Hyundai recalls 173,000 Sonata cars in U.S.: filing

[April 08, 2016]  (Reuters) - Hyundai Motor Co <005380.KS> will recall 173,000 model year 2011 Sonata cars in the U.S. market for a potentially defective power steering system, U.S. safety officials said in a filing on Friday.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the cars made from late December 2009 through late October 2010 may have a damaged circuit board that could cause the loss of power steering.

The loss of power steering can increase the risk of a crash, particularly at low speeds, NHTSA said.

The company told the NHTSA it has not identified any crashes or injuries related to the issue.

Hyundai told the NHTSA that it has been making the Sonata sedan for the U.S. market since December 2009, and by March 2015, the number of warranty claims due to lost power steering triggered a company investigation.

In January of this year, it was determined that before October 2010, when a supplier upgraded the protective covering of the circuit board, the boards could be damaged over time.

(Reporting by Bernie Woodall in Detroit; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)

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