Hyundai is warning owners of one of its SUVs that the vehicle can burst into flames at any time.
According to a safety recall alert issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Thursday, 44,396 2018 Santa Fe Sport vehicles are targeted in the recall.
The recall warns that the vehicles are equipped with anti-lock brake “modules that could malfunction internally and cause an electrical short over time.”
“An electrical short could result in significant overcurrent in the ABS module increasing the risk of an engine compartment fire while parked or driving,” the notice said.
Hyundai said the vehicles could catch fire even if the engines are off, WNBC-TV reported.
The NHTSA said four fires have been associated with the issue, but no one was hurt in those fires.
The vehicles were made at the Kia Georgia plant for sale in the United States, the NHTSA said.
“Out of an abundance of caution, Hyundai recommends parking these vehicles outside and away from structures until the recall remedy is completed,” Hyundai spokesman Ira Gabriel said in a statement, according to The Washington Post.
“All owners of the subject vehicles will be notified by first class mail with instructions to bring their vehicles to the nearest Hyundai dealership for replacement of the ABS module fuse,” he said.
Owners of the impacted vehicles will be notified of the recall beginning Dec. 26.
In February, Hyundai issued a safety notice covering more than 350,000 Santa Fe, Santa Fe Sport, Santa Fe XL and Tucson vehicles made between 2014 to 2019. Those vehicles were considered at risk of fire, according to the Post.
Hyundai said the 2018 models targeted in the new recall were “inadvertently excluded” from the earlier recall.
The Post said about 1 million Hyundai and Kia vehicles have been recalled over wiring issues since 2020.
Last week, Hyundai’s Kia brand recalled 71,000 SUVs due to risks of an engine fire, the outlet reported.
In August, Hyundai Motor America and Kia America issued a warning to owners of some Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride vehicles in the 2020 through 2022 model years to park their vehicles outside due to fire risks, according to the NHTSA.
The problem in that recall was an accessory tow hitch that could allow moisture to leak in, causing a short circuit.
The recall affected 245,000 Hyundai Palisades and 36,000 Kia Tellurides.
Kia said there were six fires involving the Telluride. Hyundai said the problem was linked to three fires and 16 melting incidents in the U.S. and Canada, none of which led to injuries, according to the Post.
