Kia EV9 Recalled Over Issue With Remote Parking Assist – Are You Affected?

The EV9 is the flagship 7-seat electric SUV from the Korean auto giant which has gained a lot of traction in recent times

The Kia EV9 electric SUV has been recalled due to a faulty Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) function. The EV boasts loads of modern tech and convenience amenities to pamper the customers. Needless to say, modern EVs are, essentially, gadgets on wheels. Hence, they are equipped with creative tech features to make the lives of the owners easier. The Remote Parking Assist is one such function which allows drivers to park out of or into a tight space without the need to be present inside the car.

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Kia EV9 Recalled Over Faulty Remote Parking Assist Function

Kia has recalled 12,400 electric SUVs in the U.S. As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Integrated Electronic Brake (IEB) software encountered an error which negatively affects the stopping distances of the EV9 when the driver repeatedly stops the car using the remote at or less than approximately 2 mph. In such a scenario, the EV9 was found applying insufficient brake pressure which could cause injuries to the people standing in the car’s way or other objects.

The EVs manufactured between September 25, 2023, and May 28, 2024, have been affected by this recall. Vehicles post that already received the updated IEB software. In order to fix this issue, the owners will need to visit their nearest Kia dealership. With a software update, the logic will be improved to apply high pressure in every situation when the RSPA is used. As we have seen in the past, most issues with modern EVs go away with software tweaks.

The Kia EV9 starts at $54,900 MSRP in the U.S. It comes with two battery packs – 76.1 kWh and 99.8 kWh. The EPA-est. range varies between 230 miles / 370 km (RWD) to 304 miles / 489 km (Long Range RWD). There are single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD configurations on offer. The power and torque figures range from 201 hp / 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) to 379 hp / 516 lb-ft (700 Nm). In the most aggressive settings, the acceleration from 0 to 60 mph (97 kmph) comes up in just 5 seconds. Using a 350 kW DC ultra-fast charger, you can juice up the batteries in just 20 mins (10-80%).

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Learn Electric Cars Says

This latest issue is a perfect example of how EVs these days can be fixed without the need to do extensive mechanical work, for the most part. Having so many electronics in a car certainly allows everything to be monitored via softwares, semi-conductors and ECUs. In fact, in some electric cars, most problems are addressed via OTA (Over-the-Air) updates alone. This will become a norm as EVs become more popular.