NHTSA recall 18V363000
A recall listed here may apply to a vehicle of this year, make and model. Only the manufacturer can say whether it applies to one vehicle: check the VIN with the official lookups.
| Published by | NHTSA (United States) |
|---|---|
| Campaign number | 18V363000 |
| Manufacturer's number | SC165 |
| Manufacturer | Kia Motors America |
| Reported | 2018-06-01 |
| Owners notified | 2018-09-28 |
| Component | AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE |
| Units potentially affected | 507587 |
| Report | Quarterly report 7, for 2020 quarter 1 |
|---|---|
| Filed with NHTSA | 2020-05-11 |
| Vehicles in the campaign | 507587 |
| Reported remedied | 201060 (39%) |
| Reported unreachable | 55734 |
| Reported removed | 56087 |
These are the manufacturer's totals for the whole campaign at the end of 2020 quarter 1, as filed with NHTSA. They do not say whether one vehicle has been remedied: check the VIN with the official lookups. The reports are from data as of 2026-10-19.
What is wrong
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Forte Koup, 2011-2013 Kia Optima and 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrid and Sedona vehicles. In the event of a crash, the air bag control unit (ACU) may short circuit, preventing the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
What can happen
If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.
The remedy
Kia will notify owners. For model year 2011 Sedona vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to verify the ACU part number and, if necessary, install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU Connector and the Vehicle Harness Connector. For all other affected vehicles, Kia will instruct dealers to install the extension wire harness kit. The recall began September 28, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
| 2010 KIA FORTE | Built 2009-02-24 to 2012-08-31. |
|---|---|
| 2011 KIA FORTE | Built 2009-02-24 to 2012-08-31. |
| 2012 KIA FORTE | Built 2009-02-24 to 2012-08-31. |
| 2013 KIA FORTE | Built 2009-02-24 to 2012-08-31. |
| 2010 KIA FORTE KOUP | Built 2011-02-15 to 2012-08-31. Listed as a series or trim of this model. |
| 2011 KIA FORTE KOUP | Built 2011-02-15 to 2012-08-31. Listed as a series or trim of this model. |
| 2012 KIA FORTE KOUP | Built 2011-02-15 to 2012-08-31. Listed as a series or trim of this model. |
| 2013 KIA FORTE KOUP | Built 2011-02-15 to 2012-08-31. Listed as a series or trim of this model. |
| 2011 KIA OPTIMA | Built 2009-06-05 to 2012-08-31. |
| 2012 KIA OPTIMA | Built 2009-06-05 to 2012-08-31. |
| 2013 KIA OPTIMA | Built 2009-06-05 to 2012-08-31. |
| 2011 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID | Built 2009-02-24 to 2012-08-31. Listed as a series or trim of this model. |
| 2012 KIA OPTIMA HYBRID | Built 2009-02-24 to 2012-08-31. Listed as a series or trim of this model. |
| 2011 KIA SEDONA | Built 2010-08-12 to 2012-08-14. |
| 2012 KIA SEDONA | Built 2010-08-12 to 2012-08-14. |
A vehicle with no link is not in this site's catalog, which covers cars, multipurpose vehicles and trucks by model year. The campaign is from data as of 2026-10-19.
Investigated as PE18003
This recall followed 1 NHTSA investigation. An investigation is NHTSA looking into a possible defect. It is not a finding that a defect exists, and it does not say that any one vehicle is affected.
| PE18003 | Preliminary evaluation, opened 2018-03-16, closed 2019-08-30. Air bags may be disabled during crash. AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL; AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:PASSENGER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE; AIR BAGS; AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW; SEAT BELTS:PRETENSIONER. |
|---|
From NHTSA's investigation file, as of 2026-10-19. The JSON has NHTSA's summary of each.
Bulletins for the same vehicles and component
| TSB-073 | 2011-06-01. Service bulletin. KIA: INFORMATION ON REPLACING THE AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT. *RM |
|---|---|
| SC-081 | 2010-09-20. Service bulletin. KIA: AIRBAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU) REPROGRAM. INFORMATION RELATING TO AN UPGRADE OF THE FUNCTIONING OF THE LOGIC IN THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT IN SOME VEHICLES TO INCREASE THE RANGE OF IMPACTS IN WHICH THE SIDE AND CURTAIN AIRBAGS WILL DEPLOY. PROVIDES INFORMATION ON HOW TO REPROGRAM THE ACU. *PE |
A bulletin is the manufacturer's note to its dealers. It is not part of this recall.