Five months ago Kia North America identified an unusually high number of claims for the high-pressure fuel pump in 2.0-liter turbo Kia Stinger GT-Line cars. Owners reported a reduction or complete loss of power.
Kia conducted an experiment by installing a part from one vehicle into another. The vehicle that received the collected part experienced hesitation and a 2,000-rpm engine speed limitation. This issue was reported to Kia in South Korea.
Kia noted a loss of power can occur while driving at high speeds due to excessively rich combustion conditions causing fuel pump over-pressure. There have been 77 warranty claims, 6 technical assistance cases, and 2 customer complaints reported, but no crashes or injuries related to this issue.
The overpressurization condition can be caused by the misalignment of the fuel control valve plunger, resulting in uneven wear and the plunger getting stuck open. This leads to the loss of motive power due to overpressurization of the fuel pump.
Certain vehicles assembled in South Korea between September 29, 2017, and January 20, 2021, are being recalled due to a fuel pump assembly issue. The affected fuel pump assembly part number is 35320-2CTB1, manufactured by Motonic. Owner notifications will be sent out on or around November 10, and US dealers will be informed of this recall (number 23V-634) on November 7.
Dealers will inspect vehicles and replace the high-pressure fuel pump if needed. They will also update the ECU’s software logic to prevent any loss of power while driving due to overpressurization of the fuel pump.