There are eight people in the U.S. driving around in Kia SUVs whose spare tire might be the wrong size. Kia is, therefore, recalling them.
The specific vehicles in question are five Sorentos and three Tellurides from the 2022 model year. All were built at Kia’s plant in Georgia between March 28 and June 13 of this year, and although they all have a spare, it’s the wrong one.
It seems that this recall was down to human error, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) documents, which report that someone on the assembly line simply put the wrong tires in the vehicles. The plant makes the Sorento, the Telluride, and the K5 sedan.
Read Also: A Caterham On Space-Saver Spares Seeks To Prove Whether Less Grip Means More Fun
According to Kia’s Safety Recall Campaign document that was sent out to dealers, the 2022 Sorento should have a 17-inch spare (T135/90D17) and the Telluride should have an 18-inch spare (T155/90R18). Although it is not clear what size tire was installed on the affected vehicles, having the wrong diameter wheel could negatively impact the operation of the ABS and traction control systems, which could increase the risk of a crash.
The manufacturing error also means that the vehicles don’t abide by Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 110 §S4, which requires, among other things, that every vehicle’s placard identify the tire size designation for the tires and spares. Since the latter is the wrong size, the placard is also wrong.
Fortunately, the solution to this recall should be relatively simple. Kia will reach out to all eight owners by first class mail and ask them to bring their vehicles into their nearest dealership. There, the spares will be inspected, and any vehicles found to have the incorrect one will have it replaced. In addition, Kia has implemented a new protocol at its plant in Georgia to ensure that the right spare makes it onto the right vehicle from now on.
