Kia is recalling 21,290 EV9 electric SUVs in the United States over a defect that could affect the vehicle’s ability to detect a child or child seat in the front passenger seat. The recall covers certain 2025 and 2026 model-year vehicles built at Kia’s Georgia manufacturing plant.
The issue involves the Occupant Detection System (ODS), which determines whether the front passenger seat is occupied and helps control airbag operation. According to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the ODS mat bladder tube may have been incorrectly routed during production.
The tube can become pinched or damaged after repeated adjustments to the front passenger seat. If this occurs, the system may fail to correctly identify a child or child seat, potentially preventing the passenger airbag from deactivating as intended.
Kia estimates that around 6% of the recalled vehicles are actually affected by the defect. However, the problem means the affected vehicles do not comply with applicable federal vehicle safety standards. Possible warning signs include the airbag warning light appearing on the dashboard or the passenger seatbelt warning sounding even when the seat is unoccupied.
The recall covers all 2025 EV9 models and certain 2026 vehicles produced at Kia’s Georgia plant. 2025 EV9 vehicles manufactured in South Korea are not included in the recall.
Kia has notified dealers about the issue and will begin sending recall notification letters to affected owners on October 20. Owners can take their vehicles to a Kia dealership for inspection, and if necessary, technicians will replace the ODS mat and bladder tube and correct the tube routing free of charge.
