Fatigue cracking ultimately leads to the valve springs breaking while driving, resulting in a loss of power. The South Korean car manufacturer couldn’t dismiss the possibility of a connecting rod causing a hole in the engine block, thus explaining the increased risk of a fire. Kia initiated an investigation into this issue in November 2023, following a techline case involving a strange noise and smoke coming from the engine compartment during driving.
The dealer who reported the case to Kia America discovered a hole in the engine block. The safety experts then examined the vehicle (a 2024 model year Telluride) and identified localized melting on the protective shield underneath. By December 2023, the North American division conducted a thorough analysis of the collected data.
To everyone’s surprise, Kia America found a total of 47 techline cases related to engine replacements for 2024 model year Telluride vehicles with relatively low mileage. The collected parts were sent to the main headquarters in South Korea for further examination. An electron microscope analysis of the broken valve springs confirmed the presence of fatigue cracking.
Kia Korea promptly informed Kia America that the aforementioned supplier had caused damage to the valve springs during the manufacturing process. Kia Korea also determined that all of the evaluated valve springs were produced on the same day.
Prior to the NHTSA publishing this recall on their website, Kia America had knowledge of 83 vehicles that could potentially be affected by these conditions. The reports from techlines, warranties, and owner complaints were submitted between October 25 of the previous year and January 26 of this year. As stated in the NHTSA recall 24V-077 report, approximately 2,872 vehicles will require repairs by authorized dealers.
These particular crossovers were manufactured in the United States between October 1, 2023, and December 6, 2023. Unlike the Hyundai Palisade, which is technically similar and manufactured in South Korea, the Telluride is assembled in West Point, Georgia at Kia Motor Manufacturing Georgia.
Instead of inspecting the direct-injected V6 engines, dealer technicians are instructed to replace the engine sub-assembly. By referring to the sub-assembly, Kia America is likely indicating the long block, which includes the heads and valvetrain. Short blocks typically consist of the engine block, crankshaft, connecting rods, and pistons.
Owners will receive notifications by first-class mail around April 5. In the meantime, owners can easily check if their 2024 Kia Telluride vehicles are included in this recall by entering the 17-character vehicle identification number on Kia’s website or the NHTSA’s website.
According to the Source autoevolution.com