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Dec. 27 (UPI) -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating Kia and Hyundai over reports of engine failures and fires that have happened over the past six years. More than 3 million cars from model years 2011 to 2016 are subject to the probe by NHTSA. The administration will monitor and evaluate the efficacy of the recall remedies taken by the car company.
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In November, the NHTSA announced a whistleblower award of $24 million to a whistleblower who provided information related to the Korean-based company. It's the first award of its kind issued under NHTSA authority.
"The whistleblower provided NHTSA with information related to Hyundai and Kia's violations of the Safety Act," the NHTSA said in a press release.
Hyundai and Kia issued nine recalls since 2015 for various engine issues including fires and failures. The recalls involve more than 20 models totaling over 8.4 million vehicles.
Most of the recalls stemmed from defects that stopped oil from flowing through the engine block and involved expensive engine replacements.
The NHTSA received a total of 161 complaints about engine fires and deepened its investigation by opening an engineering analysis.
The agency said three people reported non-life-threatening eye and burn injuries
After a probe in November 2020, the NHTSA ordered Kia and Hyundai to pay $137 million in fines for moving too slowly to recall engines that could fail.
Kia -- a subsidiary of Hyundai -- was told to pay $27 million and invest $16 million in safety performance measures. The company denied the allegations but preferred to avoid a legal battle.
