Recall 11V473 affects 10,631 2007-2008 Kia Sorento vehicles for passenger air bag shutoff from seat-sensor misclassification. Repair is free at any franchised Kia dealer.
Kia is recalling 10,631 2007-2008 Sorento vehicles under recall 11V473 because the occupant classification system can mistake an adult in the front passenger seat for a child or child seat and turn off the passenger air bag. With that air bag off, the passenger loses air bag protection in some frontal crashes, which raises injury risk; the Kia dealer repair will be free once available.
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What's wrong?
The front passenger air bag in the 2007-2008 Kia Sorento depends on the occupant classification system, or OCS, under the passenger seat. That system reads the seat occupant and decides whether the passenger air bag stays active or is turned off. It is supposed to turn the air bag off only when the seat is empty, holding a child restraint, or occupied by a child or small adult.
In NHTSA campaign 11V473, the OCS can classify an adult passenger as a child or child seat. When that happens, the system improperly turns off the passenger-side air bag. The filing does not identify a deeper mechanical cause, so the important point for owners is the result: an adult passenger does not get the intended front air bag protection.
There is no warning sign before failure. Once the system has turned the air bag off, the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" light illuminates on the center instrument panel.
Who's affected?
Both model years use the same front air bag component.
| 2007 Kia Sorento | front air bag |
|---|---|
| 2008 Kia Sorento | front air bag |
| Units affected | 10,631 |
The year and model narrow the scope, but the VIN decides. Check your VIN to confirm whether your specific SUV is included.
What's the safety risk?
When the occupant classification system misclassifies an adult passenger, the passenger-side air bag turns off. That leaves the front passenger without passenger air bag protection in some frontal collisions and increases injury risk. Schedule the dealer software update promptly. Repair will be free at any franchised Kia dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2007-2008 Kia Sorento is included in this recall.
- Contact a franchised Kia dealer to ask about service campaign SC076 and the free OCS control module programming update that fixes the passenger air bag classification problem.
- Bring the recall notice if Kia mailed one. Reference recall number 11V473 when you call.
- Watch the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" light when an adult sits in the front passenger seat, and avoid carrying an adult there until the dealer checks the OCS.
What happens at the repair
At the dealer, a Kia technician updates the programming in the Sorento occupant classification system control module. That module decides how the front passenger seat occupant is classified, which affects whether the passenger air bag stays active. The recall repair is free. The remedy text says the programming update is available under Kia service campaign SC076, so ask the Kia dealer to handle recall 11V473 when you schedule service.
Timeline
| September 7, 2011 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| September 30, 2011 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 11V473?
Recall 11V473 covers 10,631 2007-2008 Kia Sorento vehicles with an occupant classification system defect in the front passenger seat. The system can misclassify an adult passenger and turn off the passenger air bag. Kia will update the Sorento OCS control module programming for free.
What should I do if my 2007-2008 Kia Sorento is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific Sorento is included in recall 11V473. If it is, contact a franchised Kia dealer and ask for the OCS control module programming update under Service Campaign SC076. Reference recall 11V473 when you call.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost, and Kia says it will update the Sorento OCS control module programming at no charge. The work is handled through a franchised Kia dealer.
What is the safety risk?
The risk is reduced front-passenger air-bag protection in some frontal collisions. If the OCS misclassifies an adult passenger, the passenger-side air bag turns off, increasing the risk of occupant injury for that person.
What warning signs should I watch for?
Watch for the "PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF" light on the center instrument panel when an adult is sitting in the front passenger seat. If that light is on with an adult passenger seated there, contact a Kia dealer about recall 11V473.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/11V473000 |
|---|---|
| Kia customer service | 1-800-333-4542 |
| NHTSA recall # | 11V473 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 11V473000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Defect / Noncompliance Notice (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on June 2, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →