After telling owners to park their cars outside for fear of fire, South Korean automaker Kia is facing yet another recall. This time, it relates to headliner plates and the adhesive holding them in place failing if you’re in a crash.
According to the NHTSA, Kia will recall 257,998 Optima sedans sold between 2012 and 2013. The defect affects every Optima car manufactured at Kia’s Georgia plant between August 2011 and September 2013.
Kia says that these plates are part of the car’s energy absorbing structure, but they may detach if the airbag is deployed during a collision. The issue has all to “potentially insufficient adhesive applied to the headliner plates.” CarScoops reports:
“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.”
To ensure that nobody else is injured by the faulty part, Kia will begin notifying owners of the defect. They will then be instructed to bring the cars into dealers, who will add “industrial-grade adhesive tape” over the affected headliner plates.
The automaker will also reimburse owners for repair expenses already incurred in accordance with its reimbursement plant.
This is the latest recall to hit the 2013 Kia Optima, which has seven other alerts currently in place. As well as the faulty headliner, the 2013 Optima is also susceptible to a faulty electronic control unit, fuel hose leaks, front airbag issues and bearing wear on the engine.
To check if your vehicle has been affected, you can read our Recall Guide here or visit the NHTSA’s website.