Recalls (2)
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for the 2026 Kia EV9. Check whether yours was repaired with NHTSA's free VIN lookup ↗
Only NHTSA and your automaker know whether your specific car was repaired. PlainVIN shows every recall campaign listed for a model year, with the official text and how many cars have been fixed so far.
Check on NHTSA ↗Occupant Detection System May Fail to Suppress Air Bag/FMVSS 208
- Summary
- Kia America, Inc (Kia) is recalling certain 2025-2026 EV9 vehicles. Due to improper routing, the Occupant Detection System (ODS) may not deactivate the air bag when a child or child seat is in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
- Consequence
- A child in the front seat may be at a greater risk of injury if the air bag deploys during a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and replace the ODS mat and bladder tube with a new one and ensure proper routing as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters will be mailed beginning October 20, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC379. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 4, 2026.
Instrument Panel Display Failure/FMVSS 101, 138
- Summary
- Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2025 Kia K4, 2025-2026 Sorento, Sorento Hybrid, Sorento Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV), 2026 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage PHEV, K5, EV9, Carnival, and Carnival Hybrid vehicles. Due to a software error, the instrument panel display may fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Controls and Displays" and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
- Consequence
- An instrument panel display that fails to show critical safety information, such as the speedometer, tire pressure, or warning lights, increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- The instrument panel display software will be updated over-the-air (OTA) or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed March 26, 2026. Owners may contact Kia Customer Service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC361. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on February 9, 2026.
PlainVIN shows public government records for education. It isn't a vehicle inspection or legal advice. Check your own VIN with NHTSA or your dealer.
Owner complaints (26)
26 complaints filed with NHTSA (owner reports, not verified findings). The electrical system is mentioned most often.
As reported by owners in their complaints. These are reports, not NHTSA findings.
Most-reported components
| Component | Complaints | % of 26 |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 12 | 46.2% |
| Unknown or other | 5 | 19.2% |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 3 | 11.5% |
| Steering | 3 | 11.5% |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 11.5% |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 11.5% |
| Wheels | 3 | 11.5% |
| Structure | 2 | 7.7% |
| Air bags | 1 | 3.8% |
| Engine | 1 | 3.8% |
How 2026 compares with other EV9 years
Best and worst EV9 years →| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 208 | 7 |
| 2025 | 20 | 4 |
| 2026 | 26 | 2 |
Counts are owner reports, not failure rates. Higher sales years tend to draw more reports. Owners are still filing reports for recent model years, so these counts will grow. Source: NHTSA ODI, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Crash tests: 5 stars overall
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP), 2026 Kia EV9 suv awd, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.
Fuel economy: up to 89 mpg combined
- EPA annual fuel cost
- $850
- CO₂ tailpipe
- —
- EPA class
- Standard Sport Utility Vehicle
What it costs you to run
Miles ÷ 89 mpg × $4.354 (EIA US average regular, week of Oct 5, 2026, all taxes included). Source: EPA · EIA.
EPA label estimates from lab tests; your mileage will vary.
Specs by configuration
| Engine · transmission | Drive | City / Hwy / Comb | EPA $/yr | CO₂ g/mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric · Automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 100 / 78 / 89 | $850 | — |
| Electric · Automatic | Rear-Wheel Drive | 101 / 76 / 88 | $850 | — |
| Electric · Automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 94 / 75 / 84 | $900 | — |
| Electric · Automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 92 / 72 / 82 | $900 | — |
| Electric · Automatic | All-Wheel Drive | 83 / 72 / 78 | $950 | — |
Source: EPA fuel economy data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026. Configurations are listed when EPA and NHTSA records match.
Looking at a 2026 EV9 for sale?
Print a one-page buyer's checklist: each recall campaign with a box to tick when the seller shows proof of repair, the top complaint areas to inspect, crash stars, MPG, and a link back to this page.
Where to next
2026 Kia EV9 FAQ
How many recalls does the 2026 Kia EV9 have?
NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns: 26V545000 (air bag), 26V046000 (electrical). Use NHTSA's VIN lookup to see whether a specific car was repaired.
What are the most common 2026 Kia EV9 problems?
Owners filed 26 complaints with NHTSA. Electrical system (12), Unknown or other (5), Fuel/propulsion system (3) are mentioned most. These are owner reports, not verified findings.
What mpg does the 2026 Kia EV9 get?
EPA rates the Electric · Automatic version at 100 city, 78 highway and 89 combined mpg. Other configurations are listed in the fuel economy section.
What safety rating did the 2026 Kia EV9 get?
NHTSA rated the 2026 Kia EV9 suv awd 5 stars overall, with 4 stars frontal, 5 stars side and 4 stars rollover (10.7% rollover risk).
How this page was madeSources, processing, limits, review and changes
Data sources
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - US DOT recall completion rates (data.transportation.gov)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA ODI owner complaints
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - NHTSA NCAP 5-Star Safety Ratings
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EPA fuel economy data (licence confirmation pending)
Retrieved Oct 6, 2026 - EIA weekly retail gasoline prices
Weekly, all taxes included
Processing
- Complaints are counted per component. One complaint can list several, so component totals add up to more than the total.
- Fuel cost = miles per year ÷ EPA combined mpg × EIA weekly price for your region.
Limitations
- Complaint counts are owner reports, not verified findings or failure rates. There is no sales denominator.
- Recall campaigns are listed for the model year. Only NHTSA and the automaker know whether a specific car was repaired.
- Recent model years are still collecting reports.
Review
Data compiled automatically from the official files listed here.
Changelog
- 2026-10-06 Data refreshed from the official files.