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Kia Carnival tow hitch wiring can short and burn

NHTSA campaign 23V179000 · Reported 2023-03-17 · Kia America, Inc.

critical How serious is it? About this label

Serious fire risk whether parked or driving; the notice does not ban driving, but it does say to park outside and away from structures until the fix is done.

⚠ Park outside, away from buildings — fire risk. See all such recalls.

What's wrong, in plain English

If your Carnival has a Kia tow hitch — installed at the factory or added later through a Kia dealer — water can collect on the small circuit board inside the hitch wiring. That can cause an electrical short, and the short can start a fire, either while you are driving or while the van is parked. Kia says to park outside and away from buildings until it is repaired. The dealer will check for a genuine Kia hitch and add a new fuse and wiring kit.

What you should do

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if your van is covered.
2. Park outside, away from your house and other buildings, until the repair is complete.
3. Contact a Kia dealer or Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542 (recall SC265) for the free inspection and fuse/wiring kit.

Affected vehicles (2)

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
TRAILER HITCHES
Summary
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Carnival vehicles equipped with a tow hitch harness installed as original equipment, or purchased as an accessory through a Kia dealership. Water accumulation on the tow hitch harness module printed circuit board (PCB) may cause an electrical short, which can result in a fire.
Safety risk
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Remedy
Owners are advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and verify whether the vehicle is equipped with a Genuine Kia accessory trailer tow hitch assembly. If equipped, dealers will install a new fuse and wire extension kit. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 16, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC265.

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