Hyundai Motor Group can’t seem to get rid of the headache from the unending recalls. The latest campaign concerns more than 70,000 Kia Sportage cars made in 2008 and 2009, which were once again found at risk of catching fire.
The company recalled the same production batch just six years ago, but will have to do so again to doublecheck the components and make repairs if necessary. In the meantime, drivers are advised to keep their cars outdoors and far from buildings.
The new episode of the recall began with a customer’s letter to the company’s security service in the USA complaining about a parked 2008 Kia Sportage spontaneously catching fire. The car was involved in an earlier recall, but it apparently did nothing to prevent the incident.
An investigation followed that showed that, under certain conditions, one of the electronic units of the car may get damaged and ultimately catch fire. A subsequent study of the incident records revealed 23 possibly related cases, including 8 cars reported as completely burnt out and 15 seriously damaged.