DETROIT - South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co said on Monday it is recalling about 27,500 Genesis sedans in the United States from model years 2009 to 2012 to address a potential brake issue.
Hyundai said it is recalling the cars, which were built from April 1, 2008, through March 16, 2012, to replace the brake fluid.
The company had already initiated a service campaign in March to replace the brake fluid in the affected carsas they were brought into the dealers. The fluid had been replaced in about 60 percent, or about 40,000, of the vehicles, a spokesman said.
However, after receiving word that US safety regulators had opened an investigation into an estimated 40,000 Genesis cars from model year 2009, Hyundai decided to recall the rest, the company said. Letters will be mailed to the affected owners starting next month.
Owners will be instructed to bring their cars to Hyundai dealers for brake inspection and changing of the brake fluid with replacement fluid containing an anticorrosive additive, the Hyundai spokesman said. There will be no cost to the owners.
US safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had opened a preliminary evaluation into an estimated 40,000 Genesis cars from model year 2009 after receiving 23 consumer complaints alleging reduced brake effectiveness, according to documents filed online. Several complaints said the problem was diagnosed as a faulty antilock brake system module.
In one complaint NHTSA received, a consumer in Florida alleged that her brakes did not work, resulting in a crash into another vehicle stopped at a red light. In another complaint, the consumer reported responding to the same problem by using the parking brake, which caused the driver to lose control. —Reuters
source: gmanetwork.com
