Hyundai and Kia's Theta II engines, used across millions of Sonata, Santa Fe, Optima and Sorento models, had a manufacturing defect: metal shavings left during machining could restrict oil flow to the connecting-rod bearings. The bearings wore, the engine seized or stalled, and in some cases the engine compartment caught fire.
NHTSA's investigation found that both companies knew about the defect pattern before they reported it, and that their recalls came late. In November 2020 the two companies agreed to a combined $210 million civil penalty — $137 million for Hyundai, $73 million for Kia — the largest NHTSA penalty at the time for recall-related violations.
The settlement covered roughly 3.3 million vehicles in the United States. Beyond the fine, Hyundai and Kia were required to strengthen their safety-reporting processes and submit to independent monitoring of their recall decision-making.
Paid $210M, the largest NHTSA penalty at the time, for delaying recalls of 3.3M vehicles, and had to strengthen reporting and accept independent monitoring.
Reporting a defect to NHTSA triggers a recall, and a recall costs money — the incentive to delay is built into the process.
The defect was intermittent and hard to reproduce, which gave the companies room to argue it was not a safety trend.
Two companies sharing one engine design meant neither took ownership of the problem first.
A defect shared across two companies has no owner — assign one, or the reporting delay becomes a negotiation instead of a decision.
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