Kia Sorento Recall Deals with Front Axle Failure
Kia is recalling the Sorento after discovering that the vehicle’s front axle can fail. The recall order involved more than 9,700 SUVs in North America.
All of the models are from 2014 and have 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engines. They also have front wheel drive. All of the cars were built between January 7 and March 12 of 2013.
Kia’s announcement comes the same day as Hyundai also announced a recall related to its Santa Fe Sport SUV for the same issue, reports USA Today.
The Hyundai recall involved the 2013 Santa Fe Sport model with the same 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine. Those models were built between July 11, 2012 and March 12, 2013.
Both vehicles are built at Kia’s West Point, Georgia plant. The affiliate companies both announced that the recall deals with the right axle drive shaft, which can crack and fail.
If the problem happens while the car is moving, it would lose power. If it happens while the car is parked, it could roll away. However, despite the potential for dangerous situations, there have been no reports of crashes or injuries linked to the issue.
Reuters notes that the Kia Sorento recall announcement comes after Hyundai announced a recall of about 240,000 older model Sonata and Azera sedans in cold-weather states. The recall deals with corrosion, which happens with road salt and can lead to rust on the vehicles’ steel undercarriage.
The corrosion can cause misaligned rear wheels, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The road salt issue affects vehicles in 20 US states, plus the District of Columbia. 2006 to 2010 Sonata sedans and model year 2006 to 2011 Azera sedans are affected.
Much like the Sorento recall, there have been no reports of crashes or injuries in relation to the corrosion. Both companies are expected to notify owners and have them bring the vehicles to the dealership. The right axle shaft will be replaced for free. There was no word on what the manufacturer will do to fix the corrosion problem.
