Hyundai and Kia have recalled nearly 3.4 million vehicles over the risk of an engine compartment fire, warning owners to park their vehicles outside.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted documents Wednesday that revealed the anti-lock brake control module may leak fluid, causing an electrical short. This can ignite a fire when the vehicles are parked or while they are being driven.
Owners are being advised to “park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete,” according to the documents. The dealers will replace the ABS fuse in the models at no cost to the owners.
The recalls cover multiple car and SUV models from the 2010 through 2019 model years, including Hyundai’s Santa Fe SUV and Kia’s Sorrento SUV. Kia said it will start sending notification letters to owners Nov. 14, and Hyundai said it will start Nov. 21.
Hyundai said in a statement that owners can continue to drive the vehicles and that no crashes or injuries have been reported. It said the recall affects 1,642,551 vehicles in the U.S. and 326,942 in Canada.
Kia told the AP in a statement that an engine compartment fire can happen due to an electrical short, but that the cause is unknown. The company noted there have been no reported injuries.
NHTSA said the companies have 60 days to notify owners of recalled vehicles by letter, but often the mailings can happen sooner.
The Associated Press contributed.
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