Kia recently issued a recall for 379,931 of its vehicles due to the risk of an electric short-circuit in the engine compartment, which could lead to a fire. The affected vehicles are the 2017 to 2019 Cadenza sedan and the 2017 to 2021 Sportage. Kia recommends that before owners are able to get the affected part replaced, they should park their vehicles outside and away from structures.
The electric short occurs within the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit. Owners could see the pressure warning light, ABS warning light, or MIL warning light illuminate on the dashboard before a fire starts. Kia will begin notifying owners of the recall beginning on April 30 and dealers will remedy the recall through replacing fuses in the electrical junction box.
The potential for fires has become a common reason Kia and Hyundai vehicles have been recalled. In the fall of last year, Hyundai and Kia recalled 591,000 vehicles for a brake-fluid leak which could result in a fire. And earlier in the 2020, Hyundai recalled 430,000 Elantra sedans for the potential of water entering the ABS module and starting a fire.
The Associated Press estimates that six million vehicles built by Hyundai and Kia have been recalled for risk of catching fire or engine failure since 2015. Back in 2019, NHTSA launched an investigation into three million Hyundai and Kia vehicles for their risk to catch fire. The vehicles included in the investigation were 2010 to 2015 Hyundai and Kia models with 2.0-liter and 2.4-liter engines. In addition to recalls, that investigation resulted in Hyundai and Kia being fined $210 million for moving too slowly on recalling certain vehicles.
If you or someone you know has been injured as the result of a fire in a Kia or Hyundai, please contact an attorney at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling [nap_phone id=”LOCAL-CT-NUMBER-6″] or toll free at [nap_phone id=”TOLL-FREE-CT-NUMBER-5″].