An issue affecting the 2018-2021 Kia Stinger is leading to a safety recall. The problem, caused by a manufacturing defect, stems from the fuel pump, and could cause the vehicle to lose power at highway speeds, increasing the risk of an accident.
Fortunately, Kia is not yet aware of any injuries, collisions, or fatalities as a result of this problem. However, it will recall 18,224 Stingers equipped with the 2.0-liter Theta II engine, built between September 29, 2017, and January 20, 2021.
The automaker first became aware of the issue in May 2023 after reviewing field data, and noticing that a large number of replacements claims had been made for the car’s high pressure fuel pump. As a result, the Kia North America Safety Office opened an investigation into the issue.
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It asked for parts collected from repaired vehicles to be returned to it, and started testing them in June 2023. At the time, it could only cause a test vehicle’s engine to hesitate, with a 2,000 rpm limitation noted.
In July, is shared its test results with Kia’s head office, where further evaluations were conducted. There, engineers were able to replicate claims that a loss of power could occur at highway speeds, which is a safety concern.
Ultimately, the problem comes from the misalignment of the fuel control valve plunger in the high pressure fuel pump. That can result in uneven wear and, over time, it can remain stuck open, leading to over pressurization of the pump, which can lead to too rich a fuel-air mixture, preventing the engine from running correctly.
So far, Kia is aware of 80 vehicles in which this issue has occurred and expects it to affect just one percent of the more than 18,000 Stingers included in the recall population. It plans to reach out to all the owners in the group on November 10, and will inspect their vehicles. Where necessary, the high pressure fuel pump will be replaced with a new one that was assembled correctly.
