Kia issues warning, recalls 72,000 Sportage SUVs in the US

Kia Motors issued a new recall notice and this time, it is for the owners of its Sportage sport utility vehicle model. The South Korean automobile manufacturer is calling back about 72,000 units of the said SUV model due to engine fire risk.

Kia Motors warned the owners about the possibility of the engine catching fire so they were advised to park their vehicles outside and far from buildings. The recall has been issued for owners in the United States.

According to USA Today, this is the second recall announced by the automaker for its Sportage SUV with 2008 and 2009 model years. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that fires in the unit can erupt while the engines are running but it is also possible when even when they are turned off.

The latest recall notice comes after the company recalled almost 70,000 units of Sportage and Sorento SUVs from 2016 to 2023. At that time, vehicle owners were also told to park outside as the defective tow hitch poses a fire risk.

It was noted that in 2016, the Sportage SUVs were recalled because of corrosion in a wiring harness that sits close to the engine’s control unit. In any case, Kia Motors said that it has received at least eight reports of fires involving some Sportage models since April 2017 but fortunately, there is no report of injury.

“Kia America has issued a new recall for certain Model Year 2008-2009 Kia Sportage vehicles due to a continued risk of fire and strongly urges owners of these vehicles to park their cars outside and away from homes and other structures until their vehicles have been repaired,” the NHTSA stated in its recall notice.

The highway traffic safety administration further explained the reason by stating, “An engine compartment fire originating from around the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may occur while the vehicle is parked or being driven.”

The NHTSA said that these were the same vehicles that were already recalled in 2016. It told owners that their vehicles need to be fixed again under the new recall directive.

Kia Motors will be sending out notification letters to owners of the affected SUV models starting Dec. 22. For more information about this, owners may also get in touch with the company via its customer service at 800-333-4542.

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