Hyundai Recalls 430,000 Elantra Models, ABS Short Circuit Could Cause a Fire

The sedan and touring from the 2006 through 2011 model years, however, are under recall for a faulty anti-lock brakes module. If moisture enters the system, the electrics and electronics making up the ABS may short circuit. Worse still, this may occur when the car is turned off, resulting in an engine compartment fire.

This is the second recall of the fourth-gen Elantra after a 2009 campaign involving the stop lamp switch, and the potential number of units affected tallies at 429,686. The first signs a recall is inevitable came in October 2017 when Hyundai received a claim alleging a fire from a 2007 Elantra owner. Following an investigation into the wreck, various fuses related to the ABS were found open (they shorted).

By March 2018, the analysis results were in. Hyundai couldn't make a case for moisture ingress due to the extent of the damage, which is why incidents in the field were monitored until December 2019. At long last, the engineers concluded that the short was caused by moisture getting into the anti-lock brakes module.

"Hyundai is unaware of any injuries related to this condition," but the fix will leave you baffled. There's no other way of saying it, so here goes. Instead of coming up with a definitive solution, a relay will be installed in the junction box to prevent the risk of an electrical short while the car is turned off. Otherwise said, trouble may occur while the Elantra is running, making this repair a bit superficial.

The supplier of the ABS module is... wait for it... Hyundai Mobis of South Korea. The automaker still hasn't identified a specific causality allowing moisture to enter the ABS module, which pretty much confirms that a part is letting moisture in for some reason or another. Potential culprits may include a loosening connector or a cracked plastic cover.