Irvine, California – Dec. 22, 2017 – Kia Motors America recently announced that it would need to recall more than 134,000 of its Forte sedans and Forte Koups from model years 2012 to 2014, due to concerns about brake pedal stopper pads, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Specifically, the stopper pads – which are installed between the switch that lights up a vehicle’s brake lights and the brake pedal arm itself – can deteriorate over time and potentially lead to a greater risk for crash and injury. That’s because the brake lights may get stuck in the on position, among other potentially serious issues.

Of all the vehicles in the recall, which were produced from May 2, 2012, to Feb. 28, 2014, only about 1 percent of them are expected to have this issue. The affected cars were determined through a review of vehicle production records.

The Defect

The brake pad stoppers that can deteriorate in these cases may not only lead to brake lights becoming stuck on – potentially increasing the risk of crash for trailing traffic specifically – but can also result in the dashboard traction control warning lamp lighting up unexpectedly. Furthermore, the problem may allow drivers to move the shift level without actually pressing down on the brake pedal, or even activate the vehicle’s brake pedal override feature.

The only way drivers may be able to determine if this issue has affected their vehicles during operation is if the traction control warning lamp comes on.

Timeline of Events

From July to October, 2017, Kia began to receive warranty claim data about the brake pedal stopper pads on various Fortes, and noted that the rate of such filings was increasing over time. From Nov. 3 to 16, the company contacted its supplier to investigate the issue, and during that time the supplier identified a change to its polymer mix cycle times for those stoppers made on Feb. 28, 2014. That investigation found that pads with shorter cycle times would likely have less durability.

As such, on Nov. 24, Kia decided to issue the safety recall based on 183 warranty claims and two complaints from owners of their brake lights staying on even after they took pressure off the brakes in their vehicles from the 2014 model year. However, no accidents or injuries were reported during this time.

The Solution

Drivers will be able to bring affected vehicles to their local Kia dealers, where improved replacement brake pedal stopper pads will be installed free of charge. Kia will also reimburse owners for expenses they incurred stemming from this issue prior to the recall.

The company will notify dealerships of the recall on Jan. 24, 2018, and owners will receive notifications six days later.

Irvine, Calif. – Oct. 13, 2017 – Kia Motors America has recalled more than five-dozen vehicles possibly equipped with defective crankshafts, according to documentation filed with the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2017 Kia Sorento sport utility vehicles with production dates ranging from March 27, 2017 to March 30, 2017. KMA suspects roughly one-quarter of the models named in the recall actually contain the defective components.

The Defect

Affected vehicles may include improperly heat treated crankshafts prone to failure. As a result, models with these fixtures in place can stall or catch fair with little to no warning. This poses a serious risk to occupants – especially those traveling at high speeds. However, KMA has yet to receive reports linking the defective crankshafts to any accidents.

Owners driving Sorento SUVs that include the problematic components have reported hearing cyclical knocking and seeing their check-engine lights illuminated. KMA advises owners to discontinue vehicle operation as soon as they experience symptoms of the defect, as stalling or engine fires tend to develop quickly following crankshaft failure.

Timeline of Events

On July 5, 2017, a customer contacted the KMA consumer affairs department and reported that his engine had stalled and caught fire, according to an internal incident chronology document submitted to the NHTSA. The customer also claimed to have received first-degree burns while recovering property from the burning vehicle. This individual also filed a vehicle-owner questionnaire with the NHTSA. From July 6 to July 21, the South Korean car manufacturer investigated the incident, collecting all available information in preparation for escalated internal proceedings. On July 21, KMA relayed the customer report to personnel at Kia’s facility in West Point, Georgia. Four days later, KMA learned of a second customer incident involving an engine fire and informed the team at KMGA.

Between Aug. 7 and Sept. 8, KMA engineers investigated both fires and searched for a root cause. Eventually, these mechanical specialists discovered that both vehicles contained crankshafts that were not properly heat treated at the Hyundai Motor Company Asan Plant in South Korea.

On Sept. 14, Kia Consumer Affairs reviewed all information related to the matter and chose to conduct a voluntary safety recall.

The Solution

KMA will direct dealers to inspect the crankshafts and, if necessary, replace the sub-engine assemblies in affected vehicles free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The car manufacturer plans to notify dealers Oct. 30. Owners should expect to receive notification via first-class mail Nov. 6. Those in need of more immediate assistance can contact KMA customers service at (800) 333-4542. They should use the internal recall identification code SC153 when calling. Owners can also reach out to the NHTSA directly through its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.