Hyundai has recalled about five lakh cars in the US after a manufacturing defect was found in their engines. This comes in the wake of the Volkswagen emission scandal and comes at a time when things are not looking up for the auto industry. The Sonata accounts for about 90% of the recall with the 2 or 2.4-litre petrol models from 2011 and 2012 appearing to be most at risk.
According to Hyundai, the major issue is that there are certain vital parts of the engine, which may fail due to a manufacturing defect. In fact, it is possible that a crash might be caused as a result of the defect and a complete engine failure too.
The engines will not only be tested and checked in order to find defects, they would also be replaced in case it is necessary. The recall is to begin once the company has parts available with them. In addition to this, Hyundai would also lengthen the warranty period of the engine to 10 years or to 120000 miles.
Not only Hyundai and Volkswagen, Honda too is facing major technical hurdles. The company has recalled cars in India owing to faulty airbag inflators. The entire industry seems to be reeling from poor manufacturing issues and it will be interesting to see how the Government and various regulatory bodies react to these recent revelations from the biggest manufacturers.