Thousands of Vehicles Recalled Due to Engine Fire Dangers

When most drivers get into their vehicles, they take for granted that the vehicle they are driving is in good working order. Granted, there are always the mechanical issues that all vehicle owners have to deal with that necessitate a trip to the mechanic and repair bill. But we rely on vehicle manufacturers that the car we are driving is safe and that the 30,000 plus parts that make up our vehicle have all been inspected.

However, over the past several years, many consumers have begun to question more and more just how diligent vehicle manufacturers are in their dedication to safety when it comes to the design and production of the products they make. Just look at the millions of vehicles that have been recalled because of issues like ignition switches and airbag dangers.

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Last month, there was news of another dangerous issue alert for vehicle owners with the recall of approximately 68,000 vehicles manufactured by Kia Motors because of reports of that hundreds of cars have caught fire.

The recall was issued on January 11^th, instructing vehicle owners to bring their cars to a Kia dealership in order to get the high-pressure fuel pumps in the vehicle inspected. Dealers will check the fuel pipe for leaks and replace the pipe if needed.

These fuel pumps were already part another recall – to replace engines – but the company discovered that some of the fuel pumps were not installed correctly. Kia estimates the recall would involve more than 50,000 Kia Optimas, more than 17,000 Kia Sorentos and about 1,000 Kia Sportages.

In addition to the Kia vehicles, Hyundai has also issued a recall of approximately 100,000 vehicles for the same issue. The Hyundai recall involves 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonatas and 2013-2014 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport vehicles.

There were 618,000 Kia vehicles which were recalled for engine issues, yet Kia is only repairing 68,000 fuel pumps. Hyundai recalled more than one million vehicles for the engine issue, and yet are only recalling 100,000 vehicles for fuel pump repairs.

Although the vehicle manufacturers issued the recall voluntarily, reports of vehicle fires have been occurring for months. There have been reports of more than 250 fires in Kia and Hyundai vehicles, coming from 43 different states. Some owners have even posted online videos, showing gas spewing from the fuel pumps within weeks of the engines being replaced. There have also been reports that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New York City has initiated an investigation into whether the companies handled the engine recalls properly.

Contact a Va. Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in a crash caused by the negligence or recklessness of another driver, contact as seasoned Virginia car accident attorney. Our legal team has successfully represented many accident victims in obtaining the financial compensation they deserved. We are happy to meet and discuss the circumstances of your case and how we may be able to help.