Hyundai Recalls Over 420,000 Elantras for Engine Fire Risk

A total of 429,686 Hyundai Elantra sedans and wagons from model years 2006 through 2011 are being recalled by the company for a potential engine fire issue.

According to documents filed by Hyundai with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there is a likelihood for moisture to enter the anti-lock brake (ABS) module of the vehicles in question and can cause an electrical short that may lead to an engine fire.

The recall notice stated the module can short both when the engine is on or off, citing that the engine remains energized even when the car is turned off.

There have been a handful of fire incidents reported to Hyundai, but the company has clarified it is not aware of any injuries related to the issue. The automaker also said it is not recommending owners to park their vehicles outside.

According to Hyundai, the fix for the recall is available and will require a new relay to turn off the ABS module when the vehicle is off. However, NHTSA said the company has not been able to identify the reason why moisture is entering the module. This leaves customers at risk of fire while the vehicle is on despite undergoing an initial recall fix.

“When the vehicle is on, short circuits are preceded by other noticeable symptoms such as noise [or] ABS warning lights,” said a Hyundai spokesperson. “So with the vehicle on, the driver is present and will detect preceding symptoms if a short circuit were to occur. In this situation, the foundation brakes continue to be operational.”

Owners of the affected Elantra models will be notified of the recall beginning in April.

In a separate incident, the NHTSA launched an investigation into nearly 3,000,000 Hyundai and Kia vehicles last April for potentially defective engines that are also at risk of catching fire.

More than 3,000 reports of fires that began without a crash prompted the inquiry. Hyundai’s spokesperson, however, clarified that the investigation is not related to the recent recall.