Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Rio and Forte vehicles. A bolt in the steering column may not be secured properly, which can cause the steering column to detach from the steering rack and result in a loss of steering control.
Safety risk
Loss of steering control can increase the risk of a crash.
Manufacturer remedy
Dealers will tighten the lower steering column u-joint retention bolt, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 27, 2022. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall SC235.
Air bags: sensor: occupant classification: front passenger
Manufacturer
Kia Motors America
Vehicles affected
142
Reported to NHTSA
2021-03-11
Owners notified
2021-03-18
Defect description
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Safety risk
In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Manufacturer remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
Owner complaints
A complaint is one person's report to a federal agency. It is not a finding.
Component
Complaints
Median mileage
Engine
22
93,532 mi
Unknown or other
18
3,000 mi
Steering
8
—
Air bags
7
—
Electrical system
7
—
Power train
6
—
Seat belts
4
—
Fuel/propulsion system
3
—
Structure: body
3
—
Tires
3
—
Forward collision avoidance: warnings
2
—
Lane departure: assist
2
—
Tires: pressure monitoring and regulating systems
2
—
Electrical system: ignition: anti-theft: control module
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc
1
—
Service brakes, hydraulic: foundation components: disc: caliper
1
—
Steering: steering wheel/handle bar
1
150,000 mi
Vehicle speed control
1
—
Visibility/wiper
1
2,100 mi
The 2020 model has roughly the same number of complaints as this one. The 2022 model has 2 times as many complaints as this one. These figures reflect raw complaint counts, not failure rates. Higher-selling model years naturally receive more complaints.
Safety recall repairs are provided free of charge by franchised dealers, regardless of vehicle age or mileage. This page displays aggregated data for the model year. To check recall status for a specific vehicle, search its VIN at nhtsa.gov.
