Use cautionVehicle recall · NHTSA · Published August 22, 2026
Kia EV9 (2025) Air Bag Recall: Child Front Seat Injury Risk
Kia is recalling 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles with a front air bag that may not deactivate during crashes with children in the front seat, risking injury. Owners must have air bag system inspected and repaired by dealers.
A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.
✎ GovInfoNow plain-language explainer
Kia is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles because the air bag might not turn off when a child is in the front seat during a crash. This could cause serious injury to children in the front seat if the air bag deploys unexpectedly. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/464700-kia-ev9-2025-air-bag-recall-child-front-seat-injury.
“Kia EV9 (2025) Air Bag Recall: Child Front Seat Injury Risk.” GovInfoNow, updated August 27, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/464700-kia-ev9-2025-air-bag-recall-child-front-seat-injury. Based on NHTSA recall #26V545000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=26V545000).
Kia America, Inc. recalled 2025-2026 Kia EV9 vehicles due to air bag risks, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on August 21, 2026. Dealers will inspect and replace the Occupant Detection System mat and bladder tube free of charge.
How to tell if you have it
Kia EV9, 2025-2026
What to do
Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542.
The hazard
A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat.
Context
GovInfoNow's records show Kia America, Inc. has 67 other recalls on record since August 12, 2022. Other recent recalls of similar products include the Kia 2027 Telluride Seat Belts Recall (June 2, 2026), the Kia 2022-2026 Carnival Fuel Leak Fire Recall (April 10, 2026), and the Kia 2027 Telluride Hybrid Seats Recall (March 20, 2026). Other recent recalls of similar products include the Volkswagen 2025 Tiguan Air Bag Recall (December 10, 2025), the Ford Bronco Sport 2026 Air Bag Recall (March 31, 2026), and the Hyundai Elantra N (2025) Air Bag Recall (April 21, 2026).
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your vehicle is a 2025 or 2026 Kia EV9. The recall covers vehicles where the air bag system may not deactivate properly for children in the front seat.
Brand
Kia
Category
Vehicle
Based on the official NHTSA remedy
What to do — step by step
Contact Kia Customer Service
Call 1-800-333-4542 to schedule an inspection and repair of the air bag system.
Have Air Bag System Inspected
Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one if necessary to ensure proper routing.
October 20, 2026
Official remedy
What NHTSA says to do
Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
GovInfoNow listed this recall 5 days after the agency date.
1NHTSA received the defect report
2Added to GovInfoNow
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on August 27, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.