Kia America, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of its vehicles over another fire hazard – the latest in a string of fire-related recalls among Hyundai Motor Group cars. This time the fault is in the tow hitch harness module, which could catch fire while driving or with the ignition switched off – similar to the previous Hyundai/Kia recall but a bit different.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 70,000 Kia Sorento and Sportage units are included in the said recall. Over 22,000 of these units have their tow hitch harness as a Port Installed (PIO) option. Meanwhile, nearly 49,000 units got the accessory installed at the dealership.
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For the Sorento, MY 2016 units manufactured as of October 27, 2014 are affected, while newer models including the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV are not excluded from the defect. However, Sportage units built from December 10, 2015 to December 7, 2021 are included.
Needless to say, only Sorento and Sportage units on which a Kia Genuine tow hitch harness accessory is installed are part of the recall.
According to the recall document:
Foreign material and moisture contamination on the printed circuit board (PCB) of the tow hitch harness module can cause an electrical short, increasing the risk of a tow harness module fire. tow hitch. The origin of the PCB contamination is currently unknown but is under investigation.
Although similar to the previous recall involving the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, the hitch harness accessory involved in this latest recall was supplied by a different company, specifically Mobis Parts America.
However, the cure is still under development in both situations. Vehicle owners are also advised to park outdoors away from structures until the issue is resolved. Kia said dealerships have already been notified to stop selling tow hitch harnesses.
If you suspect your Sorento or Sportage is part of said recall, you may want to contact your dealership to confirm and take action.
Kia America, Inc. has issued a voluntary recall of its vehicles over another fire hazard – the latest in a string of fire-related recalls among Hyundai Motor Group cars. This time the fault is in the tow hitch harness module, which could catch fire while driving or with the ignition switched off – similar to the previous Hyundai/Kia recall but a bit different.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 70,000 Kia Sorento and Sportage units are included in the said recall. Over 22,000 of these units have their tow hitch harness as a Port Installed (PIO) option. Meanwhile, nearly 49,000 units got the accessory installed at the dealership.
25 Pictures
For the Sorento, MY 2016 units manufactured as of October 27, 2014 are affected, while newer models including the 2023 Kia Sorento PHEV are not excluded from the defect. However, Sportage units built from December 10, 2015 to December 7, 2021 are included.
Needless to say, only Sorento and Sportage units on which a Kia Genuine tow hitch harness accessory is installed are part of the recall.
According to the recall document:
Foreign material and moisture contamination on the printed circuit board (PCB) of the tow hitch harness module can cause an electrical short, increasing the risk of a tow harness module fire. tow hitch. The origin of the PCB contamination is currently unknown but is under investigation.
Although similar to the previous recall involving the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, the hitch harness accessory involved in this latest recall was supplied by a different company, specifically Mobis Parts America.
However, the cure is still under development in both situations. Vehicle owners are also advised to park outdoors away from structures until the issue is resolved. Kia said dealerships have already been notified to stop selling tow hitch harnesses.
If you suspect your Sorento or Sportage is part of said recall, you may want to contact your dealership to confirm and take action.