More Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUVs Are Recalled for Fire Risk
It’s another fire-related recall for Hyundai and Kia vehicles. Owners should park outside and away from structures.
2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport
By Keith Barry
If you own a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport, you should check the federal government’s official vehicle recall website to find out if your SUV needs an urgent, free repair to prevent it from catching fire when parked or while driving. The automaker recalled more than 44,000 more vehicles today to fix a fire risk.
Even if you checked recently, you should look again because today’s announcement includes vehicles that weren’t part of an earlier recall from February. Both recalls involve fixing a faulty fuse in the antilock braking system (ABS) that could catch fire even if the vehicle is parked. If the problem occurs while driving, owners may notice smoke coming from the engine compartment, a burning or melting odor, and an illuminated “check engine” or ABS warning light on the instrument panel behind the steering wheel.
Today’s announcement is the latest in a series of fire-related recalls from Hyundai and Kia. Almost 4 million vehicles have been recalled because of the risk of catching fire for various reasons. The Hyundai Motor Company is the largest shareholder in Kia Motors, with 33.88 percent ownership.
In documents provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Hyundai said that the Santa Fe Sport SUVs recalled today are still safe to drive but that owners should park them outside and away from structures until they can be brought to a dealership for a free recall repair. The automaker told NHTSA that it’s aware of four fires but no injuries related to the defect.
Hyundai and Kia have issued several other recalls for similar ABS-related fire risks. Other fire-related recalls have involved brake fluid leaks, faulty oil pans, fuel leaks, and oil leaks.
Learn more about car recalls at CR’s guide to recalls.
The Details
Vehicles recalled: Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUVs manufactured between May 1, 2017, and May 10, 2018.
The problem: A faulty ABS module could cause an electrical short, which could lead to a fire while parked or driving.
The fix: Hyundai dealerships will replace the fuse in the ABS module with a fuse rated at a lower amperage free of charge. This will limit the operating current of the ABS module.
How to contact the manufacturer: Owners can call Hyundai at 855-371-9460. Hyundai will contact owners of affected vehicles by mail on Dec. 26, 2022.
NHTSA campaign number: 22V810. Hyundai’s own number for this recall is 237. The original 2018 Santa Fe Sport recall from February was number 22V-056.
Check to see whether your vehicle has an open recall: NHTSA’s website will tell you whether your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed.
If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have one. Because automakers issue recalls often and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly.
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