A Kia airbag recall is no active for 146,000 Optima and Rondo vehicles. The driver’s side airbag may not activate because of deterioration of an electronic part, Kia Motors America said in a required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
If the so called clock spring contact assembly becomes damaged, the driver’s air bag electrical circuit will have high resistance condition, which will cause the “AIR BAG” warning lamp on the instrument panel to illuminate. It’s possible the resistance would prevent the air bag from inflating in an accident.
The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2012. Owners may contact KIA at 1-800-333-4542 about Kia airbag recall number SC094. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or http://www.safercar.gov.
