The electric car market has once again come to the forefront of debate. Imagine for a moment that you buy a new car. The latest technology, all the comforts only to discover that your car comes from the factory and could put your life at risk. This is what has happened to KIA with its latest electric SUV, the brand’s star. Now, they are facing a massive recall due to various manufacturing problems… What does this mean? Here we are going to tell you everything you need to know about this recall and the measures the brand is taking to remove it from the streets
What is the recall about?
KIA has recalled 23,000 units of the EV9 electric SUV, from the 2024 and 2025 models. The reason? The vehicle omits the mounting bolts on the second and third row seats – wait, we’ll explain – this means that in the event of an accident, the seats could come loose from the vehicle because they are not fixed to the floor of the car. Absolute madnes!!
Where does the fault come from?
This vehicle was manufactured at the Autoland Gwangmyeong plant in South Korea, and it was there that a worker forgot to install these locks (the bolts). So, the instability of the seats would compromise the operation of the seat belts, so that the safety of the passengers was at risk.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), owners can detect the fault if they hear a rattling noise coming from the seats.
What has KIA done?
The automotive company has requested that the affected vehicles (remember that they are the KIA EV9 manufactured between September 2023 and October 2024) be immediately taken to the dealership for review to correct this defect.
KIA is a company known for production efficiency, and this is a human mistake that has highlighted the challenges of maintaining standards in a market where vehicle processes are increasingly more complex.
Is it going to affect the brand?
The most advanced version of this model, the Kia EV9 GT, has stood out for its cutting-edge technology, with 501 horsepower and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds. But, despite everything, this incident could affect confidence in one of the brand’s most ambitious launches.
What happened in Mexico?
In Mexico, Kia also faces another recall. Profeco, together with Kia Mexico, has alerted owners of the 2025 Kia K4 sedan about a defect in the headlights (which could turn off when activating the turn signals). This problem affects the visibility of the vehicle, putting users at risk due to poor lighting conditions.
Thus, a total of 1,784 units of the Kia K4 manufactured at the Pesquería plant in Nuevo León are included in this alert. Kia Mexico has implemented a communication plan to notify owners via email, WhatsApp and authorized dealers. In addition, a consultation space has been enabled on the brand’s official website for those users who have questions about the recall.
What do I do if I have an affected KIA?
KIA has asked users to schedule a check-up at the dealership to fix these problems. Of course, this visit will be free for users since it is a defect “created” by themselves and what they want is to ensure that the cars meet safety standards. To request your appointment, you can contact the KIA Contact Center at 55 4780 0542 or write to contactceenter@kia-mexico.com to schedule an appointment.
In this way, KIA aims to regain the trust of its users and its commitment to the safety of its vehicles on the roads. For users, it is a reminder that the market moves so fast that we have to be careful with so much innovation!