Kia and Hyundai Expand Recall on U.S. Engine Fires

The last thing you want is your car engine catching fire randomly. If you’re a Kia owner, you may want to pay close attention.

Kia Motors Corp and affiliate Hyundai Motor Co. announced this week that they are recalling roughly 534,000 more U.S. vehicles that are at risk of having engine fires.

It was a day before the announcement that the Center for Auto Safety, told Congress that Kia and Hyundai must recall more vehicles at risk of fires after reports of 300 fires that were not the result of a collision.

The Kia recall applies to 378,000 2012-2016 Kia Soul vehicles over engine damage and fire risks, while Hyundai and Kia are recalling 155,000 2011-2013 Tucson vehicles and 2011-2012 Sportage vehicles over possible oil pan leaks in a separate callback.

It was in January that both companies said they would recall 168,000 vehicles at risk for fire.

Last November Reuters had reported that federal prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into both automakers to determine if vehicle recalls linked to engine defects were conducted properly.

The latest recall announced this week by Kia was due to high exhaust gas temperatures that could damage the catalytic converter and potentially other parts. Dealers will upgrade software to prevent overheating of the catalytic converter.