Kia America is yanking more than 39,000 of its Sorento SUVs off the road after discovering a defect that could turn your heating system into an unintentional campfire. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue lies in the HVAC system’s wiring—specifically, the part that isn’t supposed to overheat and combust.

The recall affects 39,536 Sorento LX models from the 2021 through 2023 model years. Kia estimates that about 1% of the vehicles, which is roughly 395 of them, have the actual defect. It might sound like a low percentage. But when it comes to spontaneous dashboard fires, one in a hundred is still not great odds.

So, What’s The Culprit?

Kia’s pointing the finger at a quality control hiccup from its parts supplier in Mexico, which apparently shipped out wiring that’s thinner than it should be. Thin wires = more heat = possible fire.

Drivers may get a few red flags before the fire starts: a dead HVAC blower, the delightful aroma of melting plastic, or—just to make it obvious—actual smoke billowing from the vents. If any of these start happening, it might be time to pull over and call the dealership.

The Affected SUVs

The affected SUVs were built between September 10, 2020, and December 29, 2023, at Kia’s Georgia factory. The good news? The 2024 Sorento has a new HVAC setup and isn’t part of this pyrotechnic recall.

Kia says owners can bring their vehicles to a dealership, where mechanics will swap out the wiring harness and blower motor resistor at no cost—though the peace of mind might be worth more than the free fix.

Expect A Warning Letter

Preliminary warning letters will go out to owners by November 24, with follow-ups (and hopefully final fixes) rolling out in December.

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