Hyundai Motor America is recalling 94,622 Genesis and Genesis G80 sedans in the United States because a faulty power seat switch can overheat and spark a fire, according to a report filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall covers 2015 to 2016 Hyundai Genesis sedans and 2017 to 2020 Genesis G80 models built in South Korea for the US market.
What is wrong with the seats
According to the NHTSA filing, the control switch for the power slider and lever for seat height adjustment “may become dislodged or damaged when subjected to external forces.”
If the switch remains engaged, the engine continues to run and may cause the unit to overheat under constant pressure. Shutting off the vehicle does not disengage the switch. This can cause the motor to overheat and increases the risk of a fire, whether the vehicle is being driven or is parked. The switches are manufactured by Nidec Mobility Korea Corporation.
Hyundai estimates 1% of the vehicles under recall have the defect.
The 2017-2020 Genesis G80 vehicles were produced between March 17, 2016, and November 7, 2019, and the 2015-2016 Hyundai Genesis vehicles were produced between February 21, 2014, and February 24, 2016.
How the problem was discovered
Hyundai notes that it became aware of the issue in December 2021 and has been monitoring it since.
The automaker is aware of two incidents in the U.S. of “alleged fires,” but no crashes or injuries were reported. Hyundai’s Korean market reported power seat switch-related thermal events, and based on its investigation, decided to issue a recall in the U.S.
Hyundai’s internal timeline shows the company received its first field report involving a 2018 Genesis G80 in late 2021, followed by a second report in August 2022. After analyzing recovered seat assemblies and monitoring international field reports, including additional thermal incidents in South Korea, Hyundai convened its safety decision authority on October 1, 2026, to approve a US recall.
The campaign carries campaign number 308 for Hyundai and 035G for Genesis, while federal regulators log it under designation 26V664000.
What owners should do
Hyundai is recalling the vehicles due to a potentially defective front seat power motor control switch and is asking owners to park the vehicles outside until the issue is fixed.
If owners smell a burning odor or cannot adjust the power seat, they should immediately park and exit the vehicle and contact their local dealership.
The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 7, 2026.
Part of a busy recall stretch
The Genesis action lands in a crowded week of federal recall activity. Toyota said approximately 31,000 vehicles are involved in a recall after a “fault can occur in an electronic control unit (ECU) for the plug-in hybrid system in the subject vehicles and can cause the system to shut down while driving,” which can lead to “a loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds and increase the risk of a crash.”
Chrysler also filed a campaign covering more than 265,000 Ram ProMaster vans, including the 1500, 2500 and 3500 models, as well as the electric ProMaster 3500, after water may intrude in the electric power steering system, leading to corrosion and loss of power steering assist.
Recalls remain one of the most consequential ways automakers and regulators communicate directly with vehicle owners about safety risks, alongside structural issues like faulty window sensors covered in GM’s Cadillac OPTIQ recall and the headlight problems behind Ford’s recent Super Duty and Expedition recall.
Owners of 2015-2016 Hyundai Genesis or 2017-2020 Genesis G80 sedans can check their vehicle identification number through NHTSA’s recall lookup tool to confirm whether their car is included in the latest campaign.
