Hyundai Santa Fe bursting into flames

[AlwynMike]

OK, so the title is a little melodramatic but....

 

Had a recall letter yesterday about the cars ABS fuse block needing to be replaced - as and when parts become available!!

 

The malfunction could cause an internal short circuit

The temporary solution is to park the car in an outdoor location allowing space all round it.

It doesn't state that there is an issue with driving (or stopping) the car. I would imagine that if the fault occurred whilst driving, the  ABS system would fail in its usual manner with alarms, lights etc.

The "fix" of installing a revised multifuse seems to address the result of the internal malfunction - fair enough, but why not fix the source of the fault in the first place? That question was tongue-in-cheek 😀

 

The DVLA website does not have details of the Recall.

There is a similar (but not the same) recall from 2020 that covers the date range, but different VIN numbers to our car.

 

My partner says she's going to park it next to her boss's car......

 

So if there is a BMW-esque bursting into flames, do you have to claim on your own car insurance and take the hit with NCB etc, or will Hyundai provide a replacement car FOC??? Let me think about that one too.....

[Lost in the wilderness]

18 minutes ago, AlwynMike said:

So if there is a BMW-esque bursting into flames,

I think this only applied when attempting to use indicators. 

[AlwynMike]

44 minutes ago, Lost in the wilderness said:

I think this only applied when attempting to use indicators. 

Scandalous accusation!

I believe I used my indicator last month without detriment to the car. (Or was that the mirrors???)

[MacSpot]

There was a similar recall last year on Sportage's, in this case two ABS fuses were replaced and the label inside the fuse box cover had new stickers for the uprated fuses. The dealer also asked for our handbook so he could update the fuse diagram.

Edited May 27 by MacSpot

[AlwynMike]

Looking around, there seems to be quite a few models that have been affected by an ABS short circuit, going back a few years and up to 2022.

Again, this begs the question that if Hyundai, or whoever manufactures the ABS module have known about a potential fault for some years, why are they still fitting flawed units??

[Silversurf]

It looks like there may be two or more faults / reasons and solutions.

 

The change of fuses to a lower value ? suggesting that the original values were too high to protect the circuit.

 

The suggestions that the ABS module stayed energised with the ignition off, for whatever reason and a work around was to incorporate a relay in the module feed to cut the current when the ignition was switched off.

 

The more worrying one was that a leak of brake fluid can contaminate the ABS ECU, first there should be no fluid loss / leaks on such new vehicles, second the ECU should be totally sealed against fluid ingress.

 

I wonder if the fluid loss ECU contamination allows the pump to run continuously, it only normally runs for a short time when the ABS is preventing a skid, it then get too hot or seizes causing a fire by the leaking flammable fluid contacting the hot motor, if the surface temperature of this is around 400 deg C it will spontaneously ignite, igniting any other fluid, plastics etc around it.

 

After a fire in that area the evidence of the exact cause would be obliterated.

 

Just wondering

 

 

[DUNCAN123]

We reviewed the same letter yesterday by the wording of it you shouldn’t use the car until the problem is sorted but they have no idea when the parts to sort it will be available.

So basically park the car and don’t use it for god knows how long? I’m going to give Hyundai a call and ask them for an order number for hiring a car in the mean time, I’m sure they will oblige.

[macquatic]

On 27/05/2022 at 11:43, AlwynMike said:

The DVLA website does not have details of the Recall.

There is a similar (but not the same) recall from 2020 that covers the date range, but different VIN numbers to our car.

I believe the recall won't be officially released until June 1st.

[664DaveS]

We had the same letter.  

[AlwynMike]

3 hours ago, DUNCAN123 said:

 I’m going to give Hyundai a call and ask them for an order number for hiring a car in the mean time, I’m sure they will oblige.

Let us know how that one goes please....

[664DaveS]

The letter doesn't  say you can't  use the car. We are going over to France in a couple of weeks so hopefully  it will be done by then. We are not cancelling our trip if it hasn't  been done. Ours lives outside  on our drive anyway its too big for the garage!

[xtrailman]

These sort of recalls are usually very low risk, how many have actually been reported to have set on fire.

[AlwynMike]

54 minutes ago, xtrailman said:

These sort of recalls are usually very low risk, how many have actually been reported to have set on fire.

That's something we'll never know, but worldwide, it must be a problem or there wouldn't be a recall.

[beejay]

Report on original recalls back in early 2018.

 

Hyundai ABS problems

 

 

[robertB]

This sort of thing can get all out of proportion and ruin a model's reputation.

Think of the Zafira and that was only caused by  people fitting cheap aftermarket replacement electronics and not genuine parts.

Or so I am led to believe 

[DUNCAN123]

6 hours ago, 664DaveS said:

The letter doesn't  say you can't  use the car. We are going over to France in a couple of weeks so hopefully  it will be done by then. We are not cancelling our trip if it hasn't  been done. Ours lives outside  on our drive anyway its too big for the garage!

Doesn’t actually say don’t use it but it does say park it in an outside location away from other cars until recall is complete.

As the letter says it’s a safety issue and could potentially start a fire I’m not sure where you would stand legally, that you are using a vehicle that you know has a potential safety issue.

What would happen if you use the vehicle and it went on fire? 

Could you potentially face an insurance issue?

If your car went on fire and damaged someone else’s property where would you (or Hyundai) stand legally.

I would imagine most owners will continue to use the car (we will) as they can’t afford to park it up.

6 hours ago, 664DaveS said:

The letter doesn't  say you can't  use the car. We are going over to France in a couple of weeks so hopefully  it will be done by then. We are not cancelling our trip if it hasn't  been done. Ours lives outside  on our drive anyway its too big for the garage!

On a specific question regarding travelling to France, how are you getting there? 

[Towtug]

1 hour ago, DUNCAN123 said:

Doesn’t actually say don’t use it but it does say park it in an outside location away from other cars until recall is complete.

As the letter says it’s a safety issue and could potentially start a fire I’m not sure where you would stand legally, that you are using a vehicle that you know has a potential safety issue.

What would happen if you use the vehicle and it went on fire? 

Could you potentially face an insurance issue?

If your car went on fire and damaged someone else’s property where would you (or Hyundai) stand legally.

I would imagine most owners will continue to use the car (we will) as they can’t afford to park it up.

On a specific question regarding travelling to France, how are you getting there? 

Rules out parking in any car park, travelling on Eurotunnel, Ferries etc. 

When recalls are agreed the approval authorities have to be given a timetable for implementation and completion and expected cooperation percentages as a part of the manufacturers risk analysis. I bet this one makes interesting reading.

[Supatramp]

I've had no letter, re my Santa Fe, feel rather left out! lol

And it was in on Thursday for it's first service!

[DUNCAN123]

2 hours ago, Supatramp said:

I've had no letter, re my Santa Fe, feel rather left out! lol

And it was in on Thursday for it's first service!

Don’t think it covers the new model. 
Think it’s for the 2012-2018 model only.

[Woodsieboy]

Hi Supertramp

 

I have not had a letter either, but not even sure the supplying dealer which I think is the same as yours, registered me as the owner with Hyundai, at the first service (independent garage) noted no details are in the front of the service book, just blank.

[macquatic]

Got the letter the other day - 2016 Premium SE.

If the ABS module is live all the time, I don't see much difference driving it or not?  The letter doesn't say not to drive it.

Mines normally parked outside on the driveway well away from anything anyway.

[Supatramp]

On 12/06/2022 at 09:16, Woodsieboy said:

Hi Supertramp

 

I have not had a letter either, but not even sure the supplying dealer which I think is the same as yours, registered me as the owner with Hyundai, at the first service (independent garage) noted no details are in the front of the service book, just blank.

Yes, the front of the service book is completely blank, should this be a cause for concern?

[hp100425ev]

Had a recall via DVLA for my Sorento a few weeks back, but that was to do with the heater terminals rather than ABS.

Not sure why I got a letter because Dealer had already dealt with it when the car was in at the end of March.

Either there is no provision for Dealers to feed back when recalls have been dealt with, or Dealer didn’t follow procedures.

[Woodsieboy]

Hi Supertramp

 

Not sure whether it should be cause for concern or not,at the moment I am in no hurry to contact the supplying dealer after my experience of dealing with them,I have checked on DVLA gov website for Hyundai recalls,and says no recall on my registration, so hopefully no problem. I suspect the only way to ensure warranty is registered is to check with Hyundai direct.