Kia has hit an awkward speed bump with its highly anticipated EV9 electric SUVs.
Nearly 23,000 units in the U.S. are being recalled due to an unexpected seat installation issue.
What Happened To Thousands of Cars?
According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem stems from missing mounting bolts.
The seat bolts were missing from second and/or third-row seats in 22,883 EV9s.
These vehicles were produced between September 2023 and October 2024 at Kia’s Gwangmyeong plant in South Korea.
Kia says a single “assembly worker” error led to the oversight.
Missing Seat Bolts Can Cause Crashes
Missing seat bolts could cause seats to detach during crashes, a serious safety risk.
Kia dealers will inspect and fix the issue for free. Owners must contact their local dealer to confirm if their EV9 is affected.
