[bdfromnh]

Hi All first post here,
my wife owns an '18 sorento with the factory installed tow hitch module recall. The recall advises you to park outside away from the house which may be fine if you live in an area where the over night temps don't get close to 0' and there is a good chance it will snow all over the car, but here in new Hampshire I prefer to park in the garage because low temps and snow really happen here. So the question is why cant I go buy an aftermarket tow hitch module and install it instead of waiting for some never to come letter/fix from Kia? Or am I missing something altogether and it a completely different module than the ones that are available everywhere.
Thanks in advance
Ben

 

[Backpacking]

Hi All first post here,
my wife owns an '18 sorento with the factory installed tow hitch module recall. The recall advises you to park outside away from the house which may be fine if you live in an area where the over night temps don't get close to 0' and there is a good chance it will snow all over the car, but here in new Hampshire I prefer to park in the garage because low temps and snow really happen here. So the question is why cant I go buy an aftermarket tow hitch module and install it instead of waiting for some never to come letter/fix from Kia? Or am I missing something altogether and it a completely different module than the ones that are available everywhere.
Thanks in advance
Ben

I have the same module on my 2018 Sorento V6 and received the letter from KIA. To date I have not received any other correspondence from KIA. I believe KIA is negligent in resolving this dangerous situation.

 

[bdfromnh]

That’s what I’m saying, do an internet search for them and 10 will pop up

 

[Billi]

I just had a 60k mile service at my local Kia dealership. However, since my tow hitch is aftermarket, I don't think I'm part of that recall. However, service manager did ask me about that, but even if I do have a factory hitch, it appears there's still no official remedy available.

Anyway, if you really want to park your car inside, perhaps just pull the fuse for your "trailer". I think it's a 30A fuse in the engine compartment:

Fuse Box Diagram KIA Sorento (UM; 2016-2019-..)

Fuse box diagram (location and assignment of electrical fuses and relays) for KIA Sorento (UM; 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019-...)

fuse-box.info

Once that fuse is pulled, there's no way for it to cause a fire, right? That's my assumption. I shall defer to the other electrical experts on this forum.

 

[bdfromnh]

I just finished unplugging the wires from it , there’s a spot behind the drivers rear wheel where you can unplug it. If you look at aftermarket modules there is a fuse in the wiring directly connected to the module that the factory one doesn’t have. First pic shows the factory connectors to the module, second pic is the module which is located up underneath directly under the latch for the rear lid

 

[bdfromnh]

even this cheap one from oooooreillys has a fuse

 

[bdfromnh]

my wife’s car in the garage instead of outside collecting snow all night and I’ll rest assured that it won’t burn my house down.

 

[97Tbird]

I wonder why when one posts a pic, there is multiple pics that show up. I have the same issue on this site. If you try to delete a pic, they are all deleted.

 

[bdfromnh]

Probably posts multiple pics because the author hits the “full size” button more than once after the pics get uploaded. That was the first time I’ve posted pics here and I did it on my phone (and I’m over 60)so crap is liable to happen lol.

 

[97Tbird]

I received a notice in the mail today regarding the recall. My car did not leave the factory with a hitch, I had an aftermarket one installed. I recall the installer saying he had to order a special electrical unit due to the original harness location being located where they had to put a bracket to mount the hitch. If the car did not have a factory hitch set up, the recall states no action is necessary. That is the course I will follow.

 

[Tripplec]

I just got a recall letter. I had no dealer/factory hitch installed. I got my hitch and harness myself and it all third party great quality. I appears Kia doesn't know which vehicle have this harness as its dealer done apparently. I guess everyone with a valid model will get the letter and deal with it accordingly.

 

[Petso]

I just got a recall letter. I had no dealer/factory hitch installed. I got my hitch and harness myself and it all third party great quality. I appears Kia doesn't know which vehicle have this harness as its dealer done apparently. I guess everyone with a valid model will get the letter and deal with it accordingly.

Good luck. I got my letter while my sorento was in for the engine replacement last fall. I got told that "all recalls were being addressed while it's here" and yet the trailer harness was never mentioned on the paperwork i got when i picked it up.

 

[Watnext]

Had the oil and filter changed at the dealer last month. I told the service writer there was a aftermarket trailer harness on the vehicle. He told me they had to check anyhow. Paper work from the oil change mentions the inspection and that no work was required. I did put a OEM harness on my 2014 Sorento when I had it. Probably other vehicles out there like that.

 

[mario41051]

I m so lucky that the recall was made the day after i bought the kia kit for the tow hitch.
I called them and they said to not worry because they had one cable in house.
It turned out the installed the hitch but not the cable because it had a recall.
If thery were honest (or not incompetent), I would have bought aftermarket kit because i needed the hitch while instead I had half job done and I cannot use aftermarket because they removed some harness while waiting for the recall solution.

 

[itsbail]

Just had the Oil pressure sensor replaced at the dealer and part of the service was checking the trailer harness. The hitch was a dealer installed option. However, I've replaced the harness a year ago because it shorted out and took out my passenger side rear bulb with it.