Kia Recalls Over 21,000 Electric SUVs Due to Airbag Sensor Concerns

Kia is pulling back more than 21,000 electric SUVs from the market over an issue with the airbag sensor that might put children in the front passenger seat at greater risk of injury.

This recall affects 21,290 units of the Kia EV9 from the 2025 and 2026 model years, as indicated by documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The problem lies with the Occupant Detection System (ODS) in these vehicles, which may not turn off the front passenger airbag when a child or a child restraint system is placed in the seat. If the airbag were to deploy under these circumstances, it could escalate the risk of injury during a crash.

This defect means these vehicles fail to meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, as mentioned in the official paperwork.

Drivers may see an airbag warning light on their dashboard, and a chime might go off to remind that the front passenger seatbelt isn’t buckled, even if the seat is empty.

Kia hasn’t disclosed whether it is aware of any injuries linked to this issue.

The company recommends that drivers avoid placing a child restraint system in the front passenger seat, advising that children aged 13 and under should sit in the rear seat.

Kia dealers will inspect the affected SUVs and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube as required. They’ll also ensure all components are properly installed. Notably, these repairs will be done at no cost to the vehicle owners.

Kia plans to start sending out notification letters to affected owners on October 20.

This recall follows another involving over 460,000 Telluride SUVs in July due to a separate fire risk that arose when a prior repair did not fix the underlying problem.

The earlier campaign involved 462,869 Telluride vehicles from model years 2020 to 2024. Owners were cautioned to park these vehicles outside, away from other cars and structures, due to the potential for fire while parked or in motion.

Federal regulators reported at that time seven seat fires and eleven incidents of seat motors melting, linked to a faulty front power seat switch that could become dislodged or damaged, risking overheating.

For those interested, the vehicle identification numbers related to the latest EV9 recall should be available for search on the NHTSA’s recall website starting September 4.