— Hyundai has filed a class-action lawsuit against customers in Missouri and Texas whose 2020-2022 Hyundai Palisade SUVs are at risk of fire.
Plaintiffs Dana Jaye Bal and Donald Michael Williams claim the Palisade tow hitch wiring harness module is defective and can catch fire.
The class action lawsuit alleges that Hyundai Palisade owners spent between $475 and $750 on optional tow hitches and tow harness module accessories, which are necessary to operate the trailer’s turn signals and brake lights.
According to the lawsuit, the Palisade’s traction wiring harness module could experience an electrical short, which led Hyundai to recall the affected vehicles in 2022.
Hyundai says debris and moisture on the trailer hitch wiring harness module printed circuit board could cause an electrical short and fire, regardless of whether the Palisade is driving or parked.
Owners are told to park their vehicles outside, away from anything that could burn, and as a temporary repair, dealers will remove the fuse to cut power to the trailer wiring harness module.
But Hyundai’s class action lawsuit claims that this only disables the trailer wiring harness module, leaving customers without what they paid for.
In May 2023, Hyundai said it had provided a permanent solution to the traction module problem, but the plaintiffs in the lawsuit claimed that Hyundai took too long to provide repair services. In addition, the class action lawsuit states that customers tried to schedule recall repair appointments, but dealers allegedly did not have the necessary replacement parts.
The Hyundai class action lawsuit claims that Hyundai has not compensated owners for the diminished value of their Palisades.
The plaintiffs also claim that Hyundai has not reimbursed owners or lessees for any out-of-pocket expenses.
However, Hyundai said in 2022:
“In addition, Hyundai will reimburse owners of affected vehicles for out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the recall remediation in accordance with the compensation plan submitted to NHTSA on February 24, 2022.”
Plaintiff Dana Jaye Bal resides in Maryland and owns a 2020 Hyundai Palisade, and plaintiff Donald Michael Williams resides in Missouri and owns a 2021 Hyundai Palisade.
The Hyundai class action lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California: Dana Jaye Bal et al. v. Hyundai Motor America, Inc..
The plaintiffs are represented by Lemberg Law, LLC.
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