Hyundai is recalling 26,169 Hyundai Velosters due to an electrical issue that can cause a fire. Only cars from the 2012 and 2013 model years equipped with the Reverse Aid Parking Sensor (RPAS), or more simply known as parking assist, are affected. Owners of the affected cars are expected to be notified in April 2023.
According to a report from Consumer Reports, documentation filed by Hyundai to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) confirms that there have been five reports of fires stemming from the issue but no confirmed injuries or crashes. The issue stems from a short due to insufficient waterproofing of the RPAS, causing water to enter the module and short the circuit board within.
This short can lead to a fire, but has some symptoms that come from the initial water incursion. Owners of cars with compromised RPAS modules may lose the rear parking assist feature and may find that the transmission is stuck in park, at least for owners with automatic transmissions. It’s unclear why the fault causes the transmission to be stuck in park.
This isn’t the first fire risk-related recall that Hyundai has faced recently, with CR noting…
