Kia Recalls 380,000 Sportage and K7 Vehicles in the US Due to Engine Compartment Fire Risk

[Asia Economy Reporter Ki-min Lee] Kia is recalling 380,000 units of the Sportage SUV and the sedan Kadenza (Korean name K7) due to the risk of engine compartment fires.

On the 10th, according to Kia and foreign media, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a consumer alert on the 9th (local time) announcing a safety recall by Kia Motors America (KMA).

The recall targets 2017?2021 model year Sportage SUVs and 2017?2019 model year Kadenza (K7) sedans.

KMA decided on the recall citing the possibility of engine compartment fires caused by an electrical circuit short in the electronic hydraulic control unit (HECU) of the two models. However, KMA stated that there have been no reported cases of collisions, fires, or injuries related to the electrical circuit short issue so far. The HECU is a control unit integrating vehicle control functions such as the anti-lock braking system (ABS) and electronic stability control (ESC). It is known to be installed in vehicles without smart cruise control.

Kia plans to conduct the same recall for the identical models in South Korea. Earlier in January, Hyundai recalled 471,000 Tucson vehicles in the U.S. due to ABS defects, and Kia also recalled 20,000 Stinger vehicles.

In November last year, Hyundai and Kia agreed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to pay a fine of $81 million (92.1 billion KRW) to close the engine recall investigation. Including the amount Hyundai and Kia agreed to invest internally to enhance safety performance and quality, the total sum reaches $137 million (155.9 billion KRW).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.