Kia Sportage And Cadenza Owners Told To Park Outside Over Fire Risk

Kia is recalling 379,931 vehicles in the United States over a possible fire risk.

According to a Safety Recall Report published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall impacts 372,251 Sportages from the 2017-2021 model years and 7,680 Cadenzas from the 2017-2019 model years.

The vehicles are equipped with a Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) that may experience a short circuit.  This could cause excessive current, which could result in a fire.

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While the exact cause of the short circuit is unknown, the NHTSA said warning signs may include “illumination of various warning lights on instrument panel,” a “burning / melting odor” or smoke coming from the engine compartment.

Vehicle fires are a serious issue and owners are being advised to park outside, and away from structures, until repairs have been completed. Thankfully, the fix sounds relatively simple as dealers will install lower amp fuses in affected Sportages. Models with equipped with electronic parking brakes will also receive updated HECU software.

The Cadenza, on the other hand, will be equipped with a new fuse kit that contains a 25A fuse instead of a 40A fuse.

Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by first class mail and the recall is expected to begin on April 30th. The repairs will be made free of charge and there are “no known reported fires, crashes or injuries related to this condition.”