NHTSA Takes Next Step in Investigating Hyundai-Kia Engine Fires

A new chapter has opened in the saga of the Hyundai Group’s engine-fire problems. U.S. regulatory agency NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) has opened what it calls an “engineering analysis” in a bid to get to the bottom of the issues that have caused a number of engine fires in Hyundai and Kia vehicles in recent years. Potentially, the inquiry impacts about 3 million vehicles in all.

The agency says that it is currently aware of 161 incidents involving engine fires.

In NHTSA parlance, an engineering analysis is the step taken before a potential recall, although it is not a given that one leads to the other. The agency could conclude its investigation and decide that no recall is warranted.

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The NHTSA first took a look at the engine-fire problem in 2019, when it investigated possible problems with Kia’s 2011-2014 Optima and Sorento models and 2010-2015 Kia Soul SUVs, as well as 2011-2014 Hyundai Sonatas and Santa Fes.

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