Kia America is recalling 21,290 EV9 electric SUVs because the front passenger airbag may not switch off when a child seat is installed in that seat. The recall, NHTSA campaign 26V-545, covers all 2025 and certain 2026 EV9s built at Kia's Georgia plant between May 17, 2024, and May 13, 2026. Kia reported it to NHTSA on August 21, 2026, and its own number for the campaign is SC379.
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208, "Occupant Crash Protection," requires the passenger airbag to be suppressed for a child in a child restraint in the front seat. Because the occupant detection system in these EV9s may fail to do that, the vehicles do not comply. If the airbag deploys in a crash with a child seat in place, the child faces a greater risk of injury.
What goes wrong under the seat
The EV9's Occupant Detection System, or ODS, relies on a sensor mat with a bladder tube under the front passenger seat cushion. According to Kia's Part 573 report, the supplier routed that tube improperly, so it can be pinched when the seat is raised to its highest position. Repeated height or tilt adjustments of the passenger seat can damage it, and a damaged tube can keep the system from suppressing the airbag for a child seat. The filing lists Adient as the supplier of the right front seat cushion assembly. Kia estimates that about 6% of the recalled EV9s have the condition.
Owners may get a warning. Kia says the airbag warning light may come on in the instrument cluster, or the seatbelt reminder chime may sound as if an unbelted passenger were in the seat when it is empty.
Which EV9s are included
Is your EV9 in recall 26V-545?
| EV9 group | Included? |
|---|---|
| 2025 model year, built at Kia Georgia | Yes |
| 2026 model year, built at Kia Georgia through May 13, 2026 | Yes, certain vehicles |
| 2026 model year, built from May 14, 2026 | No; tube routed correctly in production |
| 2025 model year, built in Korea | No |
Source: Kia America Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V-545, submitted August 21, 2026.
The vehicles were not built in VIN order, so Kia is directing owners to its Customer Care Center or a Kia dealer to confirm whether a specific EV9 is covered. VINs became searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
The fix
Dealers will inspect how the ODS mat bladder tube is routed and, if necessary, replace the mat and tube and route the new one correctly. Dealers will also replace the seat cover assembly. The work is free, and Kia says it will reimburse owners who already paid for the repair under its general reimbursement plan. Kia's August 24 notice to dealers listed the remedy's availability as to be determined and placed a delivery hold on affected new EV9s in stock.
Owner letters are scheduled to go out by first-class mail by October 20, 2026. In them, Kia plans to remind owners never to install a child seat in the front passenger seat and to seat children 13 and under in the rear. NHTSA's record carries no "park it" advisory for this campaign. Kia Customer Service is at 1-800-333-4542.