An urgent recall warning is being issued to Kia owners due to concerns over faulty airbags. Fortunately, Kia promised that repairs will be performed free of charge.
As of Jan. 25, Kia announced a warning about "airbags that do not deploy as intended." This obviously means a huge risk of injury for drivers and passengers riding on Kia vehicles.
Although the issue does not seem urgent, Kia owners are advised to resolve this case as soon as possible to ensure their safety.
Kia Recalls Cars: 400K Cars Affected with Airbag Issue
According to Insider, the problem happened because the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) might have come in contact with the memory chip on the printed circuit board. This would cause damage to electrical units that operate air bag deployment. Simply put, the air bag might not deploy during a crash.
Insider said that affected will encounter Airbag Warning Light (ABWL) about the faulty condition. Unfortunately, they did not elaborate if this indicator is on the driver's dashboard or somewhere else.
Regardless, all Kia owners are advised to practice precaution and have their units checked to the nearest Kia dealership. There, experts can inspect the air bag system, update it, or replace it.
List of Affected Kia Models Affected
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a statement that there are 12 Kia models affected by the air bag issue. They are listed as follows:
- Kia Forte 2017-2018
- Kia Forte Koup 2017
- Kia Sedona 2017-2019
- Kia Soul 2017-2019
- Kia Soul EV 2017-2019
Kia estimates that a total of 410,619 vehicles are involved. Note, however, that only one percent of this number might reflect with a defect.
As previously mentioned, owners are advised to let the experts inspect their car for damage. Kia proposed a remedy program to directly address this issue.
How Will Kia Fix Airbags
According to the company's recall report, all owners will be notified about the issue via first class mail, which is expected to drop on March 21. These emails will contain detailed instructions to bring the vehicles to Kia dealer.
If technicians find the ABWL not illuminated, they will update the car's software to ensure that air bag deployment is fully functional. Also, if they discover the ABWL illuminated, they will replace the necessary hardware with no cost.
It is worth mentioning that the company also said "Kia will reimburse owners for repair expenses already incurred pursuant to Kia's General Reimbursement Plan filed May 11, 2020."
How to Contact Kia Dealership
Owners with affected vehicles can contact Kia customer support service at 1-800-333-4542. Note that Kia's number for this recall is SC226. Owners can also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov for more details about this recall.
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