Kia Motors South Africa says it will conduct a voluntary safety recall of some 180 Cerato models built in late 2010.
The purpose of the recall is to replace two automatic transmission cooling hoses.
The hoses in question carry hot transmission fluid from the transmission to the transmission cooler, and cooled transmission fluid back to the transmission.
The automaker says there is “a possibility that the transmission cooling hoses may have been improperly cured during the manufacturing process” and that, over time, they may leak transmission fluid.
In such instances, the malfunction indicator lamp will illuminate and “some vehicles may display abnormal shifting”.
The affected vehicles – all, of course, bearing automatic transmissions – were assembled in Korea between 27 August 2010 and 11 November 2010.
Kia says owners of the affected local vehicles will be telephonically notified, and the replacement of both automatic transmission cooling hoses will take less than an hour (naturally, depending on your vehicle’s position in the work queue on the day of the booking).