Major car brands announce huge recall affecting 200,000 vehicles including EVs over safety concerns

Major car brands announce huge recall affecting 200,000 vehicles including EVs over safety concerns

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GB NEWS
Hemma Visavadia

By Hemma Visavadia


Published: 14/03/2024

- 15:50

Updated: 14/03/2024

- 15:53

A total of 170,000 Hyundai and Kia EVs were recalled

Major car brands have come under fire for recalling almost 200,000 vehicles for a range of issues which could put drivers around the world at risk.

In total, 198,371 cars have been recalled in the United States and South Korea, in addition to another brand being placed under investigation, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).


Some Honda hybrid models have come under fire for having technical issues which leads to emergency brake failures and huge safety concerns, prompting a probe by the NHTSA.

The problem affects the 2019 and 2022 models of the Honda Insight, as well as the Honda Passport SUV, with more than 250,000 vehicles affected in the US.

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Electric car charging

Almost 200,000 vehicles have been recalled in the United States and South Korea

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According to the NHTSA, it is launching a preliminary probe into the Japanese car brand after numerous reports of emergency braking issues in certain Honda vehicles following complaints of crashes and fires.

The regulator detailed how a separate report from the Office of Defects Investigation received 46 complaints, which included reports of three crashes or fires and two injuries.

Accidental activation of the automatic emergency braking system which malfunctioned, can increase the risk of a collision, resulting in injury and property damage, according to the administration.

Responding to the investigation, the carmaker said: "Honda has already been in communication with the agency on this topic and will cooperate with the NHTSA through the investigation process, while continuing our own internal review of the available information."

The first steps of the investigation include taking a deeper look and review of consumer complaints or manufacturer service bulletins, which suggest a safety defect may exist.

Honda is not the only car manufacturer to come under scrutiny for safety concerns, as both Hyundai and Kia experienced similar problems.

Hyundai Motor America announced it was recalling 28,439 vehicles in the United States as a possible oil leak may increase the risk of an engine compartment fire, according to the NHTSA.

The models being recalled are some 2018-2020 Genesis G80, 2017-2022 G90 and 2019-2022 G70 vehicles equipped with a 3.3-litre V6 turbocharged engine.

Kia revealed it will recall 56,016 EVs in South Korea over problems with software in the charging systems.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is set to also recall more than 113,000 EVs in the country, affecting five different electric models, including the Ioniq-series and Genesis models.

Errors in both car brands were found in the software of the integrated charging control units used in a total of 170,000 Hyundai and Kia EVs.

The faults meant that it is difficult to power a low-voltage battery which could lead to the vehicle breaking down while driving.

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Kia will recall more than 56,000 EVs vehicles in South Korea

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Responding to the announcement, Hyundai Motor Group said: "Hyundai Motor and Kia will take prompt actions to prevent customer inconvenience and will continue to prioritize the safety of our customers and their vehicles.”

The voluntary recalls of the electric vehicles are due to start on March 18.

Last year, the NHTSA reported that nearly 35 million vehicles were recalled across a spectrum of EVs, petrol, diesel and hybrid.

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