What to do if you drive a Kia or Hyundai car as more than 350,000 cars recalled

Car manufacturers Kia and Hyundai are being forced to recall hundreds of thousands of vehicles in the United States.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US, more than 250,000 Kia K5 sedans made between 2021 and 2024 are being recalled, alongside more than 85,000 Hyundai Sonata vehicles from 2020 to 2023, all of which have a 1.6-litre turbocharged engine.

The recall has been issued over fears the fuel tanks could melt.

In both instances, the issue comes from air in the fuel tank becoming too pressurised due to a purge control system check valve that has the potential to wear out over time, according to the NHTSA.

"If this occurs, the fuel tank may expand and contact the hot exhaust pipe components," Kia said in a statement announcing the recall.

"If the vehicle continues to be driven in this condition for a prolonged period, localised melting of the fuel tank may occur, possibly resulting in a fuel leak."

There are fears the fuel tank in certain Kia models across the US could melt (Matthew Hatcher/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Anyone who has been known to purchase one of the affected vehicles will be contacted by Hyundai and Kia with instructions on how they can arrange to have their car checked.

Technicians from the closest dealership should then be able to assess the car and, where necessary, replace the malfunctioning valve, ensuring no damage has already been done to the fuel tank, as per Fox Business.

Chinese car manufacturer BYD also recalled a record number of electric and hybrid vehicles last month because of battery-related safety risks and design issues.

The company recalled more than 115,000 of its Tang series and Yuan Pro vehicles, produced between 2015 and 2022, due to the significant manufacturing issues.

BYD was forced into a record recall (Maira Erlich/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Working with the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation, BYD announced two separate recalls, the first involved 44,535 Tang series models, built between 28 March 2015 and 28 July 2017, and 71,248 Yuan Pro EV models made between 6 February 2021 and 5 August 2022.

The first recall related to a design issue, which can cause the drive motor controller to malfunction and, in some cases, even fry the circuit board.

While the second is because they might have insufficient sealing, which can allow water to get into the battery.

The car manufacturer promised to fix the issue at its dealerships by using a special sealant to ensure the protection of the battery, free of charge, for anyone who owns one of the recalled vehicles.