Power steering helps drivers maneuver their vehicles by taking away some of the steering effort. When the system unexpectedly fails it can take drivers by surprise and increase the risk of a crash. For that reason Hyundai is recalling thousands of sedans. 

The recall covers 173,000 model year 2011 Hyundai Sonatas that contain Electronic Power Steering (EPS) circuit boards that may be damaged.

According to a notice [PDF] filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, damage to the circuit board can occur resulting in illumination of the EPS warning lamp in the instrument cluster accompanied by a loss of steering assist.

If the malfunction occurs, the vehicle will unexpectedly revert to a manual steering mode. While Hyundai says that steering control can be maintained, greater driver effort is required.

Hyundai began investigating the issue in March 2015 after receiving warranty claims from vehicle owners. Investigators eventually found that the circuit boards could fail over time when exposed to the environmental effects.

The company says it is unaware of any crashes or injuries related to the issue. Hyundai will notify Sonata owners of the recall and dealer will begin fixing the affected vehicles in May.

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