Hyundai, Audi, Peugeot, Citroen, Holden, Jeep announce recalls

Manufacturers including Hyundai, Holden, Jeep, Peugeot, Citroen and Audi have all issued safety recalls for various models, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

Hyundai has called back 9578 examples of its Sonata mid-size sedan and 1039 of its discontinued Grandeur flagship sedan due to a potential fault in the electrical wiring.

Impacting vehicles built between August 2004 and December 2013, the problem lies in the ABS circuit board, which has a manufacturing defect that can result in a short circuit when exposed to contact with water.

In the event of a short circuit, there is the risk of a fire.

Hyundai has urged customers to return their vehicle to a Hyundai dealership to have a new power circuit board installed.

Audi has recalled 25 examples of its Q3 small SUV built between September and November 2016, due to the fitment of potentially defective passenger airbags.

On affected models, the passenger bag may not be filled with the required volume of gas, due to a production fault leading to a defective weld joint on the gas generator of the airbag.

This can impair the airbag’s ability to deploy correctly and protect the passenger, resulting in an increased risk of injury.

Audi is contacting all known owners, who can then contact their local Audi dealer to arrange an inspection and airbag replacement if required.

French sister brands Peugeot and Citroen have called back 540 examples of the 308 hatch/wagon built between November 2014 and April 2015, and 334 of the C4 Picasso seven-seater built from August 2013 to April 2016.

The fault in the French pair comes from the cooling strategy and maximum temperature alert, which in faulty versions can lead to engines overheating.

In the result of the engine overheating, the vehicle may stop suddenly, posing a risk to occupants and other road users.

Citroen and Peugeot will contact all known owners by mail, advising them to present their vehicle to an authorised dealer for an engine computer software update.

Holden has recalled 22,705 examples of the Captiva SUV equipped with the 2.0-litre turbo-diesel engine, due to a fracture on the fuel feed hose connector of vehicles from 2007 to 2010.

The faulty hose connector can lead to a fuel leak, resulting in a potential engine stall or engine bay fire, increasing the risk of injury to occupants and other road users.

Holden will contact affected customers to notify them of the further required action.

Finally, Jeep has called back 23 examples of the 2017 Wrangler off-roader, due to a potential malfunctioning of the vehicle brake switches.

A faulty switch allows the vehicle to be shifted out of park without the brake pedal being depressed, and may cause the brake lights to be continually illuminated.

The fault is identified by the activation of the malfunction indicator lamp on the instrument cluster, and audible chime and the aforementioned brake light illumination.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia will notify owners who can schedule a free-of charge service and repair.

For concerned customers, a full list of affected vehicle identification numbers (VINs) is available on the ACCC’s product safety website.