Recall could affect over 1.6 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles

Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp. have announced a recall that could affect about 1.7 million vehicles between the 2007-2013 model years. The company says a defective stop lamp switch has been the cause of several documented cases of brake light failure.

The defective stop lamp switch could cause the brake lights not to illuminate, the cruise control not to deactivate or the push-button start to work erratically. The defect also could prevent a car from shifting out of park.

However, Hyundai insists the brake light switch failure does not affect a vehicle’s brake performance.

As many as 1,059,824 Hyundai models could be affected. The recall covers the 2007 to 2009 Accent and Tucson; the 2007 to 2010 Elantra; the 2007 to 2011 Santa Fe; the 2008 to 2009 Veracruz; the 2010 to 2011 Genesis Coupe; and the 2011 Sonata.

The Kia vehicles with potentially faulty switches are the 2007 to 2010 Rondo and Sportage; the 2007 to 2011 Sorento; the 2007 Sedona; the 2010 to 2011 Soul; and the 2011 Optima. As many as 623,658 of those models could be affected.

Hyundai and Kia said they will start notifying owners of the recall by June, once enough replacement parts are available. Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch for free.

As many of these vehicles may be currently serviced at independent shops, aftermarket service providers will need to communicate with both customers and dealerships to ensure these repairs are taken care of.

In a separate recall, Hyundai has also announced the callback of approximately 186,254 Elantras from model years 2011 through 2013, due to a concern that a bracket that could come loose when the side airbag inflates. In one case reported to NHTSA, a passenger’s ear was slashed. Hyundai says it will use adhesive strips to secure the bracket.