Hyundai Motor Company: Trailer Hitches
Hyundai Motor Company reported this defect to federal regulators on Sep 3, 2008 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 3,387. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
HYUNDAI IS RECALLING 3,387 TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESSES EITHER INCLUDED WITH A TRAILER HITCH OR SOLD AS A SERVICE PART MANUFACTURED BY THULE TOWING SYSTEMS AND DISTRIBUTED BY HYUNDAI FOR INSTALLATION ON MY 2007-2008 SANTA FE AND VERACRUZ VEHICLES. THE ACCESSORY TRAILER HITCH WIRING HARNESS CONVERTER MODULE IS MOUNTED TO THE TOP SURFACE OF THE REAR BUMPER REINFORCEMENT. SOME CIRCUIT BOARD COMPONENTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN THOROUGHLY SEALED TO PREVENT MOISTURE CONTACT. THE MOISTURE MAY RESULT IN CIRCUIT BOARD CORROSION POSSIBLY CAUSING A SHORT CIRCUIT.
The risk
A SHORT CIRCUIT CAN CAUSE OVERHEATING AND DAMAGE TO THE CONVERTER MODULE, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE.
The remedy
THIS RECALL SUPERSEDES A PREVIOUS RECALL CONDUCTED BY HYUNDAI AFFECTING THE SAME TRAILER HITCH WIRING COMPONENTS CONCERNING HIGH CURRENT LEAKAGE OR A SHORT CIRCUIT OF CAPACITOR C1. (PLEASE SEE 08E016). OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY HAD THEIR TRAILER HITCH REPAIRED UNDER THE INITIAL CAMPAIGN WILL RECEIVE A SECOND NOTICE FROM HYUNDAI TO HAVE THE NEWLY DESIGNED HARNESS INSTALLED. HYUNDAI WILL NOTIFY ALL OWNERS AND WILL REPAIR THE AFFECTED HARNESSES FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 13, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HYUNDAI CUSTOMER ASSISTANT CENTER AT 1-800-633-5151.
4 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 Hyundai Santa FE | 541 | 6 | 7 | 17 |
| 2008 Hyundai Veracruz | 231 | 7 | 2 | 7 |
| 2007 Hyundai Santa FE | 684 | 9 | 8 | 30 |
| 2007 Hyundai Veracruz | 145 | 6 | 6 | 3 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 08E055000.
Full record for the 2008 Hyundai Santa FE → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →