by In the United States, a recall of over 83,000 Hyundai and Kia vehicles has been announced due to malfunctions in digital instrument panels, which may suddenly turn off while driving. The problem affects a wide range of new models from both brands.
The Essence of the Problem and Its Source
In both cases, the problematic instrument panels were manufactured by the supplier Hyundai Mobis. Although the root causes of the two separate but related recalls differ somewhat, the result is the same — the display may go black, hiding critical information such as speed or tire pressure.
Hyundai believes this occurs due to electrical interference in the integrated power management circuit. This interference leads to an unexpected system reboot.
Which Hyundai Models Are Affected
In total, Hyundai is recalling 41,651 vehicles and states that all of them potentially have the defect. The list includes various 2026 models, both hybrid and gasoline-powered.
The list includes: Ioniq 5, Santa Cruz, Kona, Palisade, Palisade Hybrid, Santa Fe Hybrid, Sonata Hybrid, Sonata, Tucson, Tucson Hybrid, and Tucson Plug-in Hybrid.
Owners will begin receiving recall notifications starting March 27. For some vehicles, an over-the-air software update will be available. Those that do not support this feature will require a visit to a dealership for the fix.
A Separate Recall from Kia
A separate recall initiated by Kia affects 42,677 vehicles, primarily 2026 models, due to a virtually identical digital panel malfunction.
Kia reports that the screens may spontaneously enter an overheating protection mode and temporarily turn off while driving. This is also explained by excessive interference in the signal from the power management circuit.
Although the technical descriptions differ slightly, the core problem appears to be the same component failure. Both companies receive their panels from the same supplier, and both cite electrical interference in the power circuit as the likely cause.
List of Kia Models Subject to the Recall
The Kia recall includes the following models: Sportage PHEV, Sorento PHEV, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage, K5, EV9, Carnival Hybrid, Carnival, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento, and K4.
Notifications to Kia owners will begin being sent from March 26. The company will release an over-the-air update for vehicles that support it, while others will require a dealer visit to install the updated software.
Such large-scale recalls due to software or hardware malfunctions in electronics are becoming increasingly common in the modern automotive industry. This underscores how critical the reliability of digital components has become for driving safety. The transition to complex digital instrument panels, which replace traditional analog gauges, brings new challenges for quality and control. For owners of affected vehicles, it is important to pay attention to official notifications and take steps to remedy the defect, as the sudden loss of important information on the display while driving can create a dangerous situation on the road. Manufacturers, in turn, will have to thoroughly review the testing and quality control processes for electronic components from their suppliers.
