Kia Needs To Fix The EV9’s Headliner As It’s Not Cushiony Enough

Kia has issued the third recall for the 2024 EV9 in the U.S. in the last two months. Initially recalled because it could lose power while driving and then a handful subsequently recalled over an unsecured seatbelt, the automaker is again recalling the EV9, this time due to a problem with the headliner.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recall notice, it’s been determined the EV9’s headliner may not absorb enough of the impact force of an occupant’s head during a crash. This means the EV9 fails to comply with specific Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard requirements and increases the risk of injury in a crash.

Read: 2026 Kia EV9 GT Debuts January With ‘Enormous Power’ And 0-60 In 4 Seconds

The recall involves 2,401 EV9s manufactured between September 25, 2023, and March 21, 2024, at Kia’s Gwangmyeong Autoland plant in Korea.

Kia became aware of a potential issue on May 25, 2024, during pre-production testing of the 2025 EV9, which recently went into production at Kia’s plant in Georgia. The company conducted compliance testing of the 2024 model built in Korea and, on May 28, determined that the headliner did not meet performance requirements. Kia is unaware of any reports of occupant head injuries caused by the headliner, nor does it know of any crashes or fatalities.

Dealerships were informed of the recall on June 10, and owners of impacted EV9s will be alerted from July 31, 2024. Kia has instructed dealerships to replace the impact-absorbing plates mounted on the headliner with improved ones to better cushion any impact. Any owner who has paid to have the issue fixed will be fully reimbursed. All EV9 models built from June 11 onwards will have the improved headliner.

Kia started production of the 2025 EV9 in Georgia at the end of May. It’s being built alongside the Telluride, Sorento, and Sportage.