Recall - 22V-626 4-pin Tow Hitch Harness Fire

[ganseg]

This area is very poorly protected, so I would keep an eye on it regardless of which harness you have. My pictures are to big to load but it is a plastic cover on the drivers side of the spare.

 

[bogie]

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[bruesjoh04]

I read the same thing but it is unclear to me if I would be covered because I did not purchase from a dealer. I purchased from a parts website online. I hope you are right and I am covered. But for now I’ll just drive with the fuse out, only put it in when I’m towing and continue to park in my garage until Kia sends something official. Apparently this recall made national news because I have had people who know very little about cars who know I have a Telluride urging me to park outside.

What was the parts website? Basically all of the Kia Parts sites online are just dealers.

 

[Tiddlygoose]

I got the news last night and this morning went out and removed the entire 4 pin tow hitch wiring harness. 15 minute job. Now to wait for Kia to come up with a replacement. I park my Telluride over the winter in the garage while we are away and just cannot take the chance of something this easy to remove could catch on fire. “In an abundance of caution” is what I’d like to say.

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[Tunes4us]

I got the news last night and this morning went out and removed the entire 4 pin tow hitch wiring harness. 15 minute job. Now to wait for Kia to come up with a replacement. I park my Telluride over the winter in the garage while we are away and just cannot take the chance of something this easy to remove could catch on fire. “In an abundance of caution” is what I’d like to say.

Pulled mine as well. Hopefully a fix before February when I need to tow down south.

 

[Tiddlygoose]

Quick Question. Has anyone here done the Factory 4 pin wiring harness themselves? I am trying to find out if there was a protective cover over the wiring harness connection point that the dealer had removed during my install last year? With me removing it, it seems like dirt and water could get into the open connector. I taped the heck out of it, but there must be some sort of snap in cover that originally came on it???

 

[2020Telly]

Quick Question. Has anyone here done the Factory 4 pin wiring harness themselves? I am trying to find out if there was a protective cover over the wiring harness connection point that the dealer had removed during my install last year? With me removing it, it seems like dirt and water could get into the open connector. I taped the heck out of it, but there must be some sort of snap in cover that originally came on it???

you can see it at just after 7 min of this video.

 

[2020Telly]

What was the parts website? Basically all of the Kia Parts sites online are just dealers.

https://www.wholesalekiaparts.com/

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[Tiddlygoose]

AND of course the dealers parts counter cannot find the protective cap in any of his parts lists. I am worried about this dealership now… A simple protective cap and they can’t locate it? They removed the open from my Telluride and say there wasn’t one to begin with.

 

[T2022]

Wonder if this applies to tow packages put on at the factory? ‘22 with tow here

It only applies to the OEM 4 pin harness and not the 7 pin. In order to tow up to the vehicle’s towing capacity of 5000lbs you need a 7 pin harness anyway, as you need trailer brakes and the 7 pin has the connection for the trailer brakes, the 4 pin does not. With a 4 pin and hence no trailer brakes you can only tow up to approx 1600lbs (location dependant as laws vary). Why not just sell the vehicle with the 7 pin and the customer can then buy a $20 adapter if they need to use a 4 pin? The harness is connected to the vehicle wiring under the driver’s side by the back bumper. To unplug the 4 pin harness and replace it with a new 7 pin would take the least mechanically able amongst us about 25 minutes. The harness connections are “plug and play” ie they just unsnap and the new one snaps in.
You only need tools to remove the black plastic cover that you see under the right back of the vehicle and the face plate by the hitch (a screw driver and a socket set) The 7 pin OEM harness cost approx $150.

 

[T2022]

I keep reading it and that's not obvious to me. My VIN is within the range listed but I purchased S9F67-AC000 4-pin harness in July 2019 online presumably by a Kia parts supplier and installed it myself. I'll probably just buy the Tekonsha #118784 or Curt #56420 and hold on to see if I could return the Kia one for a credit at some point

I guess I should have read the whole post

I keep reading it and that's not obvious to me. My VIN is within the range listed but I purchased S9F67-AC000 4-pin harness in July 2019 online presumably by a Kia parts supplier and installed it myself. I'll probably just buy the Tekonsha #118784 or Curt #56420 and hold on to see if I could return the Kia one for a credit at some point.

If you are going to spend money you may as well buy the OEM 7 pin harness ($150) and if you need to tow a small trailer with a 4 pin connection then buy a $20 adapter.

 

[T2022]

It only applies to the OEM 4 pin harness and not the 7 pin. In order to tow up to the vehicle’s towing capacity of 5000lbs you need a 7 pin harness anyway, as you need trailer brakes and the 7 pin has the connection for the trailer brakes, the 4 pin does not. With a 4 pin and hence no trailer brakes you can only tow up to approx 1600lbs (location dependant as laws vary). Why not just sell the vehicle with the 7 pin and the customer can then buy a $20 adapter if they need to use a 4 pin? The harness is connected to the vehicle wiring under the driver’s side by the back bumper. To unplug the 4 pin harness and replace it with a new 7 pin would take the least mechanically able amongst us about 25 minutes. The harness connections are “plug and play” ie they just unsnap and the new one snaps in.
You only need tools to remove the black plastic cover that you see under the right back of the vehicle and the face plate by the hitch (a screw driver and a socket set) The 7 pin OEM harness cost approx $150.

In the USA Tellurides 2021 & 2022 with OEM hitch and wiring only come with 7 pin harnesses. In Canada they all come with 4 pin harnesses.

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[2020Telly]

If you are going to spend money you may as well buy the OEM 7 pin harness ($150) and if you need to tow a small trailer with a 4 pin connection then buy a $20 adapter.

Because I have a 2020 and I can’t use the OEM 7pin harness. I have to wire a hot to the battery with a breaker in-line and I have to run a wire into the cabin. Since I can’t use the OEM 7-pin I need a universal 7-pin that still requires the 4-pin harness to feed some of the wires. Enough 2020 owners complained that they changed it in 2021.

 

[2020Telly]

It only applies to the OEM 4 pin harness and not the 7 pin. In order to tow up to the vehicle’s towing capacity of 5000lbs you need a 7 pin harness anyway, as you need trailer brakes and the 7 pin has the connection for the trailer brakes, the 4 pin does not. With a 4 pin and hence no trailer brakes you can only tow up to approx 1600lbs (location dependant as laws vary). Why not just sell the vehicle with the 7 pin and the customer can then buy a $20 adapter if they need to use a 4 pin? The harness is connected to the vehicle wiring under the driver’s side by the back bumper. To unplug the 4 pin harness and replace it with a new 7 pin would take the least mechanically able amongst us about 25 minutes. The harness connections are “plug and play” ie they just unsnap and the new one snaps in.
You only need tools to remove the black plastic cover that you see under the right back of the vehicle and the face plate by the hitch (a screw driver and a socket set) The 7 pin OEM harness cost approx $150.

You haven’t specified electronic brakes or hydraulic surge brakes. You can have a 4-pin and tow above 1600lbs with trailer brakes if your trailer has surge brakes. That’s how people with a 4-pin can tow a UHaul trailer less than 5,000lbs.

 

[T2022]

You haven’t specified electronic brakes or hydraulic surge brakes. You can have a 4-pin and tow above 1600lbs with trailer brakes if your trailer has surge brakes. That’s how people with a 4-pin can tow a UHaul trailer less than 5,000lbs.

New trailers with surge brakes come with a 5 pin attachment, older trailers with surge brakes come a 4 pin attachment. If you are going to pay for a Telluride harness you might as well get the 7 pin one as they were the same price AND, with the 7 pin harness and a $20 adapter you can tow any trailer out there. The 4 pin harness is very limiting (can’t back up without getting out and installing a pin, can’t tow a trailer with electronically controlled brakes, can’t apply just the trailer brakes if you are getting a little trailer sway while driving etc.

 

[T2022]

New trailers with surge brakes come with a 5 pin attachment, older trailers with surge brakes come a 4 pin attachment. If you are going to pay for a Telluride harness you might as well get the 7 pin one as they were the same price AND, with the 7 pin harness and a $20 adapter you can tow any trailer out there. The 4 pin harness is very limiting (can’t back up without getting out and installing a pin, can’t tow a trailer with electronically controlled brakes, can’t apply just the trailer brakes if you are getting a little trailer sway while driving etc.

This specifically applies to the 2021 and newer model Tellurides which have an easy plug and play vehicle harness that accepts both the 7 and 4 pin OEM trailer harnesses.

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[2020Telly]

New trailers with surge brakes come with a 5 pin attachment, older trailers with surge brakes come a 4 pin attachment. If you are going to pay for a Telluride harness you might as well get the 7 pin one as they were the same price AND, with the 7 pin harness and a $20 adapter you can tow any trailer out there. The 4 pin harness is very limiting (can’t back up without getting out and installing a pin, can’t tow a trailer with electronically controlled brakes, can’t apply just the trailer brakes if you are getting a little trailer sway while driving etc.

For anyone interested, I have a 4-pin flat and I tapped the reverse wire on the vehicle side of the harness to get a 5th connection. I’m using it for a hitch cover light with a reverse to give more light when in reverse on the backup camera. But it also means I have a 5-pin option now on my 2020. It was very easy and far less intrusive than doing the full 7-pin harness on the 2020. Reference pin #8 yellow/black Trailer Wiring This will give you a 5-pin for less than $15 if you get something like a Curt C57187 or Hopkins 47515 adapter without having to run all the wires and circuit breakers for a 7-pin just to adapt it back down to 5-pin.

Of course if you have a 2021-2022, the 7-pin is still easier with adapter down to 4 or 5. The newer Tellurides also have pins 7 and 12 prewired to the front of the vehicle for 12v hot and a wire to the cabin.

No​	12-pin input​	2020​	2020 4-pin​	2020 5-pin​	2020 7-pin with trailer mounted electronic brake controller (or Echo)​	2020 7-pin with cabin-mounted* electronic brake controller​	2021-2022​
1​	12v​	Y​	30A Fuse powers module​	Y​	Y​	Y​	Y​
2​	Turn Right​	Y​	green – right / brake light​	Y​	Y​	Y​	Y​
3​	Turn Left​	Y​	yellow – left / brake light​	Y​	Y​	Y​	Y​
4​	Stop Light​	Y​	to module​	Y​	Y​	Y​	Y​
5​	Tail Light​	Y​	brown - taillights​	Y​	Y​	Y​	Y​
6​	Ground​	Y​	white - ground​	Y​	Y​	Y​	Y​
7​	Trailer Brake input to cabin​	​	​	​	​	run to cabin with a breaker​	Y​
8​	Backup​	Y​	(not needed)​	tap for blue – reverse​	tap​	tap​	Y​
9​	(unused)​	​	​	​	​	​	​
10​	(unused)​	​	​	​	​	​	​
11​	(unused)​	​	​	​	​	​	​
12​	+12V aux​	​	​	​	run with a breaker​	run with a breaker​	Y​

*12v power with a breaker will be needed to the electronic brake controller in the cabin for a 2020, the 2021-2022 comes with a small pigtail connected to 30A fuses.

Reference the pinout for the colors of the wires on the vehicle side 12-pin input connection. The colors are different for Tellurides with bulbs vs LEDs on the back.

 

[2020Telly]

AND of course the dealers parts counter cannot find the protective cap in any of his parts lists. I am worried about this dealership now… A simple protective cap and they can’t locate it? They removed the open from my Telluride and say there wasn’t one to begin with.

This post has a picture labeled "debris cover"

Trailer Wiring

The factory hitch and wiring comes with a 4 connector wiring. Trailers now have 5 connectors with the 5th wire allowing the trailer to be backed up. The fifth wire overrides the solenoid in the trailer hitch. I had to stick a screwdriver in the hitch to override it and get back in the stall...

tellurideforum.org

This post has the instructions that calls it a "driver side plastic cover panel"

How To: Full Tow Hitch Install

@Wiluride how was the wiring process? that is what i am most concerned about, or am I overthinking it? Just put a deposit down on an EX and I will probably order these parts in advance. Dealer would charge ~$750 but this seems straight forward enough. Thanks

tellurideforum.org

 

[2020Telly]

We may know more when the official letters start going out to owners in October, but something occurred to me about the Kia 4-pin OEM harness. The OEM one I bought before the aftermarkets were available said that it was only rated for 5.0 Amps in a warning in the instruction manual. The Curt and Tekonsha are rated for 7.5 Amps on the turns and tailights. At least a couple people on the forum reported that the OEM 4-pin wasn't able to power up the draw put on by their trailer lights but their trailer lights worked fine on other vehicles. I wonder if the primary circuit board that is burning up not just because it's faulty, but just that it is just getting overheated because it wasn't spec'ed to run a common draw.

 

[RedTailedHawk]

Might anyone have the part number for the 4-pin harness? I had mine installed post-purchase. My understanding is that it is an OEM part.