NHTSA Recall 26V545000: Kia EV9 Front Passenger Airbag May Not Switch Off for a Child

What the recall covers

Recall 26V545000 (Kia reference SC379) covers 21,290 model-year 2025-2026 Kia EV9 electric SUVs. The occupant detection system — the pressure-sensing mat and bladder tube built into the front passenger seat that tells the airbag module how big the occupant is — may have been routed improperly by the supplier. Per the filing, the tube can be pinched when the front passenger seat is raised to its highest position, so the system may not deactivate the front passenger airbag when a child or child seat is in the seat. A front airbag that deploys for a small occupant increases the risk of injury in a crash, and NHTSA records these vehicles as failing to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." Kia's report estimates roughly 6 percent of the recalled vehicles actually have the condition.

The remedy

Kia dealers will inspect the occupant detection system and, where necessary, replace the ODS mat and bladder tube and confirm the routing is correct, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026, and VINs become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026. There is no do-not-drive or park-outside advisory for this recall.

What owners should do now

• Until the seat is inspected, seat children in the rear seats — which is where the safety guidance already puts them, and where a front passenger airbag is not a factor.
• Watch for the two symptoms described in the filing: the airbag warning light coming on, and the front passenger seat belt reminder chiming when nobody is sitting there. Either is a reason to call the dealer without waiting for a letter.
• Never place a rear-facing child seat in the front passenger position, in this or any vehicle with a front airbag.
• Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls beginning September 4, 2026, rather than waiting for the October 20 letter.
• Keep the recall letter and the repair order from the inspection. If the airbag light or the phantom belt chime comes back afterward, that dated paperwork is what turns a recurring fault into a claim.

How to check your VIN

Confirm whether a specific vehicle is included by entering the 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. VINs for this campaign become searchable on September 4, 2026. Kia estimates only about 6 percent of the recalled EV9s actually have the improperly routed component, so the VIN check tells you whether your SUV is in the population — the dealer inspection tells you whether yours is one of the affected ones.

Kia Customer Service: 800-333-4542 (recall reference SC379). NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline: 888-327-4236.

When this recall can become a California lemon law claim

A recall is not automatically a lemon — it is the manufacturer acknowledging a defect and offering a free fix. Your Kia may qualify under California's Lemon Law if the recall repair is significantly delayed, doesn't resolve the problem, or your vehicle has other unrepaired warranty defects. In those cases you may be entitled to a buyback, replacement, or cash settlement, with the manufacturer paying your attorney fees. For the full breakdown, see the guides below.