Kia has announced a new recall of certain 2012-2013 Optima vehicles. In total, the recall includes more than 250,000 units. At the heart of the concern are headliner plates which are part of the energy-absorbing structure. If they’re not secured properly they could become an additional hazard in the event of a crash.
Kia first learned of the potential issue back in May of this year when its legal department received a lawsuit alleging that a metal bracket injured a driver during the deployment of a side curtain airbag in a 2012 Optima. By late June, the company had determined that indeed, the bracket was loose in the passenger compartment and that it may have potentially detached during the crash.
Over the course of the next few weeks, Kia analyzed field data to determine whether or not this was an isolated incident. They found that while there were no other incidents just like the one that triggered the investigation, there is a chance that many Optimas lack sufficient adhesive on that headliner plate.
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To that end, Kia is recalling 257,998 Optimas built at Kia’s Georgia plant from August 12, 2011, through September 27, 2013. To remedy the situation, Kia will have its dealers install industrial-grade adhesive over the left and right headliner plates to further secure them to the headliner itself. This same adhesive was used from the start of the 2014 model year Optima so those vehicles are exempt.
Kia will begin notifying owners beginning on September 26 and dealers will be provided with full details of the recall on September 22. As noted above, only one incident involving the detached headliner is currently known of. No other injuries of any kind have taken place as a result of the headliner plates.
This might seem like a lot of energy and effort over a single incident, and for Kia, it will be costly, but it’s the right thing to do when a component meant to help reduce injury could potentially be to blame for causing one. Those unsure if their personal vehicle is affected can contact either the NHTSA or their local Kia dealer to confirm.
