Kia has issued a recall for more than 128,000 2014 Soul hatchbacks to correct a problem that can keep their airbags from deploying in an accident.
These vehicles have two front impact sensors, one on the left side of the bumper and one on the right. In a rare event, a severe collision can disable them both before they manage to communicate a problem to the Airbag Control Unit (ACU). This means that, in a particularly severe frontal collision, the airbags might not deploy.
Kia is aware of this failure happening only once, in a single, non-fatal 2019 accident. But the risk is great enough to justify a recall campaign.
Dealers will fix the problem with a software update that enables airbag deployment “even if communication from both left and right front impact sensors to the ACU is lost early in the crash sequence.”
Recall repairs are free.
Many cars are recalled by their manufacturer at some point, often years after sale. Automakers try to contact every owner to ask them to bring the car in. Inevitably, some slip through the cracks. You can see whether your car has ever been recalled at our recall center.
