Hyundai Recalls 53,000 Vehicles with Dual-Clutch Transmissions

• Hyundai filed a recall with NHTSA over an issue with a fail-safe malfunction in the transmission oil pump.
• The recall affects 53,142 vehicles spread across six Hyundai models, all of which utilize a dual-clutch transmission (DCT): the 2021 and 2022 Santa Fe, Sonata, and Veloster N and the 2022 Elantra N, Kona N, and Santa Cruz.
• Hyundai will inspect and replace affected transmissions while reprogramming the controlling software. The automaker will begin mailing notification letters to owners by December 5.

Hyundai issued a recall through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NTSHA) over a potential malfunction found in six models’ high-pressure transmission oil pump. Specifically, the recall affects models equipped with Hyundai’s eight-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). Filings with NHTSA detail improper fail-safe software logic when oil pump faults are detected, leading to total loss of drive power.

The recall report says drivers may be alerted to the problem by “illumination of multiple warning lamps.” At that point, internal fault detection can put the vehicle into a limited-mobility “fail-safe” mode. This can be followed by total loss of motive ability as the transmission clutches and drive gears disengage after 20 to 30 seconds, Hyundai’s filing said. Hyundai’s documents filed with NHTSA say there have been 229 reported incidents in the United States from June 2021 through September 2022 but no confirmed accidents or injuries as a result of the problem.

Affected models include 2022 model year Elantra N, Kona N, and Santa Cruz vehicles and Santa Fe, Sonata, and Veloster N vehicles from both 2021 and 2022, with 53,142 total vehicles involved in the recall. Dealers will inspect the transmissions, replacing them free of charge when necessary. They will also reprogram the transmission control unit with updated software to fix the fail-safe driving capability.

Hyundai issued a “stop sale” order of the affected vehicles on October 7 and will begin contacting owners by December 5. In the meantime, owners can check whether their vehicle is affected on the NHTSA recalls website.