News

Jan 07, 2024

Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes

The latest round of vehicle recalls posted in the last week by the U.S. National

The latest round of vehicle recalls posted in the last week by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Administration includes 807,842 cars made by Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and General Motors. The recalls seek to address everything from defective windshield wipers to short circuits that may cause fires.

Car owners can check USA TODAY's automotive recall database or search the NHTSA's database for new recalls. The NHTSA website also allows you to search for recalls based on your vehicle identification number, or VIN.

What else is under recall?:Check USA TODAY's searchable recall database; cars, food, consumer products and more

Last week's car recall roundup:Ford, Honda vehicles among 1.9 million cars under recall

The windshield wipers on 167,085 recent Hyundai Palisade models may not work, Hyundai said in an NHTSA recall report. According to the report, the "wiper motor may operate intermittently or fail to operate due to snow or ice buildup on the windshield, causing the wipers to fail."

Inoperable wipers could lead to poor visibility and increase the risk of a crash, Hyundai said.

Recalled vehicles:

An estimated 1% of the recalled vehicle population has the defect, according to the report. Impacted owners will receive instructions in the mail on May 16 to take their vehicle to a Hyundai dealer for a free windshield wiper arm replacement, the report said.

Kia and Hyundai asked owners of 571,467 SUVs and vans to park away from structures because they’re susceptible to a short circuit, according to NHTSA recall reports.

The Korean carmakers said the recalled vehicles could be equipped with a faulty tow hitch assembly that can take on water and experience an electrical short. This can increase the risk of fire, the reports said.

A total of 567,912 Hyundai vehicles and 3,555 Kia vehicles are affected. Owners will be sent instructions on May 16 to take their vehicle to an authorized Kia or Hyundai dealer for a free repair. Hyundai said there had been one report of fire related to the issue.

Recalled vehicles:

Mercedes-Benz is recalling 61,450 of its SUVs because water may seep into electrical components and cause a short circuit that could spark a fire, according to an NHTSA report.

The automaker said the vehicles’ air conditioning drainage hose may leak water because of a "deviation in the assembly process."

"Water intrusion into the foot wells may cause corrosion and/or short circuits to electrical components, increasing the risk of fire," Mercedes-Benz said in the report. "In addition, the emergency call (eCall) feature may be disabled and the doors may not unlock, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the engine may not start or may enter a limp-home mode, increasing the risk of a crash."

Drivers may notice wet carpets in the foot wells or fogged windows if there is a leak, according to the report.

Recalled vehicles:

There have been no reports of crashes or injuries related to the issue, the report said. Mercedes-Benz will offer impacted owners a free air conditioning drain hose repair at a dealership in notification letters on May 16.

General Motors said in an NHTSA recall report that 7,840 vehicles of several makes and models may have transmissions that were built with an incorrect part.

"The transmission may have been built with an incorrect sun gear, which can result in the driver-side half-shaft disengaging from the transmission," the report said. "This condition can cause the driver-side half-shaft to disengage from the transmission, causing a loss of propulsion and/or a loss of mechanical park."

Loss of propulsion or mechanical park can increase the risk of crash and roll-away, the report said. Drivers might hear a clicking or grinding noise from the front of the vehicle if the problem is present.

Recalled vehicles:

GM said it had received 164 complaints potentially related to the issue, but none that resulted in crash or injury. Owners will receive on May 1 instruction to take their vehicle for a free sun gear replacement, according to the recall report.