- Two 2024 Kia Sorentos have experienced a loss of power steering during dealer inspections.
- Kia has determined that the motor-driven power steering wire harness was misassembled by its supplier, and could chafe against the steering shaft.
- The Korean carmaker’s US dealers will inspect affected vehicles and replace the harness where necessary.
Modern vehicles are very heavy, and one consequence of that is that they are more dependent on power steering than ever. A malfunction in driver assistance systems, like the one recently reported in certain 2024 Kia Sorentos, can leave drivers struggling to control the vehicle, particularly at lower speeds.
Kia is recalling 95 Sorentos from the 2024 model year to address a power steering failure that it first learned of on February 7, 2024, during a dealer pre-delivery inspection. The dealer noted that the Sorento made a noise while the steering wheel was being turned, and noticed that the motor-driven power steering wire harness had been chafing against the steering shaft. In response, Kia started monitoring the issue.
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On March 29, the automaker received a second complaint about the power steering system. Again, the issue was discovered by a dealer during a pre-delivery inspection, and again there was damage to the power steering wire harness.
Kia decided to investigate this issue, and ultimately determined that its supplier, Mobis Alabama, LLC, had improperly assembled the wire harness. That could allow the part to become damaged, and could lead the Sorento to lose power steering.
If a failure of the motor-driven power steering wire harness occurs, the steering wheel will continue to work, but it will take much more effort to turn the Sorento, especially at low speeds, and that increases the risk of a crash happening.
Fortunately, Kia is only aware of the two incidents mentioned above, and has not received any reports of accidents, injuries, or deaths related to the problem. In order to prevent any from happening, the automaker will start reaching out to owners on May 7, and will ask them to return their Sorento to a nearby dealership. There, a technician will inspect the motor-driven power steering wire harness, will adjust it where necessary, and will replace it if damage is found.
