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Kia Rio and Forte steering column bolt may loosen

NHTSA campaign 22V304000 · Reported 2022-05-05 · Kia Motors America

critical How serious is it? About this label

This is one of the most serious kinds of defect because steering can be lost suddenly and without warning; Kia does not tell owners to stop driving, but you should get this fixed immediately rather than putting it off.

What's wrong, in plain English

A bolt that holds the steering column to the steering gear may not have been tightened properly. If it comes loose, the steering column can come apart from the gear that turns the front wheels, and you could suddenly lose the ability to steer. A dealer will tighten that bolt at no cost. Kia mailed letters to owners on May 27, 2022, and calls this repair SC235.

What you should do

1. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm your car is covered by recall SC235.
2. Call any Kia dealer right away and ask for the SC235 steering column bolt repair; mention it is a safety recall so it gets priority.
3. The repair is free — if you have questions, call Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542.

Affected vehicles (4)

Who to contact

Kia — official Kia recall lookup

Customer service: 1-800-333-4542

Any franchised dealer for the brand can do the repair. Phone numbers are taken from manufacturer sites and recent NHTSA notices; if one has changed, the number in your own recall letter is the one to use.

The bigger picture

Official notice

Component
STEERING:COLUMN
Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Safety risk
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.

Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.