Kia recalls 410,000 vehicles over faulty airbags that may not deploy

IRVINE, Calif. - Kia is recalling more than 410,000 vehicles in the U.S. over concerns about airbags that may not deploy in a crash.

The recall includes certain 2017-2019 Kia Sedona minivans, 2017-2019 Soul and Soul EV hatchbacks, and 2017-2018 Forte sedans and coupes. 

Here’s what you need to know:

Specific Kia vehicles under the recall

• Kia Soul hatchbacks manufactured between July 25, 2016, and Dec. 24, 2018.
• Kia Sedona minivans manufactured between July 12, 2016, and Jan. 10, 2019.
• Kia Soul EVs manufactured between May 18, 2017, and Sept. 28, 2018.
• Kia Forte sedans manufactured between March 2, 2017, and July 27, 2018.
• Kia Forte Koup coupes manufactured on Oct. 4, 2016.

FILE - A photo shows the logo of KIA in Ankara, Turkey, on Sept. 5, 2018. (Photo by Metin Aktas/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

Why are these Kia vehicles being recalled?

Kia Motors America said the cover of the Air Bag Control Unit (ACU) might come into contact with a memory chip on the printed circuit board, which could damage the electrical circuit.

Such circuit damage could result in deactivated airbags that will not inflate in a crash, thereby increasing the risk of injury for occupants, the company said.

Kia said in documents posted Friday by U.S. safety regulators that the problem surfaced in Korea last July. The company said it has 13 customer complaints and 947 warranty claims, but no crashes or injuries were reported.

A total of 410,619 vehicles are potentially involved in the recall, the company said.

What Kia vehicle owners should do

All owners of the vehicles under recall will be notified by first class mail with instructions to bring their vehicles to a Kia dealer, the automaker said. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on March 21, 2022.

"If the Airbag Warning Light (ABWL) is illuminated and the ABWL is due to existence of diagnostic trouble code B1620, the dealer will replace the Airbag Control Unit with an improved one," a recall notice states. "If the ABWL is not illuminated, a software update will be installed to the Airbag Control Unit to ensure deployment of the airbag(s) in the event of a crash that warrants such protection even if the recall condition related to DTC B1620 occurs in the future." 

Kia said repairs will be done free of charge.

Owners may also contact Kia customer service at (800) 333-4542 for recall SC226.

How to see if your vehicle is under recall

Drivers can check to see if their vehicle is under recall on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. 

The website allows individuals to enter their vehicle’s 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) to see if a specific vehicle needs to be repaired.

This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed.