ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- A federal agency has launched an investigation into two car companies for multiple car crashes where the air bags did not deploy. In the hot seat are Hyundai and Kia following the accidents.
Investigators are reviewing 425,000 cars in total. The vehicles include 2011 Hyundai Sonatas and 2012-2013 Kia Fortes.
“This is an issue that is being investigated, but if it turns into a recall, it’s another reminder of information that we as car owners need to be aware of,” said Chris Basso with Carfax.
Just last month, Hyundai announced a major recall on a different air bag issue. And last year, safety regulators investigated both Hyundai and Kia after the recall of 1.7 million vehicles over engine defects.
“We now have over 57 million cars on the road that have unfixed recalls with parts that could fail any time and put the passengers of those vehicles as well as anybody else on the road around those cars at risk,” he added.
Basso says the problem exists when people don’t know their car is recalled and aren’t staying informed or don’t prioritize getting recalls fixed.
So, here’s what you can do and it’s simple. He says the Carfax website and smartphone app allow you to put in your information and figure out if your car was recalled. It will also notify you of any future recalls.
Another option is going to the website for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and putting in your VIN number. The information pops up immediately. NHTSA recommends checking your car for any recalls twice a year.
