Kia recalls five million older cars due to fire risk (week 7/25)

19/02/2025

This week’s recalls:
– Kia – fire risk
– Citroen, Opel, Peugeot – UREA
– BMW – airbags

Overview of recalls in the 7th week of 2025

Ten recalls for 14 models of three makes have been published via EU Safety Gate in week 7 of 2025. Five recalls for 11 models of four makes have been published by the German Motor Vehicle Authority (KBA).

Seven recalls can be found this week in the European Safety Gate system for Kia, and Mercedes-Benz has announced two. BMW has launched one recall.

Citroen, Mercedes-Benz, Opel and Peugeot are all issuing recalls via the KBA.

Isn’t that your car? See also the recent recalls of other makes.

Brake fluid leak

A brake fluid leak can cause a short circuit in the ABS/ESC electrical circuit on several older Kia models (see table at the end of this article). This can lead to overheating of the fuse box and subsequent fire. According to the Dutch recall database Kenteken.tv, 4,916,329 Kia owners worldwide could be at risk. Not long ago, Hyundai also recalled hundreds of thousands of cars because of a brake fluid leak that could lead to a fire.

UREA problems

A faulty software in the engine control unit of a total of 86,679 Stellantis vehicles may cause an incorrect evaluation of low UREA consumption. The recall affects 40,051 Peugeot 2008 and 508 vehicles, 29,112 Citroen C-Elysee, C3 Aircross and C4 vehicles and 17,516 Opel Corsa and Crossland vehicles. All were manufactured between 2022 and 2023.

Airbags

Another BMW recall for driver airbags has been announced for 364,275 vehicles of the 1, 3, M3, X1 and X3 model series produced between 2008 and 2010. This is again due to a defect in the driver’s airbag inflator, which can lead to uncontrolled deployment and release of metal fragments. These can injure occupants when the airbag is activated.

Details on this week’s Rapex recalls can be found in the table below.

We write about the KBA recalls in the following articles:

What we’ve written about in recent weeks:

What did we write about a year ago:

Do you know the year your car was made? You most probably don’t

How satisfied are you with your car? Let us know! It’s anonymous, and no registration is required. Would you recommend your car to a friend?
Post an Owners’ Review Now

Rapex Recalls announced in the 7th week of 2025

Make, Model (years)	Problem
BMW 1 series (2008 – 2010)	The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time.
BMW 3 series (2008 – 2010)	The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time.
BMW M3 (2008 – 2010)	The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time.
BMW X1 (2008 – 2010)	The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time.
BMW X3 (2008 – 2010)	The propellant in the inflator of the driver airbag may deteriorate over time.
Kia Carens (2009 – 2012)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC system.
Kia Optima (2010 – 2015)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC system.
Kia Picanto (2009 – 2011)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC system.
Kia Quoris (2012 – 2017)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC system.
Kia Rio (2009 – 2011)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC system.
Kia Sportage (2009 – 2014)	Due to an internal leak of brake fluid, a short circuit can occur in the electrical circuit for the ABS/ESC system.
Mercedes-Benz E-Class (2024)	The welding of mounting brackets on rear axle carriers may break while driving.
Mercedes-Benz GLC (2024)	The welding of mounting brackets on rear axle carriers may break while driving.
Mercedes-Benz V-Class/Vito (2023 – 2024)	The steering wheel height adjustment may not be correctly fastened.

Where now?

What should an owner do if there's a recall?

Please note that the recall may not apply to all vehicles produced in a given period. If you think your car might be affected, you should immediately contact an dealer or workshop officially authorised to perform repairs on behalf of the manufacturer and ask for the details. You can use our sample request text. After reporting the vehicle's VIN code, you will find out if the defect is present on your car, or if it has already been resolved by the previous owner if the car was purchased second-hand.

More about

Recalls and Reliability

If you wish to know more about the eventual problems of a specific car (e.g. real mileage, potential traffic accident damages, odometer rollback, repairs, etc.), in that case, we suggest going to this page.

Check the vehicle's history