Kia must recall K5 sedans from 2021 to 2023, due to airbag issue

As revealed by NHTSA last week, the Kia K5 is being recalled for side airbags that may not deploy in a crash.

The recall covers nearly 189,000 sedans from model years 2021 through 2023. Before the redesigned 2021 model, Kia’s midsize sedan was called the Kia Optima.

The side airbags may not deploy when they should because they were improperly installed at Kia’s massive factory in West Point, Georgia.

It is Kia’s only plant in the US and also produces the Kia Telluride three-row SUV and the Kia Sorento midsize SUV. The airbag problem only affects the K5.

Side curtain airbags are roof-mounted above the side doors and are designed to prevent head injuries and block glass from shattering in the cabin in the event of a side collision.

Kia is not aware of any injuries or crashes related to the defective airbags.

This recall is unrelated to the widespread Takata airbag recall, which was the largest automotive recall on record, affecting regarding 67 million airbags in regarding 40 million vehicles made by most major manufacturers. Of automobiles.

The air bag inflators might explode, shooting metal fragments into the cabin. The NHTSA attributes 24 deaths and more than 400 injuries in the US to faulty Takata airbags, which have since gone bankrupt. Many vehicle owners have not yet repaired their cars.

Owners of the 2021-2023 Kia K5 can expect a notification by mail beginning April 7. Dealers will inspect and reinstall side airbags properly, if necessary, at no charge to owners.

Kia will reimburse owners who have incurred repair costs related to the problem.