Kia Stinger Recall: Owners in the U.S. on Alert as Engine Fire Risks Surface

Kia’s sports sedan Stinger
recently started a recall in the US
Korean car owners are not safe either

Kia’s sports sedan, the Stinger, is the only sports sedan that Kia has launched in earnest. It received great acclaim from experts both at home and abroad. However, it could not avoid poor sales due to being overshadowed by the G70 with the shared platform, and eventually, it was discontinued in March of last year.

After the Stinger was discontinued, Kia’s high-performance sedan lineage is continued by the electric crossover model, the EV6 GT, which is currently on sale. Recently, it was reported that the Kia Stingers, sold in the US market, are being recalled due to its turbocharger oil pipe defects.

The oil pipe and hose assembly defects
can potentially cause a fire in the engine compartment

Recently, Kia’s North American corporation initiated a recall for the discontinued sedans, the Stinger and the K900 (K9 in Korea). The recall involves 36,248 vehicles, including 2018 and 2022 Kia Stingers manufactured from September 21st, 2017, to September 15th, 2021. It applies to the K900 models produced between August 8th, 2018, and August 24th, 2020.

The defective parts are the left turbocharger oil pipe and hose assemblies, which, due to their structure, are exposed to radiant heat from the exhaust manifold. Over time, this can degrade and potentially cause a leak. If a leak occurs near this pipe, it can cause a fire in the engine.

Engine fires reported one after another
Exchange possible after a visit to the US

When this problem was first reported in June, Kia received a report from a Stinger driver in Korea who witnessed smoke coming from the vehicle’s engine compartment. Six months later, in December, a report was received in the US about a fire in the engine compartment of a 2018 Stinger.

All vehicles subject to this recall have the V6 3.3-liter T-GDI engine. In the US, a free replacement with an improved oil pipe and hose assembly is possible when visiting a Kia dealership. An additional refund program is also planned for owners who had already replaced the part before the recall was initiated.

Corrective measures are also being taken domestically
Individual contact to proceed on the 13th

The problematic V6 3.3-liter T-GDI is the same engine applied to the Stinger and K9 in Korea, and corrective measures are expected to commence on March 13th in Korea as well. The number of vehicles subject to this recall in Korea is 11,569, including 7,648 Stingers and 3,921 K9s.

In the case of the Stingers sold in Korea, the recall applies to all 3.3T specifications from the initial production until September 6th, 2021. The Stingers with a 2.0 turbo or 2.5 engine are not affected. It is said that individual contacts will be made with the owners of the vehicles subject to the recall after the 13th.