Hyundai Motor, Kia to recall SUVs in Korea, United States

Hyundai Motor and Kia Motors will recall hundreds of thousands of sports utility vehicles sold both in Korea and the United States.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a government agency in the United States, Tucson models manufactured between May 19, 2015, and May 14, 2016, will be recalled due to defects in its hood. The Tucson is Hyundai Motor’s flagship SUV.

In the United States, about 81,000 units have been sold while 60,000 of those vehicles were sold in the Korean market.

According to the U.S. agency, the front hood can open while the car is operating, which could cause a crash. The recall in the United States will start July 15, and replacement of the defective parts will be free.

The same models sold in Korea will go through a similar process. At the end of June, Hyundai Motor will launch an official recall plan.

Sister company Kia Motors has seen a similar problem. On its Sedona SUV model, which is marketed in Korea as the Carnival, a similar flaw affects the latches of the vehicle’s front hood. A report on the company’s website said the defective parts “increase the risk of a vehicle crash.”

The model was manufactured in Korea from 2005 to 2014. The total number of models sold in the United States is 219,800, while in Korea, 160,000 units have been sold.