Kia Recalls More Than 188,000 K5 Sedans Due to Faulty Airbags

While 2022 might have become known as the year of automotive recalls, 2023 is giving the past 12 months a run for its money. So far, we’ve had stop-sale orders from Ford and recalls from BMW due to its whisper-quiet EVs. Now, Kia is getting in on the action with a recall of almost 200,000 K5 sedans.

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According to Automotive News, the recall covers certain K5 midsize sedans sold between 2021 and 2023. The affected vehicles were fitted with side curtain airbags that were installed wrong, which means they might not deploy properly during a crash. Automotive News reports:

The Kia North America Safety Office was made aware of the defect while investigating the steering assist after a crash involving a 2021 K5. During the inspection, the engineer noticed the driver’s side curtain airbag may not have deployed properly, a document shows.

An investigation of a Georgia plant confirmed the airbags were installed improperly at the location, documents show.

The recall affects K5 sedans sold between 2021 and 2023. Image: Kia

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall affects certain Kia K5 vehicles manufactured between March 27, 2020, and December 9, 2022. The vehicles, which were assembled at Kia’s Georgia plant, had their side airbags installed incorrectly. As such, they may not deploy correctly during a “a crash sufficient to warrant such a deployment,” according to NHTSA documents.

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So far, no injuries have been reported to Kia or the NHTSA as a result of the defect.

To rectify the issue, Kia will inspect the side airbags on all affected K5 models. Any car found to have its airbags fitted incorrectly will have them re-installed in the correct way. Kia will also reimburse any owners for repair expenses already incurred as a result of the manufacturing defect.

Kia is expected to notify owners by mail before April 7.

Kia will inspect and replace the airbags on the K5 if necessary. Image: Kia

If you are worried that your car might be affected by a recall, there are a few easy ways to check if it’s the case. First up, the NHTSA has a super handy app that you can use to see if your vehicle is impacted by a recall, or you can head to the regulator’s website and plug your VIN into its recall search tool.