By CRM staff
October 16, 2018 — Toronto, Ontario — The U.S.-based non-profit Center for Auto Safety (CAS) has demanded that Hyundai and Kia recall almost three million vehicles, citing concerns that they may be subject prone to spontaneous combustion. The proposed recall would affect 2010-2015 Kia Souls, 2011-2014 Kia Sorentos and Optimas, as well as Hyundai Sonatas and Santa Fes of the same model years.
According to the group, the U.S. Government has received more than four hundred reports of fires, melted wiring, smoke and the scent of burning since 2010. CAS also cites one fire that killed an Ohio driver in 2017 in their report.
While neither Kia nor Hyundai have agreed to move forward with the recall, both companies have issued statements after the announcement from CAS—each suggesting that the fires may not be the result of manufacturer error.
Kia announced it would be hiring an external investigation team to investigate the fires and determine if the issue is the fault of the manufacturer, while Hyundai cited its existing procedures for reporting incidents to government groups.
In June, the Center for Auto Safety filed a petition asking NHTSA to investigate the fires separately from the engine failures. The agency said Friday that it is evaluating the petition and it has requested information from automakers.
In 2017, the Government’s National Highway Traffic Safety Agency investigated the fires during a review of Hyundai and Kia’s engine failures. CAS has formally requested that the government agency conduct a review specifically focused on incidence of fires, which the NHTSA says is under consideration.
