NEWS:   Kia recalls 146,000 U.S. vehicles for airbag issue 
YAHOO NEWS -- January 24  2012

JANUARY  2012 -- Kia Motors America, inc. (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured from September 29, 2005, through January 29, 2008, and model year 2007 and 2008 Kia Rondo vehicles manufactured from September 13, 2006, through March 21, 2008. The clock spring contact assembly for the driver's side air bag supplemental restraint system (srs) may become damaged through usage over time. If the clock spring contact assembly becomes damaged, the driver's air bag electrical circuit will experience a high resistance condition potentially causing the driver's air bag to not deploy. If the clock spring develops high resistance, in the event of a crash, the drivers air bag will not deploy and will not be able to properly protect the driver, increasing the risk of injuries. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the vehicle's air bag clock spring contact assembly as necessary, free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during march 2012.   Kia's recall campaign number is sc094. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to ttp://www.Safercar.Gov .  12V-014

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Kia Optima
• Kia Rondo

SEPTEMBER 2011 -- Kia is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Sorento passenger cars manufactured from June 15, 2006, through November 27, 2007. The front passenger air bag may be turned off when an adult is in the passenger seat. The front passenger air bag is designed to be turned off in limited circumstances including when children and small adults are seated in the front passenger seat, there is a child restraint in that seat or the seat is not occupied. The vehicle's occupant classification system (OCS), which classifies the occupant in the front passenger seat, may misclassify an adult passenger as a child or child seat and improperly turn off the passenger side air bag. When the air bag is deactivated the "passenger air bag off" light will illuminate on the center instrument panel. The passenger side air bag is turned off when the OCS misclassifies an adult passenger. With the front passenger airbag off, the front passenger will not have the protection of the passenger air bags in some frontal collisions, thus increasing the risk of occupant injury. Kia will update the programming in the Sorento OCS control module at no charge. The recall remedy is currently available under service campaign SC076.   11V-473

APRIL 2011 -- Kia is recalling certain model year 2004-2007 Spectra LD vehicles manufactured from November 7, 2003, through March 6, 2007, originally sold, or currently registered in, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia. There is a possibility that corrosion of the fuel tank straps which hold the tank may occur as a result of prolonged exposure to road salt. As a result of the corrosion, one or both straps may separate allowing the fuel tank to contact the ground and possibly disrupt the integrity of the tank. The fuel tank can fall from the vehicle and strike the ground which could cause a fuel leak. Leaking fuel can create a fire hazard. Dealers will replace the fuel tank straps and attaching hardware with new zinc coated parts. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during June 2011.   11V-256

APRIL 2011 -- Kia is recalling certain model year 2011 Sorento 2WD vehicles equipped with automatic transmissions and 2.4L engines manufactured from the start of production through May 22, 2010. The intermediate shaft may suffer from noise and excessive wear due to a misalignment of the intermediate shaft with the right side output gear. Continuing to drive the vehicle in this condition leads to the development of a whirring/whining noise and can eventually cause damage to the automatic transmission. Damage to the transmission may cause loss of motive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the right side output gear and intermediate shaft free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during May 2011.  11V-258

MARCH 2011 -- Kia is recalling certain model year 2006-2008 Optima vehicles manufactured from September 29, 2005, through June 13, 2007. There is a possibility that the shift cable may have been installed incorrectly, causing tension in the cable. If present, this condition could cause the cable to detach from the shifter assembly's dowel pin preventing the transmission from being shifted. The shift lever can then be moved into the park (P) position while the vehicle's transmission is still in the last used gear before detachment. f the driver leaves the vehicle without engaging the parking brake, there is a possibility that the vehicle can roll injure a person in its path or cause a crash. Dealers will inspect the shift cable and reinstall if necessary free of charge. The safety recall began on March 23, 2011.    11V-153

NEWS:   Kia recalls Spectra small cars due to fuel tank problem

YAHOO NEWS -- April 29,  2011 – Kia Motors Corp. is recalling more than 58,000 Spectra compact cars registered in cold-weather states because the gas tanks could fall off and cause a fire.

The recall affects Spectra LD models from the 2004 to 2007 model years in 20 states and Washington, D.C., the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on its website Friday.

The cars, built from Nov. 7, 2003, through March 6, 2007, have straps that hold the gas tank to the frame. When exposed to road salt, the straps can rust and the tank can fall to the ground, causing a fuel leak and possibly a fire.

Kia said in a statement Friday it is not aware of any fires caused by the problem.

Dealers will replace the fuel tank straps with zinc-coated parts at no cost to owners. Kia will mail letters to car owners in June, after dealers get parts to fix the problem.

The problem affects cars registered in the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

MORE RECALL INFO:   Kia  Spectra

NEWS:   Kia recalls 70,000 Optimas for transmission defect

YAHOO NEWS -- March 11,  2011 – Kia Motors is recalling more than 70,000 Optima midsize sedans to fix transmission problems that can cause the cars to roll even while they're in park.

The cars are from the 2006 through 2008 model years and were built from Sept. 29, 2005 to June 13, 2007.

In documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Kia said that on some of the cars, a transmission shifter cable was installed incorrectly and can become detached from the shifter. If the cable comes off, the car would stay in the last gear used even if the driver puts the transmission in park, the documents said.

"If the driver leaves the vehicle without engaging the parking brake, there is a possibility that the vehicle can roll, creating the risk of a crash," Kia said.

No injuries have been reported from the problem, but Kia has concluded that under "extraordinary circumstances" the cars could roll inadvertently.

Kia plans to start the recall this month and will notify owners by mail. Drivers will be told to always use the parking brake when shifting the transmission into park "especially until they can take their vehicle to the dealer," the documents said.

MORE RECALL INFO:   Kia Optima

NEWS:   NHTSA opens investigations into Honda, Kia vehicles

DETROIT NEWS -- November 29,  2010 –  Washington— The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened investigations into electrical issues on the 2006 Honda CR-V and shifting issues with the 2007 Kia Optima.

The probes — both opened after just three complaints — are the latest examples of how federal safety regulators are opening more investigations into potential safety issues than in recent years and moving faster than in the past.

In the first, NHTSA is investigating 150,000 2006 Honda CR-V models after reports of melting or burning of the master power window switch and related electrical system wiring components. All three complaints alleged fires in the driver's door related to the driver's master power window switch.

Separately, NHTSA is also probing 41,000 2007 Kia Optima models over complaints that the automatic transmission shift cable may detach from the shifter assembly. If this occurs, the transmission gear shifter becomes inoperative.

NHTSA said it had received three complaints concerning automatic transmission shift cable detachment and inability to engage the gears (park, drive and reverse) in model year 2007 Kia Optima vehicles. "One of the complaints also reported is a rollaway incident after parking the vehicle," NHTSA said.

In 2007, Kia Motors issued a technical service bulletin concerning incorrectly installed automatic transmission shift cables in certain model year 2006 and 2007 Kia Optima vehicles. The bulletin said that over time these cables can detach from the shifter assemblies' dowel pins resulting in the inability to select or engage drive gears. NHTSA noted that difficulty engaging park may also occur.

Honda and Kia didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.

NHTSA came under harsh criticism from Congress earlier this year in the wake of Toyota Motor Corp.'s sudden acceleration issues and the disclosure that NHTSA had not done more to force Toyota to make fixes in response to complaints.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• 2006 Honda CR-V
• 2007 Kia Optima

NEWS:   Gov't probing steering problems in 2010 Kia Soul

YAHOO NEWS -- AUGUST 16, 2010 -- The 2010 Kia Soul, a boxy vehicle that has been marketed to urban motorists, is being investigated by government regulators for potential loss of steering control.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Monday on its website that it had received one complaint alleging complete steering loss. The preliminary investigation covers more than 50,000 vehicles.

The complaint said the steering shaft detached from the steering wheel, leading to a complete loss of steering, and the shaft fell into a position that interfered with the driver's ability to brake.

The government agency seldom opens an investigation based on one complaint but said it was "very concerned about this failure in that it occurred without warning on a new vehicle at low mileage and resulted in a complete loss of steering as well as a compromised brake system."

The owner who filed the complaint had driven the vehicle for two months and had 4,300 miles on it.

John Crowe, Kia Motors America's vice president for service, said in a statement the company was cooperating with the investigation and trying to determine if there was a manufacturing cause to the problem. He said the incident that led to the complaint did not result in an accident or injury.

The South Korean automaker launched the Soul in early 2009 and has posted strong sales for the funky compact wagon, helped by a memorable advertising campaign featuring rapping hamsters dressed in baggy clothes and hoodies.

The Soul was among 27 vehicles from the 2010 model year that received the "top safety pick" award from the Virginia-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Vehicles are selected for providing the best protection in front, side and rear crash tests based on Institute evaluations during the year.

MORE RECALL INFO:    Kia Soul

APRIL 2009  --  Huyndai-Kia is recalling 139,844 MY 2006-2007- Sedona, Sportage, Sorento and MY Rondo and Amanti vehicles. The stop lamp switch in the affected vehicles may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause the brake lights to remain illuminated when the brake pedal is released. A stop lamp switch malfunction may also affect theoperation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature so the transmission shifter would not be able to be shifted out of the park position. It may also cause the electronic stability control (ESC) malfunction light toilluminate, and it may not deactivate the cruise control when the brake pedal is depressed. Any of these malfunctions, alone or in combination, may lead to a crash. Dealers will replace the stop lamp switch free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during May and June of 2009. Owners may contact Kia"s Consumer Assistance Center at 1-800-333-4542.  09V-130

SEPTEMBER 2008 -- Kia is recalling 6,680 MY 2008-2009 Rondo LX and EX vehicles equipped with a 2.4 liter engine. The fuel pump may not operate properly resulting in not enough fuel getting to the engine. Poor engine starting, engine hesitation and other impairment may result, and the check engine light may illuminate. Unusually severe impairment while driving could expose the driver to the risk of a crash. Dealers will replace the fuel pump sub-assembly with an improved part. The recall is expected to begin during October 2008.  08V459

Automakers are recalling 450,000 vehicles.for a range of defects reported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Kia Motors Corp. is recalling 74,276 Sedona minivans from 2002 to 2004 model years equipped with power seats because the wiring under the front seats could potentially cause a fire.