Kia recalls 145k Rondo, Optima models over airbag risks

This new Kia airbag recall specifically affects 2006-2008 model year Kia Optima sedans built between September 29th, 2005 and January 29th, 2008 as well as 2007-2008 model year Kia Rondo “MPVs” built between September 13th 2006 and March 21st, 2008. In total, 145,755 Kia vehicles could be affected by this airbag recall issue with 95,569 of those being Optima models while the other 50,186 included in the recall are Rondos.

The problem with the 2006-2008 Kia vehicles being recalled focuses on the clock spring; an internal component found in the steering wheel assembly. Kia has found that, over time, the clock spring assembly is likely to wear quickly and fail to the point of breaking and when that happens, the airbag warning light will come on and in the event of an accident – there is a good chance that the driver’s side airbag will not deploy. Needless to say, the driver’s side airbag not opening poses a serious safety risk so the NHTSA and Kia Motors have made the call to get these 145,000+ vehicles back to dealerships for repair.

Clock spring problems have become fairly common across all automakers, with reports of issues as minor as the horn sporadically honking but in many cases (like this one), the clock spring is a vital component of the driver’s side airbag system so if this issue is left unaddressed – it could post some serious issues. The good news is that although Kia has addressed several of these issues in the real world under warranty repairs, there have been no reports of injuries being caused by the airbags not opening as a result of the clock spring failure in 2006-2008 Kia Optima or 2007-2008 Kia Rondo models.

This new Kia Rondo and Kia Optima recall is expected to formally begin in March, at which point the owners of the 145,755 vehicles will be asked to return to their local Kia dealership where a technician will inspect and replace the clock spring as needed. For more information, owners of the affected Kia vehicles can contact Kia Customer Assistance Center at 1-800-333-4542 and inquire about recall campaign SC094.