Hyundai Motor Company, also known as Hyundai, is a South Korean multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, and founded in 1967. Currently, the company owns 33.88 percent of Kia Corporation, and also owns two luxury cars subsidiaries, Genesis Motor, and an electric vehicle sub-brand, Ioniq. Those three brands altogether comprise the Hyundai Motor Group.
Hyundai operates the world’s largest integrated automobile manufacturing facility in Ulsan, South Korea which has an annual production capacity of 1.6 million units.
Hyundai and Kia, two of the world’s leading automotive brands, are recalling over 570,000 vehicles due to a fire risk. According to NPR, owners of the affected models have been advised to park their vehicles outdoors and away from structures, until the defect is fixed. The cause of the fire risk is believed to be related to a faulty electrical connection that can lead to a short circuit even if the ignitions are off.
The Hyundai vehicle affected include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz, while the Kia vehicle affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. Although the recall is clearly a setback, it’s worth noting that the companies have acted quickly and responsibly to address the issue, with owners of the affected models set to start receiving the notice from May 16.
While cars are marvels of complex engineering, they are also machines that can pose significant risks if not properly maintained. As consumers, it’s our responsibility to stay informed about potential safety issues with our vehicles and to take action when necessary.
