Hyundai's R&D, Product President, Engineering and Electronics Chiefs Resign Over Quality Issues

TTAC Staff
by TTAC Staff

After consumer complaints over quality issues in its home market of Korea and a string of recalls there, in the U.S. and other countries. Hyundai Motor Group’s president for research and development, Kwon Moon-sik and two other executives in charge of engineering and electronics have resigned. The shakeup comes as the automaker prepares some important new vehicle launches.

The Hyundai group’s chairman, Chung Mong-koo, son of Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung, has a reputation for firing (and rehiring) executives and he is also known for stressing quality. Chung is seen as responsible for changing the reputation of Hyundai from being seen as a maker of cheap, poorly made automobiles.

“The latest personnel change shows our firm commitment to quality management and reaffirms our will to continuously improve R&D competitiveness,” Hyundai said in a statement. The executives resigned to “take responsibility for a series of quality issues.” Replacements have not been named.

Last week Hyundai expanded its U.S. recall of the Genesis sedan to fix a potential problem with the brakes. So far almost 150,000 Genesis cars in the U.S. and Korea have been recalled. The recall notice comes as Hyundai is getting ready to launch the next generation Genesis in Korea later this month.

In April, Hyundai and Kia recalled more than 1.8 million vehicles in the United States because of a faulty brake switch, followed by a similar recall in South Korea, the largest in at least a decade there. Korean consumer have also complained of water leaks in Santa Fe SUVs and Elantra compatc sedans.

TTAC Staff
TTAC Staff

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  • Kyree Kyree on Nov 12, 2013

    Looks like I need to check our Sonata's VIN for recalls...lol

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    • Kyree Kyree on Nov 12, 2013

      @SCE to AUX The only Hyundai dealer that's close to my house at all is quite horrible. In the six or seven times that we have interacted with them (including the time in which we bought a lightly-used Sonata in 2009 and wound up returning it because some of the paperwork had been fudged) made us wish we hadn't. But apparently Hyundai will pay for warranty work done at a Kia dealership if that dealership has the parts, so that's what I'll do next time. We got the 2012 Sonata recently and I don't know that the previous owner had any of the recalls performed, so I'm looking into it today...

  • Volt 230 Volt 230 on Nov 12, 2013

    Folks I think it all goes back to the suppliers, I just had ball bearings and CV axles installed 3 mos ago, new from the box, made in China, the bearings failed and had to be replaced with US made one and the CV joint is now clacking and clicking when I turn the wheel a certain way

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    • Schmitt trigger Schmitt trigger on Nov 13, 2013

      @DeadWeight +1 Just look at the Tatra multiaxle trucks!! The most robust all terrain vehicle anywhere.

  • Terry Terry on Nov 12, 2013

    Golden-- a lot of CV and bearing problems after a repair is caused by poor technique. In my Probe GT,many Mazdas and Subarus, I would take a ball joint loose or the 2 bolts holding the strut to the spindle, remove the INNER joint clamp and ring and swing the assembly to the side. Then it was just removing the inner joint center and sliding the broken boot off the axle. Reassembly was the reverse of the teardown. NO hammering, NO over or under-torquing an axle nut, NO "blunt force trauma" applied the the axle bearing. And the job was far quicker to do this way.

  • Commando Commando on Nov 12, 2013

    Can you see someome in top management at GM resigning because of quality issues??? As hard as I try, I just can't...

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