Kia is recalling 23,000 EV9s over fears that a worker forgot to bolt the seats down

Facepalm: Well, this is surely an embarrassing blunder for Kia. The Korean automaker has been forced to callback astir 23,000 of its brand-new EV9 electrical SUVs successful nan US marketplace aft discovering that nan rear seats were improperly installed.

A full of 22,883 EV9 models built astatine Kia's works successful Gwangmyeong, South Korea, betwixt September 25, 2023, and October 15, 2024, whitethorn beryllium missing mounting bolts for nan 2nd and/or third-row seats. This accusation comes from documents revenge pinch nan National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Interestingly, Kia's study places nan blasted squarely connected a azygous "plant assembly worker" who allegedly made an "error" and grounded to decently unafraid each nan spot bolts connected an unspecified number of vehicles.

The rumor first surfaced successful September erstwhile a customer reported that nan third-row seats successful their 2024 EV9 were not decently mounted owed to missing bolts. Shortly afterward, Kia identified a 2nd affected conveyance successful nan US.

In an effort to find nan grade of nan issue, Kia inspected 90 randomly selected EV9s imported from its South Korean factory. Surprisingly, nary of nan inspected vehicles were recovered to person missing aliases loose spot mounting hardware.

After being alerted by its Korean operations astir nan correction linked to nan 2 US cases, Kia opted to rumor a callback for astir 23,000 EV9s, including those already delivered to customers aliases awaiting shipment. An further 990 units still awaiting transportation were inspected, pinch nary recovered to person nan spot bolt problem.

While nan NHTSA study doesn't specify really galore bolts whitethorn beryllium missing successful affected vehicles, nan superior interest is that improperly mounted seats could detach successful nan arena of a crash, expanding nan consequence of rider injury.

To reside nan issue, Kia dealers will inspect nan 2nd and third-row seats connected each recalled models and tighten aliases instal immoderate missing mounting bolts free of charge. Since nan affected vehicles were not built consecutively, owners are advised to cheque pinch their section trader to corroborate whether their EV9 is portion of nan recall.