Hyundai, Kia USA Recalls 30,000 SUVs

DETROIT, March 31, 2005; Reuters reported that Hyundai Motor Co. Ltd. and Kia Motors Corp. (00270.KS: Quote, Profile, Research) are recalling more than 38,000 sport utility vehicles on the U.S. market because of a problem with their electronic stability program, or anti-rollover devices, federal safety regulators said on Thursday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said vehicles from the Korean automakers affected by the recalls included 30,558 Hyundai Tucson and 7,619 Kia Sportage SUVs.

Both are from the 2005 model year.

The problem with the electronic stability program (ESP) may cause the engine on the SUVs to reduce power automatically, and it could also cause a brake on one of the wheels to be applied without brake pedal activation by the driver, NHTSA said in an advisory on its Web site, the agency said.

"Brake application caused by inadvertent ESP activation may result in a crash," the agency said.