Hyundai and Kia recall 600,000 cars for trunk latch that could trap someone

Hyundai and Kia announced this week that they are recalling approximately 600,000 cars produced for the 2016-2020 model years due to a trunk latch design that can break after prolonged exposure to high temperatures, rendering the emergency release inside the trunk inoperable. 

"In high-temperature conditions, a thermal crack can develop in the pawl of the trunk latch which can intermittently cause the trunk's interior emergency release to be inoperative," Kia's recall safety report for the 2016-2019 Forte says. "As a result, the subject vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 401, §S.4.3(a). In the rare event that a person is inside the trunk compartment at the same time the latch pawl cracks, the person may not be able to get out of the trunk."

According to the Associated Press, the campaign covers the 2016 through 2018 Kia Forte and 2018 through 2019 Kia Rio, certain Hyundai Sonatas from 2017 and 2018, Sonata Hybrids from 2016 through 2018, Hyundai Accents from 2018 through 2020, and Hyundai Azeras from 2016 through 2017.

While this may seem like a pretty extreme and rare set of circumstances, the double-whammy potential of a person becoming trapped inside a locked trunk because it's dangerously hot outside is more than enough to warrant the recall campaign.