Hyundai and Kia are recalling more than half a million cars due to a brake light malfunction, and you can check here to see if you are among those affected by the problem.
This week, the automakers announced that more than 500,000 compact cars were suffering a malfunction that caused the brake lights not to go off after the pedal is released. As the Detroit News noted, the companies noted that the problem was caused by a polymer stopper pad that is between the arm of the brake pedal and the light switch. When this polymer breaks down, the switch stays on and the light remains on even after the car is done braking.
Here are the vehicles affected by the Hyundai and Kia recalls.
- Hyundai Elantra vehicles made in 2013 and 2014
- Kia Forte vehicles made from 2012 through 2014
The recall covers more than 390,000 Hyundai vehicles and 134,000 Kia vehicles. There were no crashes or injuries reported with the malfunction, the report noted.
If history is any indication, only a fraction of the cars affected by the Hyundai and Kia recalls will actually get the needed repairs. As KCGR reported, there were a record 900 vehicle recalls last year covering a total of 53 million vehicles. But when it came time to actually complete the repairs, only about 70 percent of cars were fixed, government data showed.
Hyundai, Kia recall half million cars due to brake light problem – https://t.co/XfO4WHPI1m & more In the News: https://t.co/BrTdxpsuDj
— Ripoff Report (@RipoffReport) December 15, 2017
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made it easier for people trying to learn about potential recalls, offering a VIN search that lets them know if their car has any recalls. The online tool can be found here .
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is also looking into ways to more proactively alert drivers when their car has a recall. The agency started a pilot program earlier this year in Maryland that directly notifies drivers of a recall when they register their vehicle. It is not clear if the agency has plans to implement in on a larger scale or move to other states.
Those looking for the recalls can start early next year, the Detroit News noted. Dealers will replace the stopper pad on Kia vehicles starting on January 30, while Hyundai dealers will start repairing the malfunction starting on February 8.
