No One Gets Left Behind As Hyundai Issues A Massive Recall For Over 1 Million Models, Due To ESP Issues

Manufacturer service recalls are not uncommon in the automotive industry. While most of them are for relatively new models, it is always refreshing to see when a car company pays attention to its older models. Such is the case with Hyundai's most recent recall (at the time of writing this article), which envelops 14 models from the Korean brand, according to CarRecalls.eu. Some of the models are sold on the North American market while others aren't. Lately, when I hear recalls, I immediately think Toyota, but following the latest Prius recall, Akio Toyota assured there will be no compromises with quality.  

I, myself, am on my second Hyundai since I have been driving, restoring, and maintaining my Genesis Coupe R-Spec, for the better part of the last three years, and sharing my experience. So, naturally, I would have personal interest in this massive service recall that the brand issued. 

Hyundai models affected: 

1. Azera  
2. Accent 
3. H1 
4. Santa Fe 
5. Grand Santa Fe  
6. Genesis  
7. Grandeur  
8. Equus 
9. i40  
10. Sonata  
11. Tucson  
12. iX35  
13. iX55  
14. Veloster 

The issue 

The reason for this global service recall is the probability of short circuit in the EPS unit that may cause a fire. Owners of the affected Hyundai models are encouraged to seek the nearest authorized repair shop, where the dealership will install a revised fuse, free of charge.  

But here's the more interesting bit that caought my attention

According to the service recall database, another unspecified source claims the issue may be a bit more complex. Here's what it says:  

“Impurities in the brake fluid can lead to physical changes in the O-rings. Due to the damaged O-rings, brake fluid can penetrate current-carrying areas (in this case, the ABS control board). As brake fluid is electrically conductive, the ingress of moisture can lead to short circuits. Electrical short circuits can set flammable materials on fire. The danger comes from a resulting vehicle fire.” 

Can brake fluid cause a short circuit? 

While not volatile, brake fluid is, flammable. However, on its own, it is not conductive enough to cause a short circuit. If contaminated, however, it is possible for the fluid to conduct enough electricity for a short circuit. Something else to note is that brake lines contain copper.

More specifically, they are from copper and nickel (typically, 90 percent copper, 10 percent nickel), and, nowadays, are said to exceed the quality of steel brake lines, widely featured on most vehicles as standard. 

Contaminated brake fluid can cause brake fade, which may result in your brakes not working properly (or at all) when you need them. In theory, it can also damage the O-rings, although this is not the likeliest of scenarios. The seals are intended to prevent fluids from entering the wrong place.

If they can get damaged so easily, can this be viewed as a classic case of subpar material? Whether Hyundai's service recall focuses on replacing the wrong part or not remains to be seen, but at the very least (as a current Hyundai owner, no less), I am happy to see when a car brand is thinking about is older models. 

As for the service recall, there have been several updates. Depending on the model you have, there are a few different internal reference numbers you can search by:  

1. The original recall from November 2024, includes models from 2011 to 2014, and the internal manufacturer code is “41D091 (Part 1)”. This first stage of the recall includes 76,065 vehicles, including iX55, Grand Santa Fe, and Veloster. 
2. The first recall update, from 20.01.2025, falls under internal designation “41D091 (Part 2)” and adds another 251,422 vehicles to the service bulletin. These include the Hyundai H1, iX55, Equus, Santa Fe, manufactured between 2007 and 2014. 
3. The second recall update, from 24.01.2025, falls under internal code „41D091 (Part 3)“. It includes another 784,027 vehicles from the models Accent, Azera, Grandeur, Genesis, iX35, and Tucson, which are manufactured between 2009 and 2014.  
4. The third and last update (for now) is from 31.03.2025. Hyundai designated it with internal code “41DC27”. It includes 362,438 cars from the iX35 model, manufactured between 2010 and 2013. 

I have a feeling there will be further updates to this recall, and I am curious to see if the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is among them. The Genesis sedan is there, but the company hasn't specified whether the mentioning of the name also includes the sports car.

If my trip to the dealer sheds more light on the matter, I will update this article accordingly. That's assuming the dealer employees choose to disclose information, which they are not always willing to do, as my experience has shown (a topic for another article).  

Dimitar Angelov's automotive interests made him an expert in a wide variety of vehicles. Japanese brands like Toyota are closest to his heart, although performance cars in general are his favorite segment, which is why he is constantly on the lookout for the best deals on the market. Dimitar Angelov's car passion and knack for the written word led him to complete a Master of Arts in Media and Communications, and classic car restoration. Dim is happy to get behind the wheel of any car and share his impressions. You can follow Dimitar on X, Linked-in, Instagram, and Facebook.

Image sources: Hyundai Equus, Genesis, and Tucson, Hyundai Genesisis by Damian B