Drivers beware: Hyundai and KIA under investigation for potentially hazardous vehicles
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Is your car a Hyundai or KIA? Then you’ll want to take note of this story.
An Australian law firm has launched class action proceedings against motor giants Hyundai and KIA, seeking compensation payments over defective braking systems.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is set to take car manufacturers Hyundai and KIA to court over the serious defect that has reportedly impacted hundreds of thousands of vehicles.
The class action lawsuit follows safety recalls involving Anti-Lock Braking Systems in Hyundai and KIA vehicles, according to Andrew Watson, the Head of Class Actions for the law firm.
The defective brakes mean that the engine’s compartment of impacted vehicles could have an increased risk of catching fire, even when the vehicle is parked and turned off.
Mr Watson stated that the lawsuit alleges both manufacturers’ failure to comply with the ‘guarantee of acceptable quality’ under the Australian Consumer Law.
Under Australian law, manufacturers and service providers have a legal responsibility to provide goods and services fit for purpose and of acceptable quality. This legal principle is known as the ‘consumer guarantee’ and is a significant part of many of Australia’s consumer protection laws.
According to the lead plaintiff in the Hyundai class action lawsuit, Anne-Maree Johnston, she was ‘lucky to escape unharmed’ after her Hyundai caught fire while parked at home.
‘It could have been a fatal disaster…Had we not caught it early, it’s almost certain the whole house would have gone up,’ she told reporters.
Hyundai and KIA vehicle owners have now been advised to park their cars outside in an open space.
Ms Johnston and her daughter were out enjoying their lunch when a fire broke out suddenly. Upon inspection, the pair found out it was coming from their 2014 Hyundai ix35 which was parked in her garage. Ms Johnston used a garden hose to put out the flames while she and her daughter waited for firefighters to arrive.
You can read more about her story here.
A couple of weeks ago, the Federal Government’s Department of Transport also issued a recall for 2020-2022 models of the MQ4 KIA Sorento vehicles. Due to production issues, the car’s electric oil pump has the potential to fail and the vehicle could lose its drive power, break down, and increase the risk of a collision. More details of this story can be found here.
The proposed KIA class action lawsuit involves almost 58,000 Sportage and Stinger model vehicles manufactured between 2016 and 2019.
Meanwhile, the class action proceedings against Hyundai involve almost 94,000 Tucson model cars with model years between 2014 and 2020, the 124 Genesis G80 and G70 2018 models, and 1,200 Genesis models from 2014-2017.
The Hyundai lawsuit also includes 21,943 Santa Fe (DM) models from 2015-2018, ix35 models from 2014-2015, and a further 19,541 ix35 (EL) models manufactured between 2014-2015.
A spokesperson for KIA Australia said that they have not received ‘an official notification on the matter’, but that the company is aware of the proposed class action. They refused to comment further on the matter.
Hyundai’s spokesperson said they prioritise the safety of their customers and felt ‘disappointed’ about the class action.
‘We take the safety and reliability of our vehicles seriously. We have always and will continue to stand by our products by providing our customers with the support they need,’ they said. The spokesperson stated that they will not be commenting further on the matter pending investigation.
Consumer advocate Jo Ucukalo, the CEO of Handle My Complaint (a complaint management company), said she had been contacted by car owners across the country because they were concerned that neither Hyundai nor KIA were taking the complaints seriously.
‘Motorists would expect cars made by Hyundai and Kia to meet the most stringent safety standards. But they have been let down,’ she stated.
If you’re a Hyundai or KIA owner, check if your vehicle is part of the model that’s being recalled and register at [email protected] for more assistance. Alternatively, you may contact KIA here for assistance, and you may find Hyundais contact here.
An Australian law firm has launched class action proceedings against motor giants Hyundai and KIA, seeking compensation payments over defective braking systems.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers is set to take car manufacturers Hyundai and KIA to court over the serious defect that has reportedly impacted hundreds of thousands of vehicles.
The class action lawsuit follows safety recalls involving Anti-Lock Braking Systems in Hyundai and KIA vehicles, according to Andrew Watson, the Head of Class Actions for the law firm.
The defective brakes mean that the engine’s compartment of impacted vehicles could have an increased risk of catching fire, even when the vehicle is parked and turned off.
Hyundai will face a class action suit soon. Credit: Hyundai Motor Group/Pexels
Mr Watson stated that the lawsuit alleges both manufacturers’ failure to comply with the ‘guarantee of acceptable quality’ under the Australian Consumer Law.
Under Australian law, manufacturers and service providers have a legal responsibility to provide goods and services fit for purpose and of acceptable quality. This legal principle is known as the ‘consumer guarantee’ and is a significant part of many of Australia’s consumer protection laws.
According to the lead plaintiff in the Hyundai class action lawsuit, Anne-Maree Johnston, she was ‘lucky to escape unharmed’ after her Hyundai caught fire while parked at home.
‘It could have been a fatal disaster…Had we not caught it early, it’s almost certain the whole house would have gone up,’ she told reporters.
Hyundai and KIA vehicle owners have now been advised to park their cars outside in an open space.
Ms Johnston and her daughter were out enjoying their lunch when a fire broke out suddenly. Upon inspection, the pair found out it was coming from their 2014 Hyundai ix35 which was parked in her garage. Ms Johnston used a garden hose to put out the flames while she and her daughter waited for firefighters to arrive.
You can read more about her story here.
A couple of weeks ago, the Federal Government’s Department of Transport also issued a recall for 2020-2022 models of the MQ4 KIA Sorento vehicles. Due to production issues, the car’s electric oil pump has the potential to fail and the vehicle could lose its drive power, break down, and increase the risk of a collision. More details of this story can be found here.
Almost 58,000 KIA Sportage and Stinger vehicles are affected by the issue. Credit: ALTEREDSNAPS/Pexels
The proposed KIA class action lawsuit involves almost 58,000 Sportage and Stinger model vehicles manufactured between 2016 and 2019.
Meanwhile, the class action proceedings against Hyundai involve almost 94,000 Tucson model cars with model years between 2014 and 2020, the 124 Genesis G80 and G70 2018 models, and 1,200 Genesis models from 2014-2017.
The Hyundai lawsuit also includes 21,943 Santa Fe (DM) models from 2015-2018, ix35 models from 2014-2015, and a further 19,541 ix35 (EL) models manufactured between 2014-2015.
A spokesperson for KIA Australia said that they have not received ‘an official notification on the matter’, but that the company is aware of the proposed class action. They refused to comment further on the matter.
Hyundai’s spokesperson said they prioritise the safety of their customers and felt ‘disappointed’ about the class action.
‘We take the safety and reliability of our vehicles seriously. We have always and will continue to stand by our products by providing our customers with the support they need,’ they said. The spokesperson stated that they will not be commenting further on the matter pending investigation.
Consumer advocate Jo Ucukalo, the CEO of Handle My Complaint (a complaint management company), said she had been contacted by car owners across the country because they were concerned that neither Hyundai nor KIA were taking the complaints seriously.
‘Motorists would expect cars made by Hyundai and Kia to meet the most stringent safety standards. But they have been let down,’ she stated.
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