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.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Engine
37
40,000 mi
Unknown or other
15
15,000 mi
Electrical system
10
11,100 mi
Fuel/propulsion system
7
3,999 mi
Power train
7
200 mi
Air bags
3
11,100 mi
Exterior lighting
3
3,369 mi
Service brakes
3
300 mi
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
74,000 mi
Trailer hitches
3
40,000 mi
Engine and engine cooling
2
90,000 mi
Forward collision avoidance: adaptive cruise control
2
—
Steering
2
75,490 mi
Structure: body
2
—
Vehicle speed control
2
2,000 mi
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
1
46,206 mi
Seat belts
1
—
Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: wheel speed sensor/tone ring
1
46,206 mi
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
1
—
Wheels
1
—
The 2018 model has about half as many complaints as this one. The 2020 model has about half 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.
