— A Hyundai and Kia engine lawsuit has been filed in Canada alleging multiple vehicles with multiple different engines are at risk of fires.
The Hyundai and Kia Canada class action lawsuit includes all Quebec consumers who purchased or leased any of the following vehicles equipped with Nu 1.8-litre, Nu 2.0-litre, Gamma 1.6-litre, Lambda II 3-litre, Lambda II 3.3-litre or Lambda II turbocharged 3.3-litre gasoline direct injection engines, or Theta II 2.4-litre multipoint fuel injection engines.
- 2010-2019 Hyundai Accent
- 2014-2016 Hyundai Elantra
- 2018-2019 Hyundai Kona
- 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe
- 2013-2019 Hyundai Santa Fe XL
- 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018 Hyundai Tucson
- 2011-2018 Hyundai Veloster
- 2010-2019 Kia Cadenza
- 2009-2019 Kia Forte and Forte Koup
- 2011-2019 Kia Rio
- 2013-2019 Kia Rondo
- 2015-2019 Kia Sedona
- 2010-2011 Kia Sorento
- 2012-2019 Kia Soul
- 2011-2019 Kia Sportage
- 2018-2019 Kia Stinger
- 2012 Hyundai Santa Fe
- 2011–2013 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid
- 2012–2013 Kia Forte and Forte Koup
- 2011–2013 Kia Optima Hybrid
- 2012–2013 Kia Sorento
- 2012 Kia Sportage
Hyundai and Kia Engine Recalls Issued in Canada
According to the lawsuit, several Canadian recalls and a class action settlement failed to include all the affected Hyundai and Kia vehicles.
The plaintiffs who sued say between September 25, 2015, and December 17, 2019, five Hyundai recalls were announced through Transport Canada regarding Theta II 2.0 or 2.4 liter GDI engines. (Transport Canada recall numbers 2015428, 2017197, 2019012, 2019130 and 2019640)
Then between April 17, 2017, and December 17, 2019, four separate Kia recalls occurred through Transport Canada regarding Theta II 2.0 or 2.4 liter GDI engines. (Transport Canada recall numbers 2017199, 2019143, 2019153 and 2019639)
According to the Canadian class action lawsuit, those engines were defective from the time they were built due to connecting rod bearings that prematurely wore out. Owners claim the engines knock and oil pressure warning lights illuminate, followed by damaged engines or vehicles that catch fire.
The plaintiffs also say recent Hyundai recalls in Canada have been issued for the same problems in GDI and MPI engines. (Transport Canada recalls 2021-034, 2020-592 and T2021-033)
More recent recalls were also issued for Kia vehicles. (Transport Canada recalls 2021-039, 2020-597, 2020-535 and 2021-040)
The lawsuit alleges the 2015-2019 recalls involved more than 500,000 Hyundai and Kia vehicles, and recalls in 2020 involved more than 300,000 Canadian vehicles.
But the plaintiffs claim Hyundai and Kia waited too long to issue the engine recalls even with the risk and dangers of vehicle fires. In addition, the plaintiffs claim Hyundai and Kia recall repairs don't adequately fix the vehicles. This puts Hyundai and Kia customers, as well as all others on the roads, at risk of injuries and death.
The vehicles named in this lawsuit allegedly have lubrication channels that clog to the point engine oil can't be pumped through the engines. This causes premature engine failures from connecting rod bearings that fracture and create metal debris that builds in the engine oil.
This allegedly causes clogged fuel filters and oil filter bypass valves to open, sending contaminated oil through the engines.
On March 9, 2021, the Superior Courts of Quebec and Ontario approved a Hyundai and Kia Canada class action settlement agreement regarding the same defects in vehicles equipped with Theta II 2-litre or 2.4-litre GDI engines.
However, the settlement allegedly doesn't include all the vehicles at risk of engine failures and fires.
The Canadian Hyundai and Kia engine class action lawsuit was filed in the Superior Court for the Province of Quebec, District of Montreal: Roy, et al., v. Hyundai Auto Canada Corp, et al.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Merchant Law Group LLP.
