The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·20V518000·Announced 2020-08-27

Kia Stinger recalled for engine compartment fire hazard

Kia is recalling certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles due to risk of engine compartment fire in the antilock brake control unit. Owners should park outside and away from structures until the fuse kit replacement is completed.

NHTSA safety advisory

Park this vehicle outside

NHTSA advises parking it away from buildings and other vehicles until the repair is done — the risk exists even when the vehicle is switched off.

This is the agency’s own advisory, not our assessment. Contact the manufacturer or a dealer, and see the official NHTSA notice for the current guidance.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.

Our severity reasoning: This recall involves a structural vehicle defect in a critical safety system—the antilock brake control unit—that causes engine compartment fires while driving. Although no injuries or deaths are explicitly reported in the source, the actual occurrence of fires in a critical braking system component constitutes a serious structural vehicle defect, meeting the Severe (4) severity criterion.

Plain-English summary

Kia Motors America is recalling certain 2018-2021 Stinger vehicles due to a defect in the antilock brake control unit that can cause an engine compartment fire. The recall was initially issued on August 27, 2020, for certain 2019 Stinger vehicles equipped with 3.3L T-GDI engines. On December 30, 2020, Kia expanded the recall to include additional 2018, 2020, and 2021 model year Stinger vehicles.

The defect can cause an engine compartment fire in the area of the antilock brake hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU) while the vehicle is being driven. This fire hazard increases the risk of injury to occupants or a crash.

Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures as a precautionary measure until the recall repair is completed. Kia dealers will install a new fuse kit in the electrical junction box free of charge. The recall repair process began on November 30, 2020.

Kia customer service can be reached at 1-800-333-4542 (recall number SC196). The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline is available at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or visit www.safercar.gov for additional information.

The recalled product

Product
KIA STINGER
Brand
KIA
Manufacturer
Kia Motors America
Category
Vehicle — Braking System
Hazard
Affected units
28,200

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • STINGER

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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