Not so long ago, Kia was named the most reliable brand by customers worldwide but now they face a setback, albeit a minor one. Kia South Africa recently announced that 1266 of the new-generation Kia Rio will undergo a voluntary recall due to concerns regarding a faulty rear child lock. It is said that the the issue is caused by a malfunctioning actuator cable which causes the child lock not to engage, and thus the rear door is able to be opened from the inside, even with the child lock activated.
Only 1266 models manufactured from April 10 and June 5 2017 are affected and Kia has said that they will contact the owners of the vehicles that fall under this number. However if you happen to own the new generation Rio, we recommend that you contact Kia Motors South Africa at 010 596 2000 or visit their site recall.kia.co.za where you will be required to enter your vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Thereafter, you will be required to take your vehicle to the nearest Kia Motors dealership where the service department will inspect the suspect part and replace it if necessary, free of charge.
How to check if your safety device works
Step 1: Activate the child lock by switching it into the lock position (It is located on the rear edge of the door)
Step2: Close the door (Make sure you’re inside the car when you do so)
Step 3: Try to open the door from the inside
By design, the door should not open. However if it does open, this means that your child lock device is faulty and you should take the proactive steps mentioned above.
