Hyundai and Kia continue to face fire problems with their vehicles, as a previously reported issue with trailer tow wiring harnesses has now extended to certain models and years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued two new recalls covering 571,467 vehicles, adding to an earlier recall for the Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride, bringing the total to 852,914 potentially affected models.
The larger of the two recalls, NHTSA Campaign Number 23V181000, covers 567,912 Hyundai vehicles, including Santa Fe models from 2019 through 2023, hybrid models from 2021, and plug-in hybrids from 2022. The Santa Cruz compact pickup from 2022 through 2023 is also included in the recall. The second notice, NHTSA Campaign Number 223V179000, relates specifically to the Kia Carnival, with 3,555 models from 2022 and 2023 potentially affected.
The issue involves tow hitch wiring harnesses with modules purchased through Hyundai or authorized retailers. The circuit board in the module could be vulnerable to water, causing a short circuit and posing a risk of fire even when vehicles are turned off. While there have been six incidents related to this problem, with only one fire reported, all occurred with Hyundai vehicles. The Kia Carnival is being included in the recall because it uses a similar trailer harness, although no related incidents have been reported.
Hyundai will fix the issue by installing new wiring that prevents water ingress to the module, along with a 15A fuse. The recall notification will begin on May 16, and Hyundai is advising owners of potentially affected vehicles to park outside and away from structures until the fix is implemented. Despite the large number of recalled vehicles, there have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue across all recalls.