Recalls come and go. Some are more serious than others. This new Kia recall hits the 2016 Kia Sedona and Kia Sorento. Consumer Reports says that these are at risk of rolling away while parked. This recall is one to be addressed quickly.

2016 Kia Sorento and Sedona recall 

According to Consumer Reports, Kia recalled 28,000 Sedona minivans and Sorento SUVs for rollaway risk. The problem is a faulty shift lever that can be moved without the car being on. If this lever gets knocked out of “park,” the affected vehicles can roll away. 

As you might imagine, this is a particularly risky situation for anyone with small kids. In fact, Kia started this investigation that led to the recall after reports of a kid who shifted a 2016 Kia Sedona out of gear while the car was off and the brake undepressed. 

Since the initial report, the automaker found 13 complaints about the shift levers in those vehicles, including two crashes.

How to fix your 2016 Kia Sedona or Sorento 

As we mentioned, the faulty shift lever is the source of the rollaway woes. Kia will replace the haywire mechanism for free. Any Kia dealer should be able to accommodate owners. 

While the Kia recall is serious, according to documents that Kia provided to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there have been no injuries, fatalities, or fires related to this recall yet. 

Here are the Consumer Reports details of the Kia recall

• Kia Sedona minivans manufactured between April 27, 2015, and June 27, 2015

• Kia Sorento SUVs manufactured between April 27, 2015, and July 9, 2015

We know the faulty shifter is the issue, but the problem within the shifter comes from a manufacturing error at a parts supplier. What happens is shift lock might not fully return back to the locked position. This allows the shifter to move freely with little force. 

Dealers will replace the shift lever locking mechanism free of charge. CR says Kia will notify the owners of the affected Kias via mail by Oct 7, 2022. 

If you are unsure whether your 2016 Kia Sedona or Sorento is one of the affected vehicles, you can visit the NHSTA website to check your vehicle’s VIN against the organization’s database. 

Consumer Reports assures drivers, “If you plug your car’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into NHTSA’s website and a recall doesn’t appear, it means your vehicle doesn’t currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.”