This week, more than 300,000 Kia and Hyundai vehicles were recalled due to latch defects which may cause vehicle hoods to pop open during driving.
On June 10, 2016, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced the recall of roughly 219,800 Kia Sedona minivans and an estimated 81,000 Hyundai Tucson sports utility vehicles because of issues with hood latches which may cause the hoods of these vehicles to open while the vehicles are in operation. While no injuries or crashes have yet been reported in association with these issues, there is a potential for severe injury or even death to vehicle occupants if hood latches disengage, which could block drivers’ vision and bring about a serious accident.
In the Kia vehicles, it has been reported that a secondary hood latch (which secures the hood when the primary latch has already been opened) may rust and bind. This means that the hood may not be fully latched in place, which could cause it to open suddenly due to the wind force when a vehicle is “in speed”. The NHTSA recall notice states, “If the primary hood latch is inadvertently released and the secondary latch cannot secure the hood, the hood may unexpectedly open while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.”
The Kia Sedona vehicles affected by this hood latch recall include certain model year 206-2014 Kia Sedonas manufactured from June 15, 2005 through April 4, 2014. Kia will notify all owners affected by the recall and will direct them to a certified dealer or mechanic where the secondary hood latch will be cleaned and lubricated or replaced entirely at no cost.
In the Hyundai vehicles, it has been reported that the secondary hood latch may not be strong enough to secure the hood. Thus, though the hood may appear to be securely closed, if the primary latch is already opened the hood may fly up while the vehicle is in use. According to the NHTSA recall notice, “In the affected vehicles, if the primary hood latch has been released, and the vehicle is driven, the secondary hood latch may not hold adequately secure the hood to prevent it from opening while the vehicle is in motion.”
The affected Hyundai vehicles were manufactured from May 19, 2015 to March 14, 2016. Hyundai will notify all owners of these vehicles of the recall and instruct them to a nearby dealer where the hood latch will be replaced for free.
Also this week, Kia recalled roughly 5,000 Kia Forte vehicles from model year 2013 because of potential flaws which may cause seatbelt retractor retaining plates to fracture in a crash.
Fortunately, the issues behind these recent automotive recalls have not been associated with any crashes or injuries, but this is not always the case. Recently, the largest automotive recall in U.S. history was issued to address potentially faulty airbags made by Takata Corp. which may explode with lethal force and have already been implicated in at least 11 deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide.
When innocent drivers and passengers suffer severe injury or even wrongful death as a result of recalled or potentially defective auto parts, it may be possible for victims and their loved ones to recover substantial compensation for their damages and suffering. To learn more about automotive product liability lawsuits and whether you may be entitled to compensation, please contact us to speak with an experienced attorney at no cost to you.
