Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2016-2022 Sorento, 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid (HEV), 2022-2023 Sorento Plug-In Hybrid (PHEV), and 2017-2022 Sportage vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Debris and moisture accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Safety risk
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Manufacturer remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will inspect the vehicle, and, as necessary, replace the fuse and/or tow hitch harness module, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 11, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC249.
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Manufacturer
Kia Motors America
Vehicles affected
379,931
Reported to NHTSA
2021-03-04
Owners notified
2021-04-30
Defect description
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2021 Sportage and Cadenza vehicles. The electrical circuit in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may short-circuit, which can cause a fire in the engine compartment.
Safety risk
An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.
Manufacturer remedy
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures as a precaution until the recall repair is complete. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace certain fuses in the electrical junction box. Vehicles equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) will also receive a HECU software update. Repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on April 30, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC206.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2011-2017 Optima, 2012-2017 Sorento and 2011-2018 Sportage vehicles that previously received an engine replacement under recall number 17V-224, warranty, or the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) Product Improvement Campaign. The high pressure fuel pipe that connects to the fuel pump outlet may have been damaged, misaligned or improperly torqued during the engine replacement procedure, possibly causing a fuel leak.
Safety risk
A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Manufacturer remedy
Kia has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the fuel pipe, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began January 17, 2019. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC172.
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016-2017 Sorento vehicles manufactured October 27, 2014, to August 25, 2016, and 2017 Sportage vehicles manufactured December 10, 2015, to August 26, 2016. The affected vehicles are equipped with an accessory trailer hitch wiring harness that, due to a malfunction of the tow hitch module, may result in the trailer brake lights being constantly illuminated. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Safety risk
If the trailer brake lights stay illuminated while being used, other drivers may be confused, increasing the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the trailer tow hitch harness, free of charge. The recall began January 18, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC142.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Engine
280
72,000 mi
Unknown or other
82
30,216 mi
Electrical system
70
60,000 mi
Power train
45
36,000 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
28
20,598 mi
Structure: body
24
58,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
21
16,000 mi
Service brakes
20
95,000 mi
Air bags
18
34,000 mi
Exterior lighting
14
10,700 mi
Steering
10
1,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
9
88,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic
9
—
Wheels
9
1,774 mi
Trailer hitches
5
—
Fuel system, gasoline
4
126,983 mi
Visibility/wiper
4
10,000 mi
Firerelated
3
75,000 mi
Visibility: sun/moon roof assembly
3
20,000 mi
Electronic stability control (ESC)
2
20,598 mi
Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication
2
60,000 mi
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: latch
2
—
Latches/locks/linkages: doors: lock
2
—
Seat belts
2
56,994 mi
Structure
2
—
Chest clip, buckle, harness
1
—
Electrical system: adas: hill start assist: software
Engine and engine cooling: engine: oil/lubrication: pressure/temperature sensor
1
92,000 mi
Equipment: electrical: anti-theft devices
1
118,101 mi
Exterior lighting: brake lights: bulbs
1
120,000 mi
Latches/locks/linkages
1
70,000 mi
Parking brake
1
660,000 mi
Power train: shift linkage/cable/rod: retaining fasteners/hardware
1
95,079 mi
Seats
1
34,000 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
1
81,000 mi
Suspension
1
—
Tires
1
—
Visibility: defroster/defogger/hvac system
1
—
Visibility: power window devices and controls
1
—
The 2016 model has 3 times as many complaints as this one. The 2018 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Open investigations
An investigation is not a recall. It indicates that NHTSA is currently evaluating an alleged defect but has not reached a final determination.
AQ23002Hyundai and Kia ABS Module Fires
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.