WIA specializes in manufacturing various automotive products such as internal combustion engines, automotive modules, CV joints, four-wheel-drive systems, factory automation solutions, and military equipment. This includes smoothbore guns, recoilless rifles, self-propelled howitzers, mortars, and close-in weapon systems.
According to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, WIA has produced a number of driveshaft assemblies that were improperly heat-treated. The report identifies part number 49560-GI000 as the rear inner driveshaft assembly for the EV6 and part number 49500-AO000 as the front left driveshaft for the Niro EV.
Approximately 1,039 EV6 vehicles with potentially faulty driveshafts were manufactured for the US market. These vehicles were produced between June 27, 2023, and July 13, 2023, at the Hwasung plant in South Korea. The Niro EV, in all its versions, is also manufactured at this plant. Suspect Niro EVs were manufactured from June 27, 2023, to July 13, 2023.
The improperly heat-treated driveshafts have the potential to break under load, resulting in a loss of power and an increased risk of a crash. Earlier this year, Kia Corporation, based in South Korea, informed Kia North America about an incident involving a Kia Niro EV in Turkey.
Kia’s American division identified two potential incidents of driveshaft breakage in the US market, which occurred on November 24 and December 22 of the previous year. Subsequent investigations revealed the aforementioned issue, leading Kia to recall all potentially affected vehicles. The supplier corrected the problem last year. Kia states that Niro EVs produced after July 14 and EV6s produced after September 4 have properly heat-treated driveshaft assemblies.
Dealers have been notified to replace affected driveshafts with appropriate components. However, owners will have to wait until March 29 to receive official notifications from Kia via mail. In the meantime, owners can check their vehicle identification number (VIN) on Kia’s website or the federal watchdog’s website.
The EV6, which shares a platform with the Hyundai Ioniq 5, is currently priced at a starting MSRP of $42,600, with a lease bonus of $7,500. It offers a maximum driving range of 310 miles (499 kilometers) on a full charge of its high-voltage battery. In comparison, the Ioniq 5 has a range of 303 miles (488 kilometers).
The Niro EV, which is not built on an EV-specific platform, has a lower driving range. It also has a smaller battery capacity (64.8 kWh compared to 58.0 or 77.4 kWh for the EV6), resulting in an EPA-rated range of 253 miles (407 kilometers). As of now, the Niro EV is priced at $39,600.