In a bizarre turn of events, Genesis is recalling its flagship Genesis G90 in the United States due to an unlikely culprit – its own paint job. Specifically, the Savile Silver exterior colour is apparently so shiny that it confuses the car’s safety systems.
The issue was traced to the aluminium flakes found in this specific paint colour. These flakes can reflect radar waves emitted by the car’s corner sensors, which the system misinterprets as another vehicle drifting into its lane.
When the Highway Drive Assist or Lane Change Assist features are active, this interference can cause the G90 to slam on the brakes to avoid a vehicle that isn’t actually there – reacting to a ghost vehicle created by its own flashy paint.
Engineers from Genesis replicated this scenario using a front bumper finished in Savile Silver during a testing programme spanning the summer and autumn of 2025. The tests identified the paint as the source of the problem and confirmed that other Genesis G90 colours are not affected.
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This has prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue a recall notice for 483 units of the G90, finished in Saville Silver, in the United States. The decision follows 11 reports received by Genesis from its customers, though thankfully, no injuries or crashes have occurred thus far. In the meantime, Genesis has advised owners to stop using Highway Driving Assist until the problem is fixed.
The solution involves equipping affected cars with a new sealed front bumper designed to block stray radar reflections. Unsurprisingly, Genesis is also temporarily discontinuing the Savile Silver paint option until its production line is updated to incorporate the remedy on all future G90 models.
Nonetheless, the recall for the Genesis G90 stands out for its absurdity. Rather than the usual mechanical failure or assembly error, the culprit here is an unforeseen side effect of the car’s premium aesthetics, which it has plenty of.
The G90 is powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 delivering 380 hp and 530 Nm of torque. Inside, it boasts luxurious amenities, including a 23-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, powered doors, and Nappa leather rear seats with a quilted pattern, ventilation, and massage functions.
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