More than 250,000 2020-2022 Hyundai Palisades and Kia Tellurides are recalled due to fire risk. Accessory tow hitches pose the hazard.
Hyundai Motor America and Kia America this week issued an expansive recall for late-model-year Palisade and Telluride SUVs. The two companies announced a “stop sale” of the affected models along with the recall and urged owners to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until repaired.
The recall covers 245,030 Hyundai Palisades and 36,417 Kia Tellurides. The two models share multiple characteristics as midsize three-row SUVs but sell under different brand names with slightly different features.
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), an accessory tow-hitch sold at some dealerships can short circuit and cause fires, even while the vehicles are parked and turned off.
The AP reported “25 fires or melting incidents in the U.S. and Canada … but no crashes or injuries.” That contradicts information from the NHTSA, which stated that “there are no confirmed fires, crashes, or injuries related to this condition in the United States.”
Hyundai and Kia Recall: Is My Car Involved?
To see if the recall affects your vehicle, visit the NHTSA website and enter your VIN number. Owners of affected vehicles will receive contact via mail to schedule a full repair when one becomes available. However, the NHTSA said, the recall repair is “under development” as of this writing.
In the meantime, the NHTSA stated that Hyundai dealers can remove the tow-hitch module fuse for the Hyundai Palisade as an interim repair. No interim recall repair for the Kia Telluride currently exists.
