Hyundai Genesis Coupes Could Lunge Forward, 3 Crashes Recorded

Long before Genesis was a standalone luxury brand, Hyundai offered a sporty Genesis Coupe. It was a value-focused sports car with rear-wheel drive and a 3.8-liter V6 developing 348 hp (260 kW / 353 PS) in its final year of production.

While the car sailed off into the sunset in 2016, it’s back in the news as Hyundai is recalling 12,612 coupes from the 2010-2013 model years. They can unexpectedly move when started in gear.

More: Hyundai Kills Off Genesis Coupe, Confirms More Luxurious Successor

As the safety recall report explains, the vehicles have an ignition lock switch that works in conjunction with the clutch pedal. However, in the effected models, the ignition lock switch has a “return spring that could fracture due to stress from the switch interaction with the clutch pedal bracket.”

If this occurs, the ignition lock switch could become ‘always on.’ This allows the vehicle to start without engaging the clutch, which means it could lunge forward or backward if the vehicle is started in gear without the parking brake set, brake pedal depressed, or clutch depressed.

This increases the risk of an injury and Hyundai first became aware of the issue after a complaint involving a 2010 Genesis Coupe in Canada. This sparked an investigation in mid-2023 and the eventual recall.

While no injuries have been reported, Hyundai has identified three crashes involving vehicles in the United States. The first dates back to 2012, while the other incidents were reported in 2014 and 2015.

Owners will be contacted by mail and told to take their vehicles to a dealership, where the ignition lock switch will be replaced. In the meantime, drivers are being told to follow a starting procedure that calls on them to engage the parking brake, depress the clutch, and put the transmission into neutral before starting the vehicle.