Kia recalls 7,000 cars

KIA IS recalling more than 7,000 of its UK models due to a possible seatbelt problem.

The recall affects 5,787 Sportage models and 1,432 Soul vehicles and concerns a possible fault with the vehicle's seatbelt pre-tensioner.

Kia said that although it was not aware of any injuries resulting from this possible fault, discovered as a result of monitoring of customer vehicles, it was concerned that some pre-tensioners might not work properly due to a faulty piston within the mechanism.

The Sportage models affected were built at Kia's Slovakia factory between October 2011 and November 2012 and the Soul vehicles were built at Kwangju in Korea between August 2011 and March 2012.

Owners of affected cars will be notified by letter and asked to bring their cars to their local Kia dealer to have remedial work carried out at no cost.

The fault does not affect the all-new Soul just announced in the UK.

By Press Association reporter