Hyundai is facing backlash over allegations about an engine defect. When it comes to keeping the roads safe, engine and vehicle developers must ensure that a vehicle that is put on the road does not feature an engine defect. This becomes a significant safety concern, as engine failure on the road can cause detrimental road accidents resulting in serious injury and/or fatalities. When a serious problem is identified, a vehicle recall may be issued in order for drivers to see their vehicle amended immediately.
Preventing an engine defect in new vehicles on the road
When it comes to engine and vehicle design, engine developers must ensure that their vehicles do not feature a systemic engine defect that affects a widespread number. While these internal design problems are generally caught in the production phase, sometimes they are missed and only identified once the vehicles are purchased and operating on the road.
When a vehicle safety-related problem is reported to authorities such as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which can result in an investigation can be opened. If the investigation concludes that specific models pose a hazard to other road users, the NHTSA will require the vehicle developer to issue a vehicle recall.
If you receive a vehicle recall notification from a developer, you must bring your vehicle in immediately in order to have the defect addressed as soon as possible for the sake of both your safety and other road users. If your vehicle is recalled, you are not required to cover any associated costs that may be needed to fix the vehicle.
Hyundai receives a class action lawsuit over an alleged engine defect
While engine defects and other safety-related problems with vehicles are often resolved without issue, this is not always the case. Recently, the South Korean automobile developer Hyundai has been faced with a class action lawsuit, which alleges in case no. 8:25-cv-02323 that a California couple’s Hyundai Santa Fe’s 3.3L Lambda II allegedly failed before reaching 80,000 miles. The class action follows multiple complaints by Hyundai vehicle owners, which allege that the company has produced numerous vehicles which pertain significant engine defects.
“From at least 2013 through 2019, Defendants manufactured the Engines
for Class Vehicles with a dangerous defect that causes abnormal and premature wearing,
loosening, and breaking of the Engines’ rotating assemblies and internal components
(“Engine Defect” or “Defect”),” described case no. 8:25-cv-02323 put forth by plaintiffs Jason Burns and Allison Burns. “This Defect often results in the sudden and catastrophic failure of Hyundai’s Engines.”
The couple alleges in the class action that Hyundai has been aware of these engine defect issues for years but has continued to not resolve, recall, or disclose the problem. The couple is currently in the process of seeking class action certification of the complaint as well as compensation.
The responsibility to ensure that the roads remain safe
Vehicle recalls and class action litigations between plaintiffs and vehicle developers each share a common goal: ensuring transparency between developers and consumers and holding developers accountable for dangerous manufacturing errors. While it is just as much the responsibility of a driver to obey the laws of the road, vehicle developers are also required to ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy and safe to use.
Further, other stakeholders and entities have a role to play in maintaining safety on the roads by testing and implementing new safety interventions and precautions, which can assist drivers on the road. This involves keeping roads regularly maintained and signaged, providing educational programs for drivers, providing resources that drivers can make use of to stay informed on road traffic legislation updates, and providing the necessary infrastructure to support new vehicle developments.
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