Kia Recalls More Than 400,000 Cars Over Faulty Airbags
» Posted February 9, 2022 • Resources | Share This Post
Airbags are important safety devices that can protect lives. That is, if they actually work.
Kia recently announced that it is recalling some 400,000 vehicles over shoddy airbags. The company says a defect may prevent the airbags from deploying in the recalled cars in the event of a crash.
Specifically, electrical circuits in the airbag control system may be damaged if the airbag control unit covers contact memory chips located on the circuit board, according to Kia. Airbag warning lights will illuminate in these situations and the airbags will not deploy, the company said.
“Non-deployment of an airbag in a crash where deployment is necessary increases the risk of injury,” Kia said in a defect notice filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The recall covers 2017 Kia Forte Koups, 2017-2018 Kia Fortes, 2017-2019 Kia Sedonas, 2017-2019 Kia Souls and 2017-2019 Kia Soul EVs.
The company plans to contact owners of recalled cars by late March, Kia said in the NHTSA notice. Owners will be asked to bring their cars to a local dealer, either for a software update or to have airbags replaced. Kia said it will also reimburse owners who have already come out of pocket to have the problem fixed.
Driving a Defective Kia? Here is What You Should Know
Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Kia has been forced to recall cars because of serious defects that put people’s safety at risk. These recalls often come long after vehicles have left the factory line and dealership lots and sold to unsuspecting buyers.
Kia and parent company Hyundai have recalled some 1.5 million vehicles in recent years, for example, over a rash of engine problems and reports of related car fires. The companies are now subject to a federal investigation over their handling of the problem.
The good news is that Kia and other defective car owners in California can fight back. The state’s lemon law provides you with a number of valuable rights and protections.
The Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act forces carmakers to do a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. The law also requires the companies to buy back cars that they are not able or refuse to fix. That includes compensating the owner for the vehicle’s purchase price, financing costs and other related expenses.
Although a car manufacturer can instead offer to replace the vehicle, it is the owner’s choice to accept or reject this alternative arrangement. An experienced Los Angeles lemon law attorney at our firm can help you understand your rights and explore your options.
Talk with a Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorney
If you are stuck with a lemon or locked in a dispute with a car manufacturer over repairs, the Los Angeles lemon law attorneys at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help.
Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a Los Angeles lemon law attorney.
