• Genesis (Hyundai) recalls thousands of vehicles, advises owners to park outside
• A continuously running seat adjustment switch can overheat, and potentially start a fire
• The automaker says the fix for this problem is still under development

Genesis is recalling 94,622 vehicles in the U.S. due to a damaged seat-adjustment switch that can possibly cause a fire. (Transport Canada did not have this recall listed on its website at the time of writing, but we’ll update this post if that information becomes available for Canadian owners.) The recalled vehicles include the 2015 to 2016 Hyundai Genesis; and 2017 to 2020 Genesis G80.

According to recall documents provided by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the front-seat slider and height adjustment switches – specifically for non-memory power seats (both front seats are included for this recall) – can be damaged by “external forces.” If this happens, the switch can be engaged and remain in continuous operation, which can lead to overheating of the motor. This can continue even when the vehicle is turned off and the passenger exits the vehicle. If the motor overheats, it can start a fire. Note that due to the motor being able to run while the vehicle is on or off, a fire can start while the vehicle is being driven, or while it’s parked. As such, the auto manufacturer is advising owners to park outside and away from buildings.

Hyundai says owners may notice a burning odour from the seat, or inoperative seat-control switches. The passenger may also note the seat continuing to move when they’ve released the switch, but it would be less apparent to those who move the seat to the seat adjustment’s limits because the motor would continuously run despite the seat reaching its limit.