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Letter to the Editor
Monday January 10
Aftermarket Hood for Hyundai Recalled by Yih Sheng Auto Parts
Yih Sheng Auto Parts Ind. Co. has issued the recall of its aftermarket replacement hoods for the Hyundai Elantra, model years 2001 – 2003. All suspect parts were sold under the Yih Sheng brand name, and are being recalled because of a possible faulty hood latch assembly. The company is aware of two accident claims in which it appears the hood latch assemblies failed, allowing the hood to release during vehicle operation.Affected hoods, which are not made in accordance with any certification program, were outsourced by Yih Sheng between December 2003 and May 2004, but sold under the Yih Sheng name and in their packaging. Approximately 1,350 hoods were manufactured during that time period. In June 2004 Yih Sheng began producing these parts in house. Only the outsourced hoods have been identified as possibly having faulty hood latch assemblies. However, prior to December 27, 2004 the Yih Sheng parts bore no identifying markings. Because of this, it is impossible to distinguish between the affected lots and those that were manufactured in house and should not have faulty latch assemblies.
Therefore, to ensure the safety of the motoring public and avoid any further hazards Yih Sheng has elected to voluntarily recall and replace all suspect parts purchased or installed between January 2004 and December 2004. Including the quarantined hoods in distributor inventory, approximately 3,200 hoods are subject to this recall. The manufacturer is requesting that all members of the collision industry cooperate in this recall effort by following specific steps to prevent further incidents.
Trading companies purchasing these hoods were requested by Yih Sheng to have their distributor customers quarantine all inventory on December 24, 2004. The notice was issued by the trading companies, as requested, and it is believed that all sales of these parts have halted. Yih Sheng is requesting that all U.S. distributors follow the recall protocol by contacting their collision repair customers who have purchased the parts in question and may have installed them between January and December 2004.
In the meantime, the manufacturer is also requesting collision repair shops to review their records for Hyundai Elantra repairs performed during this time period and determine whether a Yih Sheng aftermarket replacement hood was installed. If it is determined that an aftermarket hood under the Yih Sheng label was used, the vehicle owner should be contacted immediately to schedule an exchange for a new hood, at no cost to them or to the collision shop. All exchanges and reimbursements should be coordinated with your aftermarket part distributor. All questions, or requests for more information, should also be directed to your aftermarket part distributor.
In a press release, Yih Sheng expressed regrets for any inconvenience caused by this situation and has requested that any questions be directed to Karen Fierst at KerenOr Consultants (301-455-3320 or kfierst@kerenorconsultants) if for any reason a local distributor does not provide the necessary services and cooperation to conduct this recall.
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