Kia is recalling nearly 23,000 EV9 electric SUVs after discovering that some vehicles may have improperly secured second- and third-row seats. The recall affects 22,883 EV9 models produced at Kia’s Gwangmyeong, South Korea, plant between September 25, 2023, and October 15, 2024. This decision follows an investigation prompted by customer complaints and a report to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
The problem stems from an error reportedly caused by a single assembly worker who failed to secure all seat bolts during the manufacturing process. The issue came to light in September when a US customer reported that the third-row seats in their 2024 EV9 were missing mounting bolts. A second affected vehicle was later identified, leading Kia to delve deeper into the matter.
To assess the scale of the problem, Kia inspected 90 randomly selected EV9s imported from South Korea. Surprisingly, none of the inspected vehicles exhibited missing or loose seat mounting hardware. Despite this, Kia opted for a precautionary recall covering all potentially impacted vehicles, including those awaiting shipment. An additional 990 units still in transit were inspected and found free of defects.
The recall highlights the importance of thorough assembly and inspection processes in manufacturing, especially as automakers push forward with large-scale EV production. Kia is notifying affected owners and has committed to resolving the issue free of charge, ensuring that all seat mounting bolts are properly secured.
