Kias Recalled For Trunk Entrapment Risk

Don’t get kidnapped in a Kia!

If you’re going to get stuffed into a trunk, you might want to try avoiding Kias. The Korean automaker is recalling around 320,000 vehicles in the US because the inside latch in the trunks can break, causing entrapment for anyone who’s locked inside.

Learn how one dealer is spreading the word about the Hyundai safety recall here.

At first blush, this recall seems pretty silly, but we know modern cars have those glow-in-the-dark trunk release handles inside trunks for good reason. Accidents do happen and apparently they were happening enough to make that a federal regulation.

We’re also pretty sure mobsters or serial killers disarm such escape devices before they throw victims in their trunk. Or they drive a classic Lincoln Towncar since there’s plenty of room and no pesky escape release.

For those who own Kias or know someone who does, the recalled vehicles are the 2016 to 2018 Optima Hybrids, 2017 to 2018 Optima Plug-In Hybrids, and 2016 to 2017 Rio. If you own one of the recalled vehicles, you can schedule a repair free of charge through a dealer service department.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the problem is the trunk release latch base can crack, preventing a person trapped in the trunk from opening it up. The fix is the replacement of part of the trunk latch base.

Kia plans to start notifying affected owners of the recall starting on October 19.

This comes after Kia and its sister company, Hyundai, have had to grapple with a long list of models that were sold without engine immobilizers, making them extra easy to steal. Kia also issued a recall in early August for a problem that can cause some vehicles to spontaneously combust, even while parked and off, thanks to a faulty electronic controller in the oil pump.

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