Kia America, Inc. has announced a recall impacting nearly 75,000 of its SUVs due to a software defect that could result in the failure of both low beam headlights and taillights. The recall comes after a warning from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that the issue poses a significant safety risk, particularly after dark.
What’s Causing the Problem?
According to the NHTSA recall notice, the affected vehicles are equipped with a Body Domain Control Unit (BDC) software that contains a fault. This malfunction can cause the loss of both low beam headlights and taillights, which significantly reduces visibility and increases the risk of a crash. In addition to the safety concerns, this defect also causes the affected vehicles to fail to meet essential regulatory safety standards.
Which Vehicles Are Affected?
The recall applies to certain 2024 and 2025 Kia Sorento models, including the traditional gasoline versions, as well as the Sorento Hybrid and Sorento Plug-In Hybrid. Specifically, the vehicles affected are:
- 2024 Kia Sorento
- 2025 Kia Sorento
- 2025 Kia Sorento Hybrid
- 2025 Kia Sorento Plug-In Hybrid
In total, the recall affects approximately 75,000 SUVs in the United States.
What Should Owners Do?
Kia will begin notifying owners of the affected vehicles in February 2025, sending out letters with detailed instructions for fixing the issue. The company plans to remedy the defect by updating the BDC software at no cost to vehicle owners.
Until the issue is resolved, owners of the affected vehicles are urged to avoid driving at night or in low-visibility conditions. The lack of functioning headlights and taillights can prevent other drivers from seeing the vehicle, increasing the risk of accidents.
How to Get More Information
For further inquiries, owners can contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Those seeking more immediate details can also call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236. When calling Kia, owners should reference recall number SC331. For the NHTSA, the recall number is 25V006000.
Kia’s swift action in issuing this recall highlights their commitment to resolving safety issues, and affected owners are encouraged to take the necessary steps to address the problem.
