Automaker widening recall of Genesis in U.S.

DETROIT - Hyundai Motor is expanding its recall in the United States of Genesis sedans to address a potential brake issue.

The Korean automaker said it was expanding the recall of the large sedans from model years 2009-12 to cover an additional 16,000 vehicles built in March 2012, raising the total to 43,500 cars.

Last month, Hyundai recalled 27,500 Genesis sedans in the United States to replace the brake fluid. The recall also affected 103,214 of the sedans in Korea.

Owners will be instructed to bring their cars to Hyundai dealers for brake inspections and changing of the brake fluid with replacement fluid containing an anticorrosive additive, Hyundai has said. There will be no cost to the owners.

The recall is expected to begin by the end of December, according to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

U.S. safety regulators opened a preliminary evaluation of an estimated 40,000 Genesis cars from model year 2009 after receiving 23 consumer complaints alleging reduced brake effectiveness.

In one complaint, a consumer in Florida alleged that her brakes did not work, resulting in a crash into another vehicle stopped at a red light. In another complaint, the consumer reported responding to the same problem by using the parking brake, which caused the driver to lose control.

Reuters