(NationRise.com) – US authorities said on March 26 that Kia America was recalling 427,407 Kia Telluride SUVs due to concerns that these vehicles could move while parked because of a deficient shaft engagement, which could lead to fatal accidents.
According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration document, the company said in a statement that the right front driveshaft and the intermediate shaft of each of these SUVs may not be properly engaged. The California-based manufacturer added that the reason behind the issue was a “suspected improper assembly by the supplier.”
The NHTSA document added that partial engagement can eventually cause severe damage to vehicles’ intermediate shaft splines. However, it detailed that while these “damaged shaft splines” could lead to “unintended vehicle movement” even when parked, it would only happen if the brake isn’t engaged. Nevertheless, it added that numerous crashes can occur as a result of the problem.
The document also revealed that each of the recalled SUVs was manufactured from 2019 to 2023, representing nearly one percent of the KIA Telluride SUVs manufactured during the 2020-2024 period. The California-based manufacturer allegedly identified the SUVs by reviewing them and after checking numerous supplier production records. The leading supplier was eventually identified as MOBIS Alabama, LLC, which is based in West Point, Georgia.
As reported in the document, the company will refer owners of the affected SUVs to a Kia dealer. Each of these dealers will add the latest version of Electronic Parking Brake software that will prevent the SUVs from moving while they are parked. The dealers will also conduct an in-depth check of the vehicles and replace every damaged intermediate shaft in case it’s needed.
The document added that Kia would advise vehicle owners to put the gear shifter in “P” and engage the Electronic Parking Brake before exiting to prevent the vehicle from moving unintendedly. The company also promised to reimburse those vehicle owners who already paid to fix the issue independently.
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