U.S. regulators step up Hyundai and Kia engine fire probe | Automotive industry

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is examining 3 million vehicles to assess the effectiveness of the calls.

The U.S. Auto Safety Agency has stepped up its investigation into the engine fires that have plagued some Hyundai Motor Co. and Kia Motors Corp vehicles for more than six years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it had opened an “engineering analysis” of about 3 million vehicles, among other things, to assess the effectiveness of the returns initiated by the two automakers. The agency added that it had reported 161 fires, potentially due to engine failures.

This is the next step in a process that can lead to a resumption of engineering analysis, although sometimes the NHTSA closes such probes without the need for any action.

The agency launched an investigation into the 2011-2014 2011-2014 Kia ​​Optima and Sorento, and the 2010-2015 Kia Soul, along with the 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonata and Santa Fe, to investigate cases of accident-free fires.

Civil Criminal Record

Hyundai and Kia said Monday that they will continue to cooperate fully with the NHTSA on collision-free engine fires.

The two South Korean companies agreed to a $ 210 million civil penalty last year, after regulators said they had failed to recall 1.6 million motor vehicles in time due to problems.