Defective Power Steering Triggers Hyundai Recall
Earlier this week, Hyundai issued a voluntary recall of more than 263,000 vehicles because of a potential problem with the power steering that could increase the risk of a crash.
According to documents posted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), this recall covers Elantra sedans from model years 2008, 2009 and 2010, as well as Elantra Touring hatchbacks from model years 2009 and 2010. According to the company, about three percent of these vehicles have this defect, so the recall should be treated seriously.
The defect stems from a flaw in the electronic power steering system on these vehicles. At times, the power steering control unit will sense an error that isn’t there, and will shut down the power assistance as a result, thus reverting the vehicle to manual steering and making the wheel very difficult to turn, especially at low speeds. This malfunction will usually trigger a warning light on the vehicle’s dashboard, and can sometimes be resolved by restarting the vehicle, but not always.
According to company documentation, this problem was first discovered in 2010, but company officials decided not to recall the vehicles at first because the ability to steer without power was still within U.S. compliance standards, and such a defect was not usually considered to be a safety defect. Put simply, they knew the steering was defective, but decided it wasn’t enough of a safety defect to bother with a recall.
However, because there is greater scrutiny of both car makers and the NHTSA these days because of their failure to recall some vehicles with safety defects, last year featured a record number of voluntary recalls for defects, including a greater number for steering defects such as the one Hyundai owners are experiencing.
The company plans to notify owners whether or not their vehicle should be tested, and if a repair is needed, the company will reimburse owners for the cost. In their announcement of the recall, Hyundai did not report any accidents or injuries related to this defect.
If you have one of the vehicles that are part of this recall, you should find out immediately if there’s a problem and have it repaired. Of course, if you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an accident involving a vehicle that may have been defective at the time of the accident, please contact the Texas Automotive Defect Lawyer at Hill Law Firm as soon as possible, so that we can thoroughly investigate every aspect of the accident and help you protect your rights.