Kia recalls 295,000 US vehicles for fire risk

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Kia Motors Corp on Saturday announced the recall of 295,000 US vehicles for engine fire risks.

The Korean automaker said the recall covered certain 2012-2013 model year vehicles Sorento, Forte and Forte Koup 2012-2015, Optima Hybrid 2011-2013, Soul 2014-2015 and Sportage 2012 because a fire in the compartment motor may occur while driving.

Dealers will inspect the engine compartment for fuel or oil leaks, perform an engine test, and perform all repairs, including engine replacement, if necessary. Kia said it is currently developing a software update for the knock detection system.

Last week, Kia and its subsidiary Hyundai Motor Co accepted a record-breaking civil penalty of $ 210 million after U.S. auto safety regulators said they failed to recall 1.6 million vehicles over issues. engine in a timely manner.

Korean automakers agreed to consent to the orders after the United States’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said the automakers inaccurately reported certain information to the agency regarding the recalls.

Kia’s civil penalty totaled $ 70 million, including an upfront payment of $ 27 million, an obligation to spend $ 16 million on specified safety measures and a potential deferred penalty of $ 27 million.

The settlement covers recalls in 2015 and 2017 for manufacturing issues that could lead to bearing wear and engine failure.

In the recall of the new Kia engine, the NHTSA opened an investigation in 2019 into non-crash-related fires in Kia and Hyundai vehicles. In July, the agency recommended that Kia conduct recalls on certain models with a higher rate of fire complaints, the automaker said.

Kia said that “based on the recommendation of the NHTSA”, it had made the “decision to recall certain Kia vehicles as a preventive measure to mitigate any potential fire risk.”

Hyundai recalled 129,000 US vehicles on Friday because connecting rod bearings can wear prematurely, which over time can damage the engine and increase the risk of fires.