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Kia has issued a recall for 12,400 EV9 models thought to be affected by a software glitch with the remote smart parking assist (RSPA) feature.
The feature, which parks the vehicle or summons it at the press of a button, relies on sensors to control speed, steering, and gears remotely. It’s present in a few other Kia models, such as the EV6, but the EV9 is reportedly the only vehicle to have experienced issues.
According to the recall notice lodged with the NHTSA, a reported issue with the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) software could cause a glitch with the RSPA, causing it to “miscalculate stopping distances.”
If the system fails to apply enough brake pressure when stopping frequently or traveling at under 2mph, it could cause a crash.
IEB Software Issue Identified After Collision in Korea
The issue was first identified in early September in Korea, when an EV9 using the RSPA feature collided with a parked car. Kia notified the NHTSA of the recall on September 17th.
Letters will be sent to affected owners on October 18th 2024, and a software update to the IEB with “improved logic” will be offered free of charge via Kia dealers.
Almost 13,900 of Kia’s EV9 electric SUVs have sold in the first eight months of 2024, making it one of the company’s most popular EVs.
Kia previously issued a recall in June for 2,400 2024 EV9 vehicles after it was found the headliner might not adequately protect passengers from impact in an accident. An earlier recall in May cited issues with the front passenger seatbelt retractor cover.
This is the first EV9 recall relating to a software glitch, and seems like an unusual bug. However, it should be a fairly simple fix that could prevent accidents.
