Hyundai, Kia and BMW Korea Announce Voluntary Recall of Over 1.07 Lakh Vehicles Over Fire and Software Risks

Seoul, Feb 2026 : South Korea’s transport authorities on Wednesday said leading automakers Hyundai Motor, Kia and BMW Korea will voluntarily recall a total of 107,158 vehicles across 37 models due to manufacturing defects that could potentially pose fire hazards.

According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Hyundai Motor will recall 37,690 vehicles from four models, including its popular Kona Electric. The recall is linked to a software issue in the battery management system (BMS), which could prevent the early detection of overheating or fire risks in the battery. Authorities said the corrective action involves updating the software to improve safety monitoring and prevent possible incidents.

Kia will also recall 1,590 units of its Niro electric vehicle over the same BMS software defect. The issue affects the system’s ability to properly detect abnormalities in battery conditions, increasing the risk of delayed response in critical situations. The development was reported by Yonhap News Agency, citing the transport ministry.

In a separate recall, BMW Korea announced corrective measures for 67,878 vehicles spanning 32 models, including the 520i and 320i sedans. These vehicles were found to have defective starter motor components, which could overheat and, in rare cases, lead to fires. BMW Korea said it will replace the faulty parts free of charge to eliminate the risk.

The latest recalls come on the heels of an earlier large-scale voluntary recall announced by the same manufacturers. Previously, Hyundai, Kia and BMW Korea jointly recalled 179,880 vehicles across 51 models due to various software-related manufacturing defects.

Hyundai Motor had recalled 36,603 units of the Porter II Electric after a software error was found to potentially affect braking performance. Kia, meanwhile, recalled 25,078 units of the Bongo III electric vehicle over a similar braking-related software issue. Additionally, starting Tuesday, Kia initiated a recall of 69,137 vehicles across 16 other models to address related concerns.

BMW Korea also recalled 9,914 vehicles from 13 models, including the i5 eDrive40, due to a software defect in the air-conditioner compressor control unit, which could impair normal operation.

Separately, Kia announced a significant milestone in its overseas manufacturing operations. The automaker’s production plant in the US state of Georgia has surpassed cumulative production of 5 million vehicles. A rollout ceremony for the landmark unit was held at the West Point plant, with the 5 millionth vehicle being a Telluride sport utility vehicle. Notably, it also marked the first hybrid electric vehicle assembled in Georgia and Kia’s first US-produced HEV. Kia has been manufacturing the Telluride exclusively at the Georgia facility since 2019.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)