One would have thought Kia’s quality control would have caught this silly mistake. It didn’t and has led to a costly recall.
Kia has had to recall 22,883 EV9 electric SUVs in the United States, citing missing seat bolts in the second and third rows.
The issue arose due to a reported assembly error at the Gwangmyeong factory in South Korea, where a worker allegedly forgot to install the bolts. The recall affects 2024 and 2025 models manufactured between Sept 25, 2023, and Oct 15, 2024.
Although initial checks of over 1,000 new units revealed no issues, complaints from three customers brought the defect to light.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) warns that improperly secured seats could detach during a crash, increasing injury risk.
Kia will inspect all seat bolts in affected vehicles and install any missing ones free of charge. Customers are advised to visit dealers if they notice loose or rattling seats.
This incident highlights the need for quality control, though Kia’s swift recall aims to address safety concerns and restore consumer trust.
Kia did not say if the worker had been sacked over this bungle.
