The steering wheel of the Kia EV9 electric SUV at the Everything Electric show in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on Friday, Sept. 5, 2025. Canada announced that it would scrap the 2026 EV sales mandate and launch a regulatory review. Photograph …
Kia is recalling more than 21,000 electric SUVs over an airbag sensor issue that could raise the risk of injury to children riding in the front passenger seat.
Dig deeper:
The recall affects 21,290 Kia EV9 SUVs from the 2025 and 2026 model years, according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The vehicles’ Occupant Detection System, or ODS, may not deactivate the front passenger airbag when a child or child restraint is in the seat. If the airbag deploys in that situation during a crash, it could increase the risk of injury.
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The issue means the affected SUVs do not meet federal motor vehicle safety standards, the documents said.
Drivers may see an airbag warning light on the instrument panel. The vehicles may also sound a seatbelt reminder chime indicating the front passenger is unbelted even when the seat is empty.
What they're saying:
Kia did not say whether it was aware of any injuries connected to the problem.
The automaker advises against placing a child restraint system in the front passenger seat and says children 13 and younger should ride in the rear seat.
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Dealers will inspect the affected EV9s and, if needed, replace the ODS mat and bladder tube. They will also ensure the components are properly routed. Repairs will be completed free of charge.
What's next:
Kia expects to begin notifying owners by mail on Oct. 20. Vehicle identification numbers included in the recall are expected to be searchable on NHTSA’s recall website beginning Sept. 4.
Big picture view:
The EV9 recall follows Kia’s July recall of more than 460,000 Telluride SUVs over a separate fire risk that persisted after an earlier repair.
That recall included 462,869 Tellurides from the 2020 through 2024 model years. Owners were told to park outside and away from vehicles and buildings because the SUVs could catch fire while being driven or parked.
Federal regulators said seven seat fires and 11 incidents of seat motors melting had been reported. The problem involved a front power-seat switch that could become dislodged, misaligned or damaged, potentially causing the seat motor to run continuously and overheat.
The Source: FOX Business contributed to this report. Information for this story came from Kia’s recall report and documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This story was reported from Los Angeles.