Irvine, CA – August 12, 2023 – Kia (OTCMKTS:KIMTF) is recalling 39,765 SUVs because they may catch fire while driving or parked. This ups the risk of a crash, injury and property damage.
This is the latest in an ongoing string of Kia and Hyundai fire-related recalls. The affected vehicles include:
- 2023 Kia Soul
- 2023 Kia Sportage
- 2023 – 2024 Kia Seltos
Recall summary
The vehicles above are equipped with the Idle, Stop and Go (ISG) system which includes an oil pump and a circuit board and shuts down the engine when the car is stationary “to maximize fuel efficiency.” While the engine is off, the oil pump ensures that transmission, brakes and power steering can remain operational.
In the affected vehicles, the circuit board may develop a short, consequently overheating and potentially leading to a vehicle fire.
Recall risks
You can find out all about the risks posed by vehicle fires in this article about another Kia fire recall.
Warning signs
The defect could trigger multiple warning lights, including those regarding electric power steering, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Smart Cruise Control (SCC), Auto Hold, Forward Collision Avoidance (FCA) and Lane Keeping Assist (LKA). Other than that, the IGS may fail to operate, sending the vehicle into a limp-home mode, which may be hard to turn off. Lastly, the driver could also notice smoke coming from the engine bay.
Safety tips
Kia advises owners to “park their vehicles outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures until the recall repair has been performed.”
Here are also the things you should do if the car does catch on fire.
Other Kia recalls
Apart from this issue, some of these vehicles may have been affected by a power brake assistance recall that happened in July 2023.
Moreover, Kia and its sister company Hyundai are being investigated by the U.S government on the back of multiple and continuous fire-related recalls. The last recall in the series occurred in August of last year and affected over 280,000 of Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade cars, also as reported.
The repair
Dealers will replace the electric oil pump and the circuit board free of charge.
Owners should be notified on September 28, 2023.
Is your vehicle a part of this recall?
Almost 40,000 vehicles are affected by this Kia fire recall. To do a Kia recall check and see if yours is one of them, please use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.
