Hyundai and Kia are recalling 571,467 vehicles because they might catch on fire. The Korean group is advising owners of the affected models, including the Santa Fe, Santa Cruz, and Carnival, to park outdoors until they’re fixed. This is just the latest in a series of similar recalls now adding up to well beyond a million cars just this year.
Affected units include the 2019-2023 Hyundai Santa Fe, the 2021-2023 Santa Fe HEV, the 2022-2023 Santa Fe Plug-In HEV, and the Santa Cruz pickup. That group of SUVs make up 567,912 of the total involved in the recall. 3,555 Kia Carnivals from model years 2022 and 2023 are included as well.
All feature a factory-installed tow hitch harness that sits at the very heart of the issue. According to the automaker, “water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.” As of the date of filing, Hyundai knows of six incidents potentially related to the issue. Of those six, only one resulted in a fire.
More: Hyundai Recalls 10-Year-Old Velosters After Five Reports Of Fires
With that in mind, Hyundai and Kia recommend that owners park outside until they can get their vehicle to a dealer. For now, dealers will simply remove the fuse for the tow hitch module. Once a final repair is available, it’ll be provided at no charge to the owner.
It’s far from the first time that this problem has sparked off a recall. Back in March of 2022, Hyundai received a legal case surrounding two incidents with the defective tow harness. In August, Hyundai recalled Palisade SUVs over a similar issue. This year, in February, Hyundai and Kia recalled 484,577.
The automakers expect to mail notification letters to owners in May. Those who might wonder if they own an affected vehicle can call their local dealer or search NHTSA.gov with their VIN number.
