Hyundai is recalling approximately 27,500 of its Genesis sedans to fix faulty brakes. The recall affects sedans sold in the U.S. for the 2009 through 2012 model years.
Just hours after federal regulators opened an investigation into the brakes on the Hyundai Genesis this week, the South Korean automaker announced a recall for the car. Letters will be sent to the affected owners starting next month.
The recall of the sedan is being ordered to tackle “potential durability issues” with the brake system’s Hydraulic Electronic Control unit.
Hyundai Motor Co. said yesterday they would expand a U.S. recall of the Genesis sedans to South Korea and other markets to address the potential brake issue as it prepares to unveil a new version of the large sedan as early as next month.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it has received 23 complaints that drivers have to push down hard on the brake pedal and brake effectiveness was reduced. NHTSA had opened a preliminary evaluation into an estimated 40,000 Genesis cars according to documents filed online. Several complaints said the problem was diagnosed as a faulty antilock brake system module.
One Florida consumer alleged that her brakes did not work, resulting in a crash into a stopped vehicle at a red light after the brakes didn’t respond properly. In another complaint, a consumer reported responding to the same problem by using the parking brake, causing the driver to lose control.
This is a follow-up to the recall we reported to you last March. “Hyundai previously initiated a service campaign in March 2013 to replace the brake fluid in the subject vehicle population,” the automaker said in a statement. Apparently, they didn’t catch all the vehicles affected by this problem. Only about 60 percent of vehicles were brought in by owners to have this problem fixed. Hyundai is hopeful that the remaining owners will bring their vehicles in for repair.
Owners will be instructed to bring their cars to Hyundai dealers for brake inspections and changing of the brake fluid with replacement fluid containing an anticorrosive additive, the Hyundai spokesman said. There will be no cost to owners.
The affected cars were manufactured from April 1, 2008 through March 16, 2012.
Since the U.S. and South Korea are two of the biggest markets for the premium sedan, the issue is unlikely to have a serious effect on sales. Hyundai is trying to rebuild their reputation after a massive recall in April that affected more than 2 million cars sold by Hyundai and affiliate Kia Motor Corp.
This is the same brakes issue by Hyundai that caused the recall seven months ago. Hyundai needs to make owners aware of the serious nature of this potential flaw before more accidents occur. They should spend some of their profits on advertising campaigns to make all Genesis owners aware.
For more information, contact one of our Gacovino Lake attorneys at 1-800-246-HURT (4878).
