(JOHANNESBURG) February 23, 2017 – Effective today, KIA Motors South Africa (Pty) Ltd will conduct a safety recall on 305 KIA Sportage models manufactured in Korea between 9 August 2007 and 22 May 2009 to diagnose the vehicle’s Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit.
The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit monitors individual wheel speeds and will, when determined, operate the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP).
There is a possibility that corrosion of the wire harness connector pins in the Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit assembly can occur due to improper sealing of the Hydraulic ECU’s wire harness connector cover. If moisture contaminated with road salt reaches the Hydraulic ECU’s circuit board, an electrical short circuit may occur on the circuit board. In some instances, the ESC or ABS warning light may illuminate.
“The safety of our vehicles and its owners is a priority for KIA,” says David Sieff, Marketing Director, KIA Motors South Africa. “Most of the reports about this problem have occurred in countries with heavy snowfall, where roads are regularly treated with salt to avoid ice forming on the road surface. It is the salt in the water content that could cause the corrosion. No such incidents have been reported in South Africa.”
The safety recall is only applicable to 305 KIA Sportage models manufactured in Korea between 9 August 2007 and 22 May 2009. Apart from announcing the recall campaign on KIA Motors South Africa’s social media assets, the company will also publish a notification in national newspapers in order to reach as many of the current owners as possible.
If customers are uncertain about whether their vehicle could be affected, the KIA Motors South Africa website – www.kia.co.za –also offers a convenient search function through which customers can enter their vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). More detailed information and a helpful FAQ are also available to customers on the website. Alternatively, customers can contact the KIA Motors South Africa Call Centre on 010 596 2000.
KIA dealerships will implement the recall at no charge to the vehicle owner.
