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Recall Alert: Hyundai, Kia Issue Park Outside Warning

By 03/23/2023 9:11am

Grey 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe parked near a building.Hyundai and its corporate sibling Kia are asking owners of more than 571,000 SUVs and minivans to park their vehicles outside due to a fire risk until dealerships have corrected a problem with their towing hitches.

The recall applies to the following:

The company tells federal safety regulators that water can get into the wiring harness for the tow hitch and cause a short circuit. That can ignite materials in the harness and lead to a fire “while driving or while the vehicle is parked with the ignition off.”

Recalling 571,000 Cars To Find 40,000 Tow Hitches

The tow hitch in question wasn’t installed at the factory. It’s available through dealerships and authorized third-party retailers. That means factory records don’t cover which vehicles have tow hitches. So, the companies are recalling “all applicable vehicles produced from the start of production (SOP) through March 13, 2023.” Only about 40,000 actually have the relevant part, the company says. But it can’t be sure which ones have it until technicians see them with their own eyes.

It’s the latest step in an expanding Hyundai/Kia tow hitch recall. The company asked Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride owners to park outside last summer for the same reason.

Dealers will check for the presence of a tow hitch. If they find one, they will remove the fuse that powers it. This will eliminate drivers’ ability to tow a trailer safely but also eliminate the fire risk.

Later, the company will replace the wiring with a better-sealed harness.

Hyundai says it is aware of one fire and five heat damage incidents related to the problem. Kia says it hasn’t received reports of damage, but since the same part is available for the Carnival, it wants to inspect Carnival models out of an abundance of caution.

Recall repairs, by law, are free. Many cars are recalled, often more than once, during their lifespan. Automakers try to contact every owner but don’t always reach them all. Find out whether your car has any outstanding recalls with the easy VIN tool at our recall center.