Pleasanton, CA – July 28, 2020 – Kia Motors Corporation (NASDAQ:KIMTF) has recalled 86,921 cars that operate with smart cruise control (SCC). In certain situations, the brake lights will not light up when the SCC brakes the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. The recall includes 2020 Kia Telluride SUVs.
Recall summary
When the SCC system is on, if it senses another vehicle is within a certain distance in front of it, it will automatically apply the brakes to slow down. This is meant to keep the vehicle from coming too close to the one in front of it and reduce the risk of a crash.
In recalled cars, the brake lights will not come on when a trailer is attached to the back of the car.
Risks
If the trailer brake lights do not turn on, other drivers are not warned that the vehicle is slowing. This could cause a rear-end collision, which may injure the people in both cars.
If the driver in the vehicle behind changes lanes quickly to avoid a collision, people nearby or in other vehicles may be injured. If a driver loses control of a vehicle, it may cause property damage. If an accident happens, items in the trailer can damage the vehicle it’s attached to or other vehicles or may injure people in the area.
The repair
The dealer will notify owners and install a wire harness, which will allow the trailer brake lights to operate correctly. The recall begins in September and it is free of charge.
Is your vehicle part of this recall?
Over 86,000 vehicles are included in this Kia Telluride SUV recall. To see if your truck is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.