Kia Recalls 380,000 Vehicles Over Fire Hazard
Car accidents do happen, but you can help yourself avoid them by driving slowly and safely, and you can increase your chances or get out of them unharmed by wearing your seat belt. But what do you do when your car is itself a risk? Kia is withdrawing 380,000 vehicles from fears that they could be damaged by accidental electrical fires by inviting owners of the 2017-2021 Cadenza sedan and 2017-2021 Sportage to park their cars on the street and away from any buildings to prevent them from spontaneously flashing.
The recall is the latest in a series of bad news for the Korean automaker. According to CBS News , the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration launched an investigation into Kia and Hyundai in 2019 following owner complaints of 3,100 fires, 103 injuries and one death . ( According to Car and Driver , the aftermath of this investigation resulted in the automaker being fined $ 210 million .)
The Associated Press estimates that both Kia and Hyundai have recalled more than six million vehicles worldwide since 2015 (Kia is a subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Group), although that still does not rank them in the top five most recalled car brands. , according to a poll by ISeeCars.com .
Here’s what’s going on with the latest recall, including what Kia owners should do if they get caught in this mess.
This is a short circuit problem
The problem is with the hydraulic electronic brake control of both vehicles, which can short-circuit, sending more electric currents than it should and increasing the risk of fire. According to documents released by NHTSA , owners are alerted to the problem “by illuminating various warning lights on the dashboard, including the tire pressure warning light, ABS warning light, MIL warning light, burning / melting odor, [and] engine compartment smoke.”
Owners will have to wait for refurbishment
None of the recalled vehicles are equipped with Kia’s intelligent cruise control system. Kia says it will notify drivers if their vehicles are damaged by April 30, although this means many motorists will have to play a wait-and-see game or risk the potential dangers of driving their vehicles.
While the potential risks are quite serious, the problem can be solved with a fairly simple solution: dealers will have to replace the fuses in the vehicles’ electrical junction boxes. At the same time, owners of any of these models produced on time should park their vehicles outside (and, if possible, away from any buildings or other vehicles) to reduce the risk of a life-threatening fire.