Automotive Recalls Focus on Assembly Defects in Wire Harnesses

WASHINGTON—Three automotive recalls this year have been related to assembly defects in wire harnesses.

In February, Nissan recalled almost 12,000 of its Leaf electric vehicles because the wire harness for the rearview camera could get damaged by vibrations caused by regular driving conditions. The recall affects Leafs sold in Canada in model years 2018 through 2022.

In March, Mercedes-Benz issued a U.S. recall for its E-class sedan because a transmission wire harness was routed too close to the driveshaft. The safety risk is a loss of drive power, caused by the damage to the harness from contact with the driveshaft.

The recall applies to the 214 series E-class produced in 2023 for the 2024 model year. The recall covers approximately 400 vehicles.

In April, Kia recalled 95 Sorento SUVs from the 2024 model year due to improperly assembled wire harnesses, which could lead to a failure of the power steering system.

Kia first learned of the issue in February during a dealer pre-delivery inspection. The dealer noted that the Sorento made a noise while the steering wheel was being turned, and noticed that the wire harness for the power steering system had been chafing against the steering shaft. In response, Kia started monitoring the issue.

The next month, the automaker received a second complaint about the power steering system. Again, the issue was discovered by a dealer during a pre-delivery inspection, and again there was damage to the power steering wire harness.

Kia ultimately determined that its supplier, Mobis Alabama, had improperly assembled the wire harness. The error could allow the harness to become damaged and cause the vehicle to lose power steering. The steering wheel will continue to work, but it will take more effort to turn the vehicle, especially at low speeds. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the problem.