570,000 Kia and Hyundai cars are being called back because they could catch fire when parked. Five hundred seventy thousand vehicles are affected, including the Santa Fe crossover from 2019 to 2023, the Santa Cruz pickup from 2022 to 2023, and the Kia Carnival minivan from 2022 to 2023. If water gets on the tow hitch harness, it could cause a short in the wiring and start a fire. Hyundai and Kia have told the owners of more than 570,000 different models and years of cars to park them away from buildings because there is a fire risk. Models from 2019 to 2023 of the Hyundai Santa Fe, 2022 to 2023 of the Hyundai Santa Cruz, and 2022 to 2023 of the Kia Carnival are all at risk. The tow-hitch harnesses, which can be bought as extras from the dealer or come with the car, are flammable because they have flaws. Water buildup on the tow hitch harness circuit board could cause an electrical short, leading to a fire. Even though the problem is thought to affect only 1% of vehicles, Hyundai has found that 567,912 vehicles of all models are involved. According to the NHTSA’s records, Kia said that 3555 cars could be affected and estimated that 1% of them had problems. According to the records maintained by the NHTSA, Hyundai has reported six incidents concerning the recall. These incidents include one fire and five reports of damage to the trailer harness due to heat. Also, according to NHTSA records, no fires involving the Kia Carnival have been reported. Both companies have found that the recall has not caused any injuries. If you own one of these cars, you should park it outside, away from buildings and other cars, until the problem can be fixed. According to the documents, Hyundai intends to check all of the vehicles that are potentially affected and, if necessary, remove the tow hitch harness while they work on a more permanent solution. Once the last repair is done, dealers will put in a new fuse and wire extension kit. According to the documentation provided by Kia, its purpose is to determine whether or not the vehicle possesses a genuine Kia accessory tow hitch and, if it does not, to install a new fuse and wire extension kit. In May 2023, owners will be sent letters to tell them what’s happening. If owners are worried, they can always visit the NHTSA website and check their VIN.
