Kia Recall May Ignite

Kia is issuing a major safety recall for 2014-2016 Sportage vehicles that are at risk of catching fire due to a malfunction.

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According to the recall letter, the defect could result in a fire in the vehicle’s engine compartment, where the hydraulic electronic control module is located.

For now, Kia Canada says it does not know the exact cause of the fire.

“However, the module could suffer an internal short circuit which would cause an overcurrent and increase the risk of fire,” the recall reads.

The manufacturer says affected owners will be contacted when the replacement part becomes available. The replacement will be made free of charge.

Precautions

In the meantime, affected owners are strongly advised to park their vehicle away from other cars and structures. However, there are no usage restrictions.

According to the Automobile Protection Association (APA), it is very rare for a recall notice for vehicles to be accompanied by a restriction on the use of the car, pending repair.

“There are about 500 vehicle recalls annually and, out of that, there are about 10 to 15 cases where driving is prohibited. [le véhicule] », indicates Georges Iny, director of the APA.

He adds, however, that this Kia recall comes with exceptional instructions, as the risk is greater.

He unleashes a harsh criticism of Kia, which, in his opinion, is among the slowest manufacturers to carry out recalls. He adds that this is not the first time the manufacturer has issued a recall for similar issues.

“They will wait until the vehicle is 5 years old,” he says. In the current case, it is clear that the Sportages have had a module problem for several years and there has never been a recall. [avant]. »

Options

Mr. Iny invites the owners concerned to assert their rights with the manufacturer, such as having a courtesy vehicle, pending repairs.

The newspaper asked several questions to Kia. Several remained unanswered.

“We are advising affected customers, out of extreme caution, to park their vehicle outside and away from other vehicles or structures until they receive a follow-up notice,” Frederic said. Tremblay, spokesperson for Kia.

Transport Canada indicates that it was notified of this safety recall on February 2, 2022. The department has not received any incident reports with respect to this recall.