Kia Recalls 21,290 EV9s Over Airbag Defect — and Canadian Owners Are Still Waiting for Word

Kia is recalling 21,290 of its flagship EV9 electric SUVs in the United States over a front-passenger airbag defect that could put children at risk — and as of August 30, no corresponding recall has been confirmed for the EV9 in Canada. Canadian drivers who own a U.S.-built 2025 or 2026 EV9 should know exactly what the defect is and how to check their vehicle.

What the EV9 recall covers

According to documentation from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the problem sits in the Occupant Detection System (ODS) mat bladder tube beneath the front passenger seat cushion. The ODS is the sensor that detects when a child or child restraint is in the front seat and automatically suppresses the airbag so it does not deploy into a small occupant during a crash.

Investigators found the bladder tube can be pinched when the front passenger seat is raised to its highest position. Repeated seat adjustments can wear the tube down, and a damaged ODS may fail to switch the airbag off even when a child is sitting in the seat.

Which EV9s are affected?

• Models: 2025 and 2026 Kia EV9
• Units: 21,290 in the United States
• Build window: assembled at Kia's Georgia plant between May 17, 2024 and May 13, 2026
• Not affected: EV9s built at Kia's South Korea production facility

NHTSA estimates only about 6 percent of the recalled vehicles actually contain the physical defect. Kia will contact affected owners to schedule an inspection and repair at authorized dealerships.

Warning signs Canadian owners can watch for

Auto123, which first reported the absence of a Canadian recall campaign, notes two telltale symptoms of a failed bladder tube: an illuminated airbag warning light on the instrument cluster, or a seatbelt chime that keeps sounding even when the front passenger seatbelt is properly fastened. Either symptom on a 2025-2026 EV9 warrants a call to a Kia dealer.

Why Canada often follows the U.S. by weeks

Transport Canada runs its own defect investigation process, and cross-border recalls frequently arrive days or weeks after the NHTSA filing — or arrive with different population counts once Canadian-specific VINs are identified. Because this defect involves a U.S.-plant build window, the Canadian filing, when it comes, may be narrower than the American one. Until then, Canadian EV9 owners can check their VIN through Kia Canada's recall lookup or the Transport Canada recalls database, and keep children in the rear seats — the safest position regardless of this defect.

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