Recall roundup: Quality issues persist for Stellantis, Hyundai, BMW

Recalls continue to pile up in 2024 as automakers struggle with quality checks and new technology, putting consumers and dealers in a difficult position.

Almost 800,000 car owners across three brands will be getting recall notices in the coming months. Here are the models affected:

Stellantis is recalling 332,000 vehicles in the U.S. over a faulty seat belt sensor found in 2018 through 2025 Alfa Romeo Stelvios, 2017 through 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulias, 2024 Fiat 500Es, 2019 through 2023 Fiat 500Xs and 2019 through 2023 Jeep Renegades. The problem could disable the front-end airbag, increasing the risk of injury. Although the automaker has already communicated a solution to dealers, repairs are not expected until later this quarter.

BMW is facing an even bigger recall affecting 394,000 units, also related to vehicle airbags. According to the brand’s filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), airbag inflators used in 2006 through 2011 3 Series Sedans and 2006 through 2012 Series Sportswagons could explode, striking drivers with “sharp metal fragments.” BMW dealers will replace the affected components for free once owners are notified later this August.

Hyundai is recalling a combined 66,996 units across North America over two separate issues. Of these, the NHTSA says that 54,647 vehicles may contain faulty fuel pumps which can result in a loss of driving power. The remaining 12,349 units, all Santa Fe SUVs, will receive a software update to fix an issue with the transmission control module. The NHTSA requires automakers to go through the recall process for programming glitches, even when the problem can be solved via an over-the-air patch.

Bottom line: Auto recalls continue to be a thorn in the side of automakers, dealers, and consumers. While vehicles are incredibly complex machines, they’re far too expensive and dangerous to be put on the road with issues that could be prevented with a more thorough quality check process.

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