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Why do Kia tow hitch harnesses catch fire or fail?
⚠ 3 carry a park-outside (fire risk) advisory.
All four Kia hitch recalls trace back to the same accessory: a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness fitted as original equipment or bought through a Kia dealership. Three are fire recalls — debris and moisture collecting on the harness module's printed circuit board can cause an electrical short. The 2020-2022 Telluride came first in August 2022, followed a month later by Sorento (2016-2022, plus 2021-2022 Hybrid and 2022-2023 Plug-In Hybrid) and 2017-2022 Sportage, then the 2022-2023 Carnival in March 2023. Sorento and Sportage span the most model years. The newest, from December 2025, is different: a software error in the same hitch module blanks the 4.2-inch instrument screen on 2023-2025 Sportage PHEV and 2024-2025 Sportage.
Warning signs to watch for
- A burning smell or smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle, near the hitch wiring
- Trailer lights or hitch wiring that stop working, or a blown fuse in that circuit
- Water, mud or road debris collecting around the tow hitch harness module
- On affected Sportage models, a blank or failed instrument panel screen — no speedometer or warning lights
- The three fire recalls describe no reliable advance warning; the short can occur even while the vehicle sits parked
Is it safe to keep driving?
None of these four recalls tells Kia owners to stop driving. The three fire recalls — Telluride, Sorento/Sportage and Carnival — do tell you to park outside and away from houses, garages and other structures until the inspection and repair are finished, because the short can start a fire while the vehicle is parked as well as while it is moving. The Sportage screen recall carries no parking restriction, but a blank instrument cluster hides your speedometer and warning lights while you drive.
What the free repair involves
On the Telluride, dealers install a new fuse and a wiring harness extension, and inspect the tow hitch harness module, replacing it if needed. Sorento, Sportage and Carnival owners get an inspection, with the fuse and/or hitch harness module replaced as necessary. On the Sportage screen recall, the tow hitch harness control module is replaced. Every repair is free; none is over-the-air.
Severity at a glance
| Severity | Recalls |
|---|---|
| critical | 3 |
| medium | 1 |
Models affected most
Every recall in this group
| Date | Recall | Severity |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-17 | Kia Sportage instrument screen can go blank | medium |
| 2023-03-17 | Kia Carnival tow hitch wiring can short and burn · park outside | critical |
| 2022-09-19 | Kia Sorento and Sportage tow hitch wiring fire risk · park outside | critical |
| 2022-08-15 | Kia Telluride tow hitch wiring can start a fire · park outside | critical |
Common questions
My Kia never had a trailer hitch installed — am I affected?
Only vehicles built with a Genuine Kia tow hitch harness as original equipment, or fitted with one purchased through a Kia dealership, are covered. If your vehicle has no Kia hitch harness, these recalls do not apply; a dealer can confirm by VIN.
Does parking outside really matter if I can still drive it?
Yes. Kia says a fire can start whether the vehicle is parked or being driven, which is why all three fire recalls tell owners to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.
Is the Sportage blank screen problem a fire risk too?
No. That recall is a software error in the tow hitch harness control module that can make the 4.2-inch instrument screen fail, so the vehicle no longer complies with the federal standard. Dealers replace the module, and there is no park-outside instruction.
A recall applies only to specific vehicles. Check your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.