Kia Motors America is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid

Jun 23, 2022 — Recall Campaign #22V447000

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.

The recall was influenced by the manufacturer with about 17,199 units affected.

See recall notice

NHTSA Safety Recall Notice

22V447000

Manufacturer:	Kia America, Inc.
Recall date:	June 23, 2022
NHTSA Campaign #:	22V447000
Units affected:	17,199

Description:: Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Sorento Hybrid and 2022 Sorento Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. In the event of a crash, the front driver-side and/or passenger-side seat belt pretensioner(s) may explode upon deployment.
Consequeces:: An exploding seat belt pretensioner can project metal fragments into the vehicle, striking vehicle occupants and resulting in injury.
Corrective action:: Dealers will secure the seat belt pretensioners with a cap, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 17, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC241. This recall expands and replaces NHTSA recall number 22V-127. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.
Notes:: Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Affects the following:

2022 KIA SORENTO HYBRID Complaints
My vehicle has a breaking issue. When breaking the breaks either hard break or get sticky and grab, release, and grab. This is scary. Sometimes you are slowing down on a 55MPH road and suddenly you hard break even though you weren’t slamming down on the breaks! I have almost been rear ended multiple times. The problem has been reproduced by myself, a few friends, and family members. However, the dealership says it is normal. I know it’s not! I’ve had this vehicle for 42000 miles! This has not been checked by the police. This started after the dealership replaced my tires.;
2022 KIA SORENTO PHEV Complaints
On XXX, during a 13 hour return trip from [XXX], while traveling at speeds of approximately 80 mph on the interstate in mountainous terrain with my family in the vehicle, the instrument cluster displayed a message instructing me to stop driving and take the vehicle to service due to a battery problem. After the message cleared, a warning light remained illuminated until the vehicle was shut off and restarted. This occurred three separate times during that trip, beginning approximately five hours from home. I attempted to reach a Kia dealership in [XXX], and was unable to get anyone on the phone. Having no alternative, I continued driving home. On XXX, during a two and a half hour highway drive on flat terrain, the vehicle displayed "Battery system hot: switching to HEV mode." Separately, and for several months, charging at home on a Level 1 charger repeatedly stops approximately ten minutes into the session. A check engine light appears and clears after two restarts. The vehicle was at an authorized Kia dealership from XXX, for fifteen days. Their scan at 90,776 miles found diagnostic trouble code P1B9700, High Voltage Battery Temperature Deviation, stored in the Battery Management System with freeze frame data captured. The dealership drove the vehicle 387 miles, primarily in EV mode in 40 mile increments, and returned it with the notation "no repairs attempted at this time, unable to duplicate concern at this time." No Kia Techline case was opened and no field technical specialist was involved. The freeze frame data has not been provided to me despite written requests. The dealership described its procedure as clearing the history code before attempting to duplicate the concern. No repair has been performed. The vehicle remains in daily use by my wife. Kia Consumer Affairs case 26352951 is open. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6);