Hyundai, Kia recall 1.5 million vehicles after engine failures

The South Korean automakers Hyundai and Kia are recalling nearly 1.5 million vehicles in the U.S., Canada and South Korea over engine problems that could cost the two companies hundreds of millions of dollars to repair.

The automakers said a defect in cars and sports utility vehicles may lead to stalled engines and an increased risk of crashes. South Korea’s transport ministry said Friday that metal debris in crankshafts could result in engine damage and the loss of motive power, according to Reuters.

The list of vehicles to be recalled in the U.S. includes:

• Hyundai Santa Fe Sport SUVs, 2013 to 2014
• Hyundai Sonata midsize cars, 2013 to 2014
• Kia Optima midsize cars, 2011 to 2014
• Kia Sportage SUVs, 2011 to 2013
• Kia Sorento SUVs, 2012 to 2014

Kia is an affiliate of Hyundai. Combined, the companies are recalling 1.19 million cars and SUVs in the United States, 114,187 in Canada and 171,348 in South Korean, safety regulators said.

“The recall is related to a manufacturing process problem,” the companies said in a statement. The engines for the vehicles recalled in the U.S. were made at a Hyundai plant in Alabama.

Hyundai said it would replace defective engines with new ones, with recalls scheduled to begin in late May.

According to documents submitted to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, owners of the defective vehicles may hear “a knocking sound” as the vehicles accelerate, the Associated Press reported. A Hyundai spokesman said those who own a recalled vehicle should contact their dealers.