Recalls are not unusual for the automotive industry—Tesla, for instance, has experienced multiple recalls, including seven for its Cybertruck.
Now, Kia finds itself in a similar position.
Kia, the South Korean automaker, has had to recall its EV9s—a first for its three-row electric SUV—citing safety concerns.
The recall affects 22,883 cars built between September 25, 2023, and October 15, 2024, at Kia’s manufacturing plant in Gwangmyeong, South Korea.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) made the announcement on December 20, attributing the problem to a single worker error.
According to the NHTSA, the issue concerns the EV9 seats, with some reportedly lacking ‘mounting bolts,’ which compromises passenger restraint and increases injury risk.
The defect is further explained in documentation: “Due to an error by a plant assembly worker, the second and/or third row seat mounting bolts may be missing.”
Owners of the EV9 will be informed of the defect through a letter, which is scheduled to be sent by January 24, 2025.
If you own one of the affected vehicles, the NHTSA advises that ‘dealers will inspect and install mounting bolts as necessary free of charge’.
Considering data from the previous year, it’s not surprising that Tesla was the automaker with the highest number of recalls in 2024.
Motor1 reports that the company led by Elon Musk recalled an astounding 5,135,697 vehicles last year, stemming from 15 different recalls.
While Tesla had the highest number of recalled vehicles, it did not top the list for the total number of recalls. That distinction goes to the American automaker Stellantis, which reportedly conducted 72 recalls.
Ford was close behind with 63 recalls throughout 2024.
During the same period, Kia recalled over a million vehicles, the largest being 462,869 Telluride SUVs.
The issue with the Telluride involved a front power seat motor knob that could get stuck, potentially causing the motor to overheat and the vehicle to catch fire.
Overall, Kia conducted 19 recalls last year, according to Motor1. It is not clear if the recall announced on December 20 is part of this total.