TSB TRA046 — Kia Service bulletin

TRA046 is a service bulletin on file with NHTSA for 8 Kia models, 2005–2025 model years, filed and re-filed as 4 documents. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.

What the bulletin says. TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct…

NHTSA's own summary of the document, quoted from the public manufacturer-communications file.

4Documents filed
8Vehicles named
21Model years

Vehicles and model years TRA046 names

VehicleModel years
Kia Forte 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Kia Optima 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Kia Rio 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023
Kia Sedona 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Kia Sorento 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Kia Soul 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Kia Sportage 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024, 2025
Kia Telluride 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Every document filed under TRA046

Manufacturers re-issue a bulletin as the repair changes, and file separate copies for technicians and for owners. All of them carry the same number.

Document IDFiledType
TSB_TRA046_R5 April 17, 2025 Service bulletin
TSB_TRA046_R4 May 16, 2024 Service bulletin
TSB_TRA046_R3 November 18, 2022 Service bulletin
TSB_TRA046_R1 April 24, 2020 Service bulletin

What TRA046 covers

Transmission & drivetrain — the component vocabulary NHTSA files this communication under.

← All Kia Forte TSB years TSB lookup by model

Questions buyers ask

What is TSB TRA046?

TRA046 is a service bulletin filed with NHTSA by Kia, covering 8 Kia models across the 2005–2025 model years. NHTSA's summary reads: TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information relating to the correct…

Which vehicles does TRA046 cover?

NHTSA's file names Kia Forte (2010–2024); Kia Optima (2005–2017); Kia Rio (2006–2023); Kia Sedona (2006–2012, 2014–2021); Kia Sorento (2011–2025); Kia Soul (2010–2025); Kia Sportage (2005–2020, 2023–2025); Kia Telluride (2020–2025). A bulletin number can be re-issued against more vehicles later, so check the model-year list on this page against your own.

Is TSB TRA046 a recall, and is the repair free?

No. TRA046 is repair guidance the manufacturer sent its dealers, not a safety defect finding. You pay for the work unless the vehicle is still under warranty. Recall repairs, by contrast, are always free.

How do I get the full text of TRA046?

Take the document ID to a dealer's service desk, or search NHTSA's manufacturer-communications records. This page carries every document ID filed under TRA046, its date, and NHTSA's own summary from the public file.

Data updated 2026-08-20 from NHTSA's public records

Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. This page lists only what NHTSA's manufacturer-communications file records under TRA046. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.