By Elisa
Owners of some Hyundai and Kia SUVs that were recently recalled over fire risks should park their vehicles outside and away from homes until their cars are repaired, the Department of Transportation said on Tuesday.
The South Korean automakers last week recalled thousands of Hyundai Palisade and Kia Telluride vehicles made between 2020 and 2022, citing a risk of fire while parked or driving due to a trailer hitch issue.
A repair for the issue has not been identified, and no related fires, crashes or injuries have been confirmed, the department said in a consumer alert.
Kia said in a statement on Tuesday that six fires had been reported in model year 2020 Telluride vehicles, five of which involved “localized melting only.” The 2021 or 2022 models had no fires and were included in the recall as a precautionary measure, it added.
Kia said it would reimburse owners for repair costs already incurred.
The Transportation Department did not respond to a request for comment on the apparent discrepancy with Kia regarding fires.
“An accessory tow hitch sold through dealerships may allow moisture into the harness module, causing a short circuit. In some cases, an electrical short can cause a vehicle fire while driving or while parked and turned off,” the consumer alert said.
Representatives for Hyundai in the United States did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Once a repair is available, affected vehicle owners will be notified to bring their SUVs to a Hyundai or Kia dealer, the consumer alert said.
The recalls involved 245,030 Hyundai Palisade and 36,417 Kia Telluride vehicles, the consumer alert added.
In February, Hyundai and Kia told owners of 485,000 SUVs and sedans in the US to park them outdoors because they can catch fire even if the engines have been turned off.
