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IRVINE, Calif. – Kia Motors America is recalling nearly 87,000 2020 Telluride models with Smart Cruise Control because the system will not activate a connected trailer’s brake lights when automatic braking is engaged.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Safety Recall Report 20V-436: “The subject vehicles are equipped with Smart Cruise Control (SCC). One of SCC’s functions is to independently apply the brakes to decelerate the vehicle when the system senses a vehicle in front of it within the set distance. When a trailer is connected to the subject vehicles, the trailer brake lights do not illuminate when the SCC independently brakes to decelerate the vehicle.”
A crash might result should a trailing vehicle not realize the affected vehicle/trailer combination is braking due to brake-light failing to illuminate when the SCC brakes to decelerate the Telluride.
Related post:
Kia Optimas Recalled For Automatic Braking Issues
All 86,921 Tellurides built between Jan. 09, 2019 and July 21, 2020 with SCC is affected by this recall, according to the NHTSA.
Kia dealers, who will be notified Sept. 2nd, will repair affected Tellurides by installing a new wire harness. Owners will be notified Sept. 10th by mail and will receive the repair free of charge or will be reimbursed if they have already had repairs performed.
The issue was rectified for production Tellurides with the June 17th start of 2021 model year manufacturing.
