Kia Telluride Forums banner
Cancel

Hyundai, Kia tell SUV owners with tow hitches to park outside due to fire risk

2434 Views 7 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  TriumphalArch, 
K
Automotive tail & brake light Vehicle registration plate Car Wheel Vehicle


If your Telluride has a tow hitch, it likely falls under this recall.
www.autoblog.com

Hyundai and Kia tell SUV owners with tow hitches to park outside due to fire risk

Owners of the popular Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride SUVs equipped with tow hitches are being warned to park outside due to a fire risk.
www.autoblog.com www.autoblog.com
Hyundai, Kia tell SUV owners with tow hitches to park outside due to fire risk
The popular Palisade and Telluride may catch fire with a hitch harness installed

Hyundai and Kia are warning owners of their popular Palisade and Telluride SUVs to park them away from structures and other flammable items if equipped with a factory accessory tow hitch harness because they may catch fire. The Korean sister manufacturers report that since its introduction, the accessory hitch harness has been responsible for at least three fires, one of which took place at a Hyundai dealer.

While the recall specifies a population of more than 245,000 vehicles, it specifically targets models equipped with the OEM-spec harness that comes with either the integrated tow package or a dealer-installed accessory hitch. Per Hyundai, the issue arises from debris and moisture accumulation causing a short on a circuit board inside the harness module.

"Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete," Hyundai said in its defect notice to NHTSA. "As an interim repair, dealers will inspect the tow hitch module and remove the fuse, as necessary, free of charge. The final remedy is currently under development."

Palisade and Telluride owners should expect to be notified of a permanent fix by the time it distributes formal notices to owners in October.
See less See more
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
C
Ok, I called my Kia dealer here in northern Illinois and asked about removing the tow hitch module fuse and he informed me that One, KIA has NOT sent them anything in writing about the fire problem, Two, he only first heard about this problem on Friday (26th) and lastly, he does not know about removing the fuse from the module. I inquired that if the drivetrains on the Hyundai and the Kia are the same, could not the Hydundai temporay solution of the fuse removal work for the Kia until a final remedy is found? He said he would "reach out" to his contacts and call me back. No answer as of this writing.. Anybody else contact their Kia dealer with this info?
Reply
Save
Like
R
Celtick4948 said:
Ok, I called my Kia dealer here in northern Illinois and asked about removing the tow hitch module fuse and he informed me that One, KIA has NOT sent them anything in writing about the fire problem, Two, he only first heard about this problem on Friday (26th) and lastly, he does not know about removing the fuse from the module. I inquired that if the drivetrains on the Hyundai and the Kia are the same, could not the Hydundai temporay solution of the fuse removal work for the Kia until a final remedy is found? He said he would "reach out" to his contacts and call me back. No answer as of this writing.. Anybody else contact their Kia dealer with this info?
Click to expand...
I also spoke to my Kia dealer around early September 2022. He told me the same thing. I’m tired of parking my Telluride on the driveway. If the vehicle spontaneously combusts I certainly don’t want the vehicle in my garage to cause a house fire but I also don’t want to be at risk of the vehicle starting on fire while we are driving it or when it is parked anywhere. If Kia believes the risk of fire is eliminated or greatly reduced by removing the fuse, that order should be sent to all dealers until a permament solution is found. I’ll call the dealer again next week for an update and also request an email address to contact Kia USA.
Reply
Save
Like
bertyorf
While the review indicates a populace of in excess of 245,000 vehicles, it explicitly targets models furnished with the OEM-spec saddle that accompanies either the coordinated tow bundle or a vendor introduced embellishment hitch. Per Hyundai, the issue emerges from flotsam and jetsam and dampness collection causing a short on a circuit board inside the outfit module.
Reply
Save
Like
C
Celtick4948 said:
Ok, I called my Kia dealer here in northern Illinois and asked about removing the tow hitch module fuse and he informed me that One, KIA has NOT sent them anything in writing about the fire problem, Two, he only first heard about this problem on Friday (26th) and lastly, he does not know about removing the fuse from the module. I inquired that if the drivetrains on the Hyundai and the Kia are the same, could not the Hydundai temporay solution of the fuse removal work for the Kia until a final remedy is found? He said he would "reach out" to his contacts and call me back. No answer as of this writing.. Anybody else contact their Kia dealer with this info?
Click to expand...
Well, it's been a month since I called my Kia dealer about this recall. I called them again and Kia has no solution, either temporary (as Hyundai has done) or permanent to solve this problem. When quizzed about the Hyundai fix, I was told, "yea, I heard about that but Kia hasn't said anything about doing that". The merry go round continues!
Reply
Save
Like
T
I read on kia.com recall section that this pertains only to the 4 pin harness (trailer light plug I assume), not 7 pin. I didn’t realize they could be equipped differently
Reply
Save
Like
C
I finally received my recall letter from Kia and Triumphal Arch is correct. The recall ONLY pertains to the 4 pin harness , not Tellurides without a hitch or one with the 7 pin harness which I have. I also didn't realize they had 4 pin harnesses but I believe that they may be a dealer installed item. Anyways, happy days for me at least.
Reply
Save
Like
  • Like
Reactions: 1
T
Celtick4948 said:
I finally received my recall letter from Kia and Triumphal Arch is correct. The recall ONLY pertains to the 4 pin harness , not Tellurides without a hitch or one with the 7 pin harness which I have. I also didn't realize they had 4 pin harnesses but I believe that they may be a dealer installed item. Anyways, happy days for me at least.
Click to expand...
I got the letter this week too, certainly made me feel better :)
Reply
Save
Like
1 - 8 of 8 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Kia Telluride Forums
A forum community dedicated to Kia Telluride owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Kia Telluride General Discussion Forum 2020+ Kia Telluride Problems And Issues 2020+ Kia Telluride: Like And Dislikes
Top