Recall Wrap: Fuel line issue for new Kia Sorento

Australians who have purchased the brand-new, high-tech 2021 Kia Sorento are being urged to return their vehicle to dealerships to have the fuel lines checked, after the potential for a fuel leak was found.

A total of 630 examples of the large SUV are affected, which were sold between August 1 and September 30, 2020.

The recall notice lodged by Kia Australia with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) confirms that fuel may leak from the low-pressure fuel line hose clamp.

In a worst-case scenario, the fuel leak could, the notice says, “result in an engine fire, increasing the risk of an accident and injury or death to vehicle occupants and other road users”.

As with all voluntary recalls, owners of the new Sorento will be contacted by Kia (via ‘direct mail’ in this instance) and are urged to get their vehicle inspected and, if need be, repaired free of charge at an official Kia dealership or service centre.

A VIN list is available here.

There have also been several other low-volume recalls issued recently, including for the just-launched new Toyota HiLux.

According to the recall notice, 15 SR5 HiLux utes sold between September 9 and 15, 2020, were delivered without the legally-required compliance label fitted to the vehicle.

Customers will be contact by Toyota (via phone and mail) to make an appointment with a Toyota dealership to get the compliance label fitted. You can check the VIN numbers here.

BMW has recalled 48 examples of the BMW X3 and X4 prestige mid-size SUV sold between December 6, 2019, and August 5, 2020, to fix an issue with front seatbelts, which “may not be screwed on to correct specification”.

This could lead to an increased risk of an accident and injury. BMW will contact affected owners, who are urged to get their vehicles inspected and fixed if necessary, free of charge. The VIN list of affected vehicles is available here.

Fellow German brand Audi has also recalled a total of 67 Audi A8, S8 and S8 Plus vehicles powered by the big 4.0-litre TFSI V8 engine.

The vehicles in question (VIN list here) span model years from 2012 to 2017 and could suffer from engine vibrations due to an engine bay seal that “may become warped and come loose”.

Hazards include a risk of the seal and other components becoming scorched which could lead to engine bay smoke or fire. Affected owners will be contacted by Audi to arrange for an inspection and repairs if need be.

Audi has also issued a separate recall for eight 2020MY Audi Q5 vehicles sold between June and July 2020 to fix incorrect welding.

According to the notice, “the gap on the adjusting mechanism for the backrest of the front seats may be faulty”, which could lead to injury or even death in a rear collision if the backrest adjuster breaks.

Audi is in the process of contacting affected owners (VIN list here), and those vehicles that need repairing will require new parts to be ordered, in which case a courtesy car will be made available to owners in the event of a delay.

Ford Australia has also today issued a recall for 180 MY2020 Ford Transit and Ford Transit Custom light-commercial vehicles built between June 5 and July 8, 2020, which could strike suspension trouble.

The notice states that “the vehicles may be fitted with front lower control arms that contain incomplete welds, which may lead to fracture of the component”.

“A fractured lower control arm could result in front lower control arm joint separation, resulting in loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of an accident that could result in injury or death of vehicle occupants and/or other road users,” the notice said.

Full details, including links to relevant VIN numbers, are provided on the notice, while Ford will contact owners of all affected vehicles to arrange for free inspection and repair.