South Korea's Hyundai Motor has stopped U.S. sales of its 2011 Sonata sedan due to a faulty door latch. The news sent its shares down more than 4 percent on Wednesday, over concerns it could become embroiled in a costly recall similar to the one that has recently plagued Japanese rival Toyota. Hyundai notified dealers late on Monday of potential faults in the front-door latches of the new model that could affect up to 5,000 vehicles.

The stop-sale order was put into effect at U.S. dealers on Tuesday. About 1,300 of the 2011 Sonata sedans built from December through February 14 at Hyundai's plant in Alabama were sold. The company said it received complaints from customers but so far there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the model. The voluntary recall will also affect 46,000 vehicles in South Korea.