Hyundai Just Issued Its Biggest Recall of the Year

Technology strikes again, this time for Hyundai. The automaker has recalled 226,118 vehicles for a rearview camera that could fail. While not necessarily as critical as, say, catastrophic engine failure, defective rearview cameras do violate Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard Number 111, which addresses rear visibility.

Recalled vehicles include the Santa Fe in standard and hybrid trim from 2021-2022, the Santa Fe plug-in hybrid for 2022, and the 2021-2022 Hyundai Elantra. The 2022 Elantra N is also highlighted in the recall documentation, though just 1,186 versions of the performance sedan are potentially affected.

The problem stems from defective circuit boards. Documents filed at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) mention printed circuit boards that may have insufficient solder joints. These can crack over time, thus causing the camera to fail. The fix is straightforward; Hyundai will simply replace the old camera with a new one that uses an updated design. Dealer and specific owner notification for affected vehicles will begin in early January 2025. Thus far, Hyundai isn’t aware of any accidents, injuries, or property damage resulting from the problem.

This recall is the largest from Hyundai this year. Back in February, 186,588 Elantras from 2015 and 2016 were recalled for emergency trunk release latches that could fail. More recently, Hyundai recalled 145,235 EVs, including the Ioniq 5, Ioniq 6, Genesis GV60, and Electrified trims for the GV70 and G80. A problem with the Integrated Charging Control Unit could lead to a sudden loss of drive power.

While 226,118 vehicles isn’t a small recall, it pales in comparison to recalls from Stellantis and Ford. The two American brands are among the most recalled in 2024, including some individual recalls that exceeded 1 million vehicles.