Elantra

The Ioniq Hybrid and Elantra may have lug nuts that weren’t installed snuggly enough during the manufacturing and assembly process, which are believed to be on the back-right side of the vehicle. The 2020 Elantras may also have ball joints whose fasteners could be poorly tightened, which may cause the lower control arm to detach completely.

In either of these cases, a wheel or ball joint separating from the vehicle raises crash risk concerns that may also lead to an injury for the parties involved.

Timeline of Events

Whenever safety recalls are publicized – whether mandatory or voluntary – NHTSA publishes a Part 573 Safety Recall Report. These summarize recalls by detailing vehicle information – type, body style, power train, etc. It also includes data on when the cars were assembled and a chronology that pinpoints the months that certain actions were taken, such as when precisely the automaker discovered a potential issue. This report was not available at press time, however.

Prior to these most recent Hyundai recalls, the last one occurred back in January. At the time, Hyundai removed 100,000 Santa Fe Sport and Sonata vehicles from the marketplace. This was done mainly for confirmation purposes to ensure that fuel tubes to the high-pressure pumps were installed correctly. The fuel tube recall took place originally in 2015 and 2017, according to a Hyundai press release.

During this same month, Kia Motors – an affiliate of Hyundai – recalled approximately 68,000 Optima, Sorento and Sportage models over engine fire fears resulting from defective high-pressure fuel lines.

When safety recalls are announced, automakers opt to extend the warranties in place  so they’re for more years or additional miles. Motorists affected by the most recent Hyundai recalls may want to get in touch with dealership they bought their automobiles from to find out more.

The Solution

While it’s unclear how many of the nearly 800 potentially problematic Hyundai contain the aforementioned flaws, owners should prioritize getting their vehicles checked out to know for sure. The Fountain Valley, California-based nameplate will distribute notifications by first-class mail starting Dec. 27. If appropriate, the parts in question will either be replaced or simply tightened.

For more information on these most recent Hyundai recalls or for other safety issues, visit MotorSafety.org. Enter your VIN in to determine if you may be one of the 25% of car owners who has an unaddressed recall.