Hyundai issued the recall after it was found that a software glitch could cause fuel to prematurely ignite in the cylinders of affected Velosters and catch fire, said company spokesman Michael Stewart. This could result in excessive pressure and damage to the engine, causing vehicles to stall and in certain cases catch fire.
The recall affects only the 2013 Hyundai Veloster with the 1.6-liter engine, NHTSA said. The problem has been determined not to be related to an issue that has caused more than 6 million Hyundais to be recalled over the past 3 ½ years, NHTSA said.
“This recall raises the question of whether we are even beyond the tip of the iceberg with these non-crash fires with both of these manufacturers,” said Jason Levine, Executive Director for the Center for Auto Safety (CAS). “How many times are we going to hear from either Hyundai or Kia that these circumstances are unique to a particular model and then have another recall or fire situation announced weeks or months later?”
Dealers will update the software on affected Velosters, which Hyundai says will fix the problem. Owners will begin being notified in mid-May.
Source: WGN 9 Chicago