Hyundai Recalls 130,000 2017 Tucson SUVs & Sonata Hybrids Over Fire Risk

Hyundai is set to recall just over 130,000 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada due to a defect at the engine height, a defect that can increase the risk of fire.

The recall involves certain 2017 Tucson compact SUVs, as well as 2017 Sonata Hybrid midsize sedans equipped with 2.0L 4-cylinder engines produced by the automaker's engine plant in Ulsan, South Korea. The information was released in a document submitted by the company to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The recall involves approximately 95,515 units in the United States and 34,607 in Canada.

Here is how Transport Canada describes the problem:

“On certain vehicles equipped with a 2.0 L Nu GDI engine, the connecting rod bearings could wear prematurely. As a result, there could be an abnormal knocking noise from the engine and/or the oil pressure warning light may turn on. If you continue to drive the vehicle with worn connecting rod bearings, the engine could fail. An engine failure would cause a sudden loss of power with an inability to restart. In some cases, a damaged connecting rod could puncture the engine block and cause an oil leak.”

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