Aka Ekene, PBA Journalism MenteeTransport Canada has slammed Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. with a $360,000 fine over violation of Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
The Transport Department announced that Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. pleaded guilty to six different counts of criminal charges bordering on breaching the Motor Vehicle Safety Act b its conduct.
The safety and security of Canadians is a top priority for Transport Canada, and the Department expects automobile manufacturers and importers to uphold their responsibilities under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.
Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. failed to send out notices of safety defects within 60 days, which is a clear violation of the prescribed timeline for issuing a recall of products that have defects. The company was, therefore, found guilty of six different counts of a criminal offense. The defects in question were related to six recalls issued by Hyundai in 2020 and 2021, and these defects were deemed serious in nature.
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In announcing the guilty plea and fine, the Honourable Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra, emphasized that Canadians have the right to obtain timely information about safety issues impacting their vehicles. He added that Transport Canada will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action to protect public safety when a company fails to comply with the law.
The Transport Department will, however, continue to closely monitor Hyundai’s compliance with the Vehicle Safety Act requirements.
Transport Canada encourages all vehicle owners to have safety defects corrected as soon as possible. Vehicle safety recalls are available on Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.
Quick facts:
The charges relate to six different notices of the defect (recalls) dating back to 2020 and 2021, affecting nearly 300,000 vehicles. Some of these recalls have to do with safety risks relating to possible vehicle fires, reduced braking performance, and sudden loss of engine power.
Transport Canada uses a graduated enforcement approach which looks at the severity of the violations to determine the appropriate response.
In 2022, there were 749 recalls issued in Canada affecting just over 3.8 million vehicles, tires, and child restraint systems.
“Canadians have a right to obtain timely information about safety issues impacting their vehicles. It is alarming that Hyundai failed to notify vehicle owners of a recall in a timely manner on six different occasions, which is why Transport Canada pursued criminal charges against the company. We expect all vehicle manufacturers to abide by the law, and Transport Canada will not hesitate to act when safety has been compromised,” said the Honourable
Minister of Transport, Omar Alghabra.
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