As if Kia Motors doesn’t have enough to worry about, now this. Last Friday, Red Sky Alliance reported on Kia Motors of America was hit by the DopplePaymer malware, causing havoc at dealerships in the US and Canada.[1] Now Kia has been forced to recall nearly 380,000 if its vehicles due to a potential fire risk hazard. The Korean automaker said in an advisory posted Tuesday by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that it is recalling certain 2017 through 2021 Sportage SUVs and 2017 through 2019 Cadenza sedans over concerns of a fire risk.
The company recommended that all drivers of the models that aren't equipped with Kia's Smart Cruise Control System to park "outside and away from homes and other structures." That’s not good. If the car ignites in an attached garage, big trouble for a homeowner. According to the recall report, Kia believes that a short circuit in the hydraulic electronic brake control unit can cause excessive current, which could possibly lead to a fire.[2] Owners of affected vehicles could see tire pressure, anti-lock brake or other warning lights go off before the problem occurs. They may also smell a burning or melting odor or see smoke coming from the engine component, the report said.
The recall report also said that affected car owners can bring their vehicle to a Kia dealer, where the fuses in the electrical junction box will be replaced for free. Dealers will be notified of the recall on 15 April 2021 and car owners will be notified on 30 April 2021. Hopefully the DopplePaymer issue is fully cleared up by then.
According to the Associated Press (AP), the recall comes after the NHTSA launched an investigation into Kia and Hyundai engine fires back in 2019 when the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety filed a petition for the investigation, citing car owner complaints of more than 3,100 fires, 103 injuries and one death. In November 2020, the NHTSA announced that both automakers were fined $137 million for taking too long to recall over 1 million vehicles with engines that can fail.
Kia reportedly paid $27 million and invested $16 million in safety performance measures, while another $27 million payment will not be paid assuming the company follows safety conditions.
[1] https://redskyalliance.org/xindustry/intelligence-report-aviation-auto-industries
[2] https://people.com/human-interest/toro-recalls-snow-blower-due-to-amputation-risk/
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