DETROIT — Kia will recall more than 419,000 SUVs in the U.S. and Canada because the transmission can be shifted out of park when the driver’s foot isn’t on the brake, a violation of safety laws.
The recall covers Sorentos from the 2011 through 2013 model years. The cars can roll away unexpectedly and cause a crash, Kia says in documents posted Thursday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The problem happens when the gear shift lever is pushed too hard, causing a part in the shift mechanism to crack. It has caused three injuries.
Kia says it began investigating the trouble in August when it got a letter from a lawyer saying that a child moved a Sorento shift lever out of park and the SUV rolled in a parking lot. The child’s father stood in front of the SUV and was joined by his son. The son got between the Sorento and a stopped vehicle and suffered a broken leg, according to the documents.
