Having just been launched in South Africa, the new-generation Kia Rio is the subject of a voluntary recall safety recall. The manufacturer estimates that 1 266 Kia Rio models imported to South Africa to have been affected by faulty rear-door child locks.
The culprit is an actuator cable that does not meet the necessary specification and was fitted to those Rios assembled in Korea between 10 April and 5 June 2017. As a result, the mechanism that locks the rear doors, and prevents children from opening them from the inside, may not work.
Kia can identify the batch number of the incorrect cables and the batch of Rio vehicles the cables may have been used in, but they cannot be 100% sure that the incorrect cables were used in all of those 1 266 vehicles – which is why they are recalling them to be checked.
“This is a safety critical item,” said Kia South Africa spokesperson Christo Valentyn, “so we are not taking any chances, especially as it involves children.”
Have you bought a new-generation Kia Rio?
If you have and your vehicle is part of the batch of 1 266 affected vehicles, then you can expect a call from Kia from this week onwards. You will be requested to take your car to the nearest specified Kia dealership, whereupon its service department will inspect your car for the faulty part and, if necessary, fit the correct cable while you wait, at no charge.
If you own a 2017 Rio and are uncertain whether your vehicle may be affected, you can also call Kia Motors South Africa’s call centre on 010 596 2000.
You can also head to its website recall.kia.co.za and enter your vehicles VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) after following the relevant links.
Additionally, you can test it yourself by activating the childlock and then trying to open the door from the inside. If it opens then you would need to bring the car in for the replacement part. Valentyn did say that Kia would however, prefer you to bring the car in anyway, to make 100% sure.
