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Hyundai-Kia fuel-economy errors trigger $300M in federal penalties [w/video]

This amount includes $100-million in civil penalties, the largest such fines in EPA history.
Hyundai and Kia are getting more than a slap on the wrist for overstating the fuel economy of an estimated 1.2-million vehicles in their 2011-2013 model ranges. The Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Justice and the California Air Resources Board are hitting the automakers with collective penalties valued at around $300 million for Clean Air Act violations. This amount includes $100-million in civil penalties, the largest such fines in EPA history. Specifically, Hyundai is paying a $56.8 million penalty and relinquishing 2.7-million greenhouse gas emissions credits. Kia is paying $43.2 million in penalties and giving up 2.05-million credits.

Hyundai adds tech to Blue Link, offers it free for 3 years

Hyundai has not only thrown more technology at its 2018 lineup, the tech will be less expensive. At the New York Auto Show, the South Korean automaker announced that Blue Link remote services will be free for three years on the 2017 Ioniq and on all 2018 models, starting with the Sonata, Elantra GT, and Santa Fe Sport. The remote services include all three packages currently offered as options with a Blue Link subscription: Connected Care, Remote, and Guidance. Among the included features are automatic collision notification, a monthly vehicle health report, remote lock and unlock, stolen vehicle recovery assistance, and remote start with climate control. That last function gets an update for 2018 that allows control of the rear defroster and heated side mirrors on the coming Sonata and Elantra GT. The whole shebang tallies 10 features in the Connected Care Package, 12 features in the Remote Package, and 3 features in the Guidance Package. But wait, there's more: the SD-card-based navigation maps get free downloads for three years. Blue Link subscribers can already access remote functions with a smartphone and a smartwatch. For 2018, Amazon Alexa (via the Tap, Echo, and Echo Dot) and Google Assistant (via the Google Home speaker) become control devices. You can tell either gadget to start your car and set the climate control, to send an address to the navigation system, or start and stop the charging of an Ioniq. Right now, if a new buyer subscribes to Blue Link, he gets three free months of the Remote and Guidance packages, and a free year of the Connected Care Package. After the trial, each package costs $99 per year. By offering the packages free for three years, Hyundai dangles a savings of nearly $750 in front of those who can wait for the new models. Be sure to read this accompanying post about the Sonata's design. Related Video:

Hyundai recalls 205,000 Elantras for possible power steering failure [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Autoblog reached out to Hyundai spokesperson Jim Trainor for more information about this recall. He let us know via email: "Owners will be notified beginning in the second quarter." Also, there have been "no accidents, injuries nor fatalities," as a result of this issue. Hyundai is recalling 204,768 examples of the 2008-2010 Elantra sedan and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring because of possible failure of the electrically assisted power steering. The problem in these vehicles is that the ECU for the power steering can "sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist," according to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If this happens, then drivers could suddenly experience a more difficult time driving the Elantras. According to a chronology submitted to NHTSA (that you can read in full as a PDF, here), Hyundai first became aware of this problem in 2010 and issued a TSB for it in 2011. At that time, just 0.25 percent of sedans and 0.36 percent of Touring models were shown to have the fault. However by October 2014, the issue had gotten worse, and 1.3 percent of four-doors and 1.9 percent of the hatchbacks were exhibiting it. The automaker believed that by maintaining manual steering the vehicles were still within the law, but "the industry has increasingly handled similar issues through safety recalls." In most cases, turning the ignition off and then back on rectifies things, but to fix this, Hyundai is updating the power steering control unit on these models. RECALL Subject : Electric Power Steering Assist may be Disabled Report Receipt Date: FEB 23, 2015 NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 Component(s): STEERING Potential Number of Units Affected: 204,768 All Products Associated with this Recall Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) HYUNDAI ELANTRA 2008-2010 HYUNDAI ELANTRA TOURING 2009-2010 Details Manufacturer: Hyundai Motor America SUMMARY: Hyundai Motor America (Hyundai) is recalling certain model year 2008-2010 Elantra vehicles manufactured June 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010, and 2009-2010 Elantra Touring vehicles manufactured November 1, 2008, to April 30, 2010. The electronic power steering (EPS) electronic control unit (ECU) may sense a discrepancy in the steering input signals and, as a result, disable the steering power assist.