WASHINGTON — The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Hyundai and Kia recalled more than 281,000 of their vehicles due to a fire risk.
The NHTSA said the recall involves more than 245,000 Hyundai Palisade vehicle models from 2020-2022 and over 36,000 Kia Telluride vehicle models from 2020-2022.
The NHTSA also said a "stop sale" has been issued to comply with federal regulations for affected unsold vehicles at dealers and processing centers.
According to the report, an accessory tow hitch sold through dealerships may allow moisture into the harness, causing a short circuit.
John Valleau owns a Hyundai Palisade that falls within the affected model year.
"Love my palisade," Valleau said while picking his vehicle up from the Camelback Hyundai dealership for an unrelated issue.
Valleau was relieved to find he didn't have the affected tow hitch installed on his SUV, as he couldn't afford to just park it waiting on a fix.
"I use it as my vehicle to work. I commute every day over an hour, so it's really important to me, and I love my car," he said.
Palisade owners can take their vehicle to the dealership where they'll disconnect a fuse until they find a permanent fix.
There are no fixes for Telluride SUVs yet, but company officials say they're investigating a solution.
According to Hyundai, a total of 3 fires have been reported in Canada so far, none in the US.
In some cases, the NHTSA said an electrical short could cause a vehicle fire while driving, parked, or turned off.
The NHTSA said Hyundai dealers have a repair available that will inspect the tow hitch module and remove the fuse, but Kia does not have a repair available right now.
Vehicle owners can visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) to see if their vehicle is under recall.
