Lemon Law News – Fragile Steering Columns Cause Hyundai Recall
Hyundai North America is recalling more than 40,000 later-year-model vehicles after finding potentially dangerous weaknesses in their steering columns.
The manufacturer notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Feb. 17, 2018 they will recall 43,941 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport vehicles built between July 23 and Oct. 23, 2017.
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The affected vehicles contain steering wheel assemblies potentially manufactured with insufficient breakage strength. This can let the steering wheel break from the steering column while driving, increasing crash risk.
Hyundai received a field report from the U.S. market in late November 2017 alleging the steering wheel in a 2018 Hyundai Santa Fe separated from the steering column. They received a second report in January 2018, this time from the Korean market. Hyundai recovered the part and traced it back to the same supplier as the allegedly faulty part from the U.S. incident: Dayou AutoParts of Korea.
Hyundai worked with Dayou AutoParts to determine the extent of the problem. They found certain steering wheel hub assemblies produced on June 9, 2017 were damaged during manufacturing and re-worked with insufficient breakage strength.
Based on this information, Hyundai decided to initiate a safety recall.
Hyundai will notify owners, and dealers will check the production lot number of the steering wheel assembly, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 16, 2018. Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at 1-855-371-9460. Hyundai’s number for this recall is 173. Hyundai consumers can also visit the NHTSA’s website and enter their VIN to see if their vehicle is included in any recalls.
Your vehicle’s manufacturer is legally required to fix any recalled problems for free. If the dealership refuses to fix the part or tries to charge you for the repair, contact the manufacturer immediately. The Highway Safety Act of 1970, which created the NHTSA, requires car manufacturers to pay for the recall and replacement of a defective part.
If the manufacturer fails to repair, replace, repurchase, or provide your recalled vehicle’s loss value, they are violating the warranty and a lawyer may be able to assist you.
Lemon law attorneys help their clients by dealing directly with the manufacturer on the clients’ behalf, working to promptly resolve the issue and get their clients back on the road. Thanks to the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, attorneys can seek their fees directly from the manufacturer, meaning a client can obtain legal counsel without having to pay attorneys’ fees directly out of pocket.
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