Legal firm Bannister Law is investigating the grounds for a class action lawsuit against Hyundai and That in Australia, in relation to widely documented engine problems with cars intended for the US market.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued a series of recalls affecting more than one million Hyundai and Kia vehicles in the U.S. market over the past few years. include this out of 129,000 vehicles in December.
The problem centers around premature wear to the connecting rod bearings, caused by metal debris left over from machining in the factory. The rough surface restricts the flow of oil, causing engine damage and symptoms such as engine explosion and engine failure, and even fire.
Numerous NHTSA safety recall reports estimate one to two percent of affected Hyundai and Kia vehicles actually show symptoms.
Now, Bannister Law says it has “reason to believe” that the same problem may be present in Australian vehicles and is asking owners of Hyundai and Kia vehicles with certain petrol engines. produced between 2009 and 2019, fill out the form if they have a story to tell.
We hereby note that there is no current class action, but rather that Bannister Law is seeking submissions from punters to see if there are people affected by the matter, on the page. its web. Then check the waters.
The affected cars are manufactured between 2009 and 2019 and use petrol engines with a displacement of up to 2.4 liters. The nameplate cited includes Hyundai Santa Fe, Sonata, Tucson and Veloster; and Kia Sorento, Optimaand Sport.
This week, Hyundai Motor Company Australia told us it was aware of the investigation, but that the overseas recall does not necessarily affect cars sold domestically.
NHTSA’s recall notice refers to affected vehicles/engines made in both the United States as well as South Korea, where most Hyundais and Kias are manufactured in the Australian market.
Hyundai Australia also issued a recall in June 2017Affects just under 10,000 i45 and Santa Fe models with 2.4L GDI ‘Theta’ engines, manufactured between 2009 and 2013. This recall relates to an engine recall in the United States last year. 2009-2019.
Referring to the Bannister Law investigation, Hyundai Motor Company Australia said the following:
“At Hyundai Motor Company Australia, the safety of our customers is always our number one priority.
“That’s why any incident that could potentially compromise that safety is taken extremely seriously. We make voluntary vehicle recalls in accordance with our obligations under the Australian Consumer Law and the Road Vehicle Standards Act. Vehicle recalls are a quick and effective way to replace any parts that may be defective, at zero cost to the owner.
“The overseas recall of Hyundai vehicles does not necessarily mean that Hyundai vehicles in Australia are also affected by the same issue.
“We are aware of the class action investigation and note that no proceedings have been filed. In the meantime, we continue to resolve any issues for owners as quickly as we can, regardless of whether they are recall related or not.
“If Hyundai owners have questions about their vehicle, they should contact our Customer Care team directly via our website or call 1800 186 306. Our team is based at based at our Headquarters in Sydney and ready to assist with any enquiries. To check if a Hyundai vehicle is subject to a safety recall, vehicle owners can also enter the vehicle’s VIN details. here. “
Bannister Law is concurrently conducting a separate class action investigation against Hyundai Australia over the potential fire hazard of models such as the Tucson.
In government recall submission In February 2021, Hyundai said “affected vehicles should be parked in a well-ventilated area and away from flammable materials and structures” until remedial.
“We learned from speaking to some of these drivers that this problem is keeping them on their guard at night because many city dwellers cannot park on the street,” argued Bannister Law Principal Charles Bannister. essay.
“We have heard from owners who are faced with bat droppings destroying paintwork, damage from fallen trees and branches and damage from cars and pedestrians in busy, construction areas. “
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