South Korean car manufacturer companies Hyundai and Kia Motors have announced a recall of as many as 1.2 million US vehicles in order to inspect, and if needed replace, the four-cylinder engine assemblies in the cars.
The recall was announced after manufacturing errors were found out in Hyundai's 2.0- and 2.4-liter "Theta" four-cylinder engines, which is essentially used by both the companies. The error could cause engine bearings to wear prematurely and lead to an engine stall, according to recall notices posted on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website.
Hyundai Motor America spokesman Miles Johnson informed that the dealers will inspect and replace the engines, if necessary, adding that "Hyundai will stand behind the cars and we're going out of our way to make sure our customers are happy," reported The Peninsula Qatar.
According to Johnson, there have not been any reports of crashes or accidents yet and it is just an effort to ensure customer satisfaction. "The field data hit a level that caused us to initiate this action to ensure the quality of our vehicles and the satisfaction of our customers," he said.
The Same statement was given by Kia Motors, who said that they are unaware of any crash or accident's report.
As Johnson said, the error can lead to a knocking noise and loss of power and could cause the check-engine and engine oil pressure lights to illuminate.
The U.S. recall covers about 572,000 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe Sport cars from the 2013-14 model years made at Hyundai's plant in Montgomery, Alabama. About 618,000 Kias are affected, including Optima midsize sedans from model years 2011-2014, Sorento crossovers from 2012-2014, and Sportage crossovers from 2011-2013. All the affected vehicles use the four-cylinder "Theta" engine, reported the publication.
