Hyundai Recalls 470,000 Sonatas Due To Potentially Dangerous Engine Problem

Hyundai has just announced a recall of nearly half a million Sonatas due a few key engine parts needing to be replaced. The faulty parts are reportedly causing engine failure. Engine failure at high speeds is extremely dangerous.

The vehicles being recalled are the 2011 and 2012 model year Sonata sedans equipped with 2-liter or 2.4-liter gasoline engines. Close to 100,000 Accent small cars are also being recalled due to possible break light failure.

From a document filed today by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the engine failure in the Sonatas is believed to be a result of "metal debris that may not have been fully removed from the crankshaft area during manufacturing at Hyundai's Alabama engine plant. This can restrict oil flow to the connecting rod bearings, and since they are cooled by oil, they could fail. If that happens, the engines could stall and cause a crash."

So, what should you do if you have a Sonata on the recall list? You will receive a recall letter in the mail on November 2nd. At that point, you'll bring your vehicle to your dealer and they'll fix the problem, free of charge. After the engine is fixed, you'll also reportedly get an increase in your engine's warranty for 10 years or 120,000 miles!