Investigation PE09034: 2007–2008 Kia Sorento

Status

CLOSED

Opened

Jul 17, 2009

Closed

Nov 30, 2009

Model years

2007–2008

Subject

AIR BAG OCS

Component: Air bags › Frontal

Summary

Kia reports that for vehicles built prior to the software update of 11/27/2007, the vehicles can improperly classify an adult as a child restraint seat and thus illuminate the airbag off warning light and suppress the frontal passenger airbag.on may 12, 2009, kia launched a technical service bulletin (sb076) campaign to re-flash all vehicles built prior to the 11/27/2007 production date.kia also believes that intermittent occupant movement and out of position seating contributed to the high number of complaints.905 of the 947 complaints and 1,014 of the 1,107 warranty claims were associated with the 57,228 vehicles built prior to the 11/27/2007 production date.there was one frontal passenger airbag non-deployment crash that resulted in one minor injury of a belted adult passenger occupant.this preliminary evolution is being upgraded to an engineering analysis (ea09-017) to further assess this issue for all my2007-2008 sorento vehicles built prior to the 11/27/2007 production date.

An NHTSA investigation looks into whether a safety defect exists. Opening one is not a finding. Outcomes can include a recall, closure without action, or further inquiry.

Model years covered

• 2008 Kia Sorento217 complaints
• 2007 Kia Sorento154 complaints