Auto safety group demands recall of 3 million Kia, Hyundai vehicles

The complaint says the vehicles can catch fire while driving down the road.

The proposed recalls include Kia Sorentos, Optimas and Souls and Hyundai Sonatas and Santa Fes from 2010 to 2015.

The Center for Auto Safety claims it's happened at least 220 times and six people were hurt.

The group asked federal regulators to investigate the issue this summer.

When Consumer Reports covered the request, it even cited a Matthews, North Carolina, example.

“It's time that they do something more dramatic, and that more dramatic step is getting these 3 million vehicles off the road,” said Jason Levine, with the Center for Auto Safety.

Kia and Hyundai issued a recall for an engine debris problem more than one year ago.

The Center for Auto Safety said at least a dozen cars had that repair done but still caught fire later.

Hyundai officials sent a statement saying an exhaustive study confirmed no defect outside of that recall causing “non-collision fires.”

Federal regulators have opened a review asking Kia and Hyundai for more information, which is due Tuesday.