Kia is recalling nearly 23,000 of its EV9 electric SUVs sold in the United States due to a potential safety hazard. The issue stems from missing bolts in the second and third-row seats, which could lead to seat detachment in a crash, increasing the risk of injury to occupants.
The recall affects 22,883 EV9s manufactured between September 25, 2023, and October 15, 2024, all produced at the Kia Autoland Gwangmyeong plant in Korea.
To rectify the problem, Kia will install the missing bolts free of charge. Dealers will also inspect all seats and ensure proper bolt fastening. As the affected vehicles were not produced in a specific VIN order, owners will need to contact their local Kia dealer to determine if their vehicle is included in the recall.
Loose or rattling seats may indicate the presence of missing bolts. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report attributes the issue to an error by a plant assembly worker.
Kia first became aware of the problem in September when a customer reported missing third-row seat mounting bolts. A second vehicle with the same issue was identified shortly after. An initial inspection of 90 randomly selected imported units did not reveal any missing or loose bolts.
However, further investigation revealed that an assembly worker error was the cause of the missing bolts in the first two affected vehicles. While three vehicles sold in the US exhibited the issue, an inspection of 990 additional port stock EV9s did not reveal any missing or loose seat bolts.
