Hyundai Recalls Genesis And G80 Sedans Over Seat Fire Risk: What Owners Need To Know
Hyundai is recalling 94,622 vehicles in the United States because the front power seats can overheat and start a fire, whether the car is parked or being driven. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration disclosed the recall on October 15, and it covers specific 2015-2016 Hyundai Genesis and 2017-2020 Genesis G80 sedans.
The cause traces back to the front power seat control switch, which can get stuck or damaged and keep the seat motor running continuously until it overheats. Hyundai says it’s aware of two fire incidents tied to the defect in the US, with no injuries or crashes reported as of October 1. A permanent fix is still being developed, so NHTSA wants affected owners to take one simple precaution right away: park outside.
Which Genesis And G80 Models Are Affected
The recall splits into two groups. There are 54,644 Hyundai Genesis sedans from the 2015 and 2016 model years, plus 39,978 Genesis G80 sedans from 2017 through 2020, for a combined 94,622 vehicles. Hyundai’s internal recall number is 308, while Genesis uses 035G for its own tracking.
Owners can check their specific vehicle identification number through NHTSA’s recall lookup tool or by contacting Hyundai directly at 855-371-9460, or Genesis customer service at 844-340-1200. Hyundai estimates that only about one percent of the recalled population actually has the defective part, but there’s no way to know which cars those are without a VIN check, since the switches came from a single supplier, Nidec Mobility Korea Corporation.
What’s Actually Causing The Seats To Overheat
The front seat slider and height-adjustment switch can become dislodged or physically damaged, which lets the motor run past the point it’s designed to stop. NHTSA’s recall documents describe it plainly: prolonged motor operation builds heat, and that heat raises the odds of a vehicle fire whether the car is sitting in a driveway or out on the highway. An external impact strong enough to misalign the switch’s internal components can trigger the same failure.
Hyundai first learned of the problem in December 2021, through a Speak Up For Safety report tied to a 2018 Genesis G80. A second case surfaced in August 2022. The automaker kept tracking field reports through mid-2024 with only scattered incidents, but a wave of thermal-event complaints from the Korean market in July 2026 pushed Hyundai to file this recall.
What Owners Should Do Right Now
Until Hyundai finalizes a repair, NHTSA is telling owners of affected Genesis and G80 sedans to park outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures. A burning smell near the seat or a seat control switch that stops responding are both warning signs worth taking seriously.
Hyundai hasn’t finished developing the fix yet, but notification letters are scheduled to go out to owners on December 7. There’s no cost to owners once the remedy is ready. In the meantime, this is a case where the responsible move is genuinely just the parking habit NHTSA is asking for, not a reason to avoid driving the car altogether for routine trips.
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