Kia is recalling 507,587 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Optima, Optima Hybrid, and Sedona vehicles for ACU short circuits. Free repair at Kia dealers.
Kia is recalling 507,587 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Optima, Optima Hybrid, and Sedona vehicles because a crash can short circuit the air bag control unit. If that happens, the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners can fail to deploy, raising injury risk; Kia dealers will complete the repair free once the remedy is available.
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What's wrong?
The air bag control unit in the 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Sedona, Optima, Optima Hybrid, and Forte Koup is the electronic controller for the Advanced Airbag System. It reads crash sensor signals and commands the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners. Pretensioners tighten the belts at the start of a crash so the restraint system can hold occupants in position.
In affected vehicles, a component inside the control unit, called an ASIC, lacks enough circuit protection against electrical overstress. Electrical overstress is a damaging surge or load in the circuit. During certain frontal crash events, that internal component can short circuit, which stops the control unit from sending the deploy command to the frontal air bags and pretensioners.
What makes this hard for an owner is that the failure is tied to the crash event itself. There is no warning sign before failure. The vehicle can appear normal before a crash, even though the control unit is vulnerable under the crash condition described in recall 18V363.
Who's affected?
Spans 5 Kia nameplates across the 2010-2013 model years, all tied to the air bag control module.
| 2010 Kia Forte | air bag system |
|---|---|
| 2011 Kia Sedona | air bag system |
| 2011 Kia Optima | air bag system |
| 2011 Kia Forte | air bag system |
| 2012 Kia Forte | air bag system |
| 2012 Kia Sedona | air bag system |
| 2012 Kia Optima | air bag system |
| 2013 Kia Forte | air bag system |
| 2013 Kia Optima | air bag system |
| 2011 Kia Optima Hybrid | air bag system |
| 2012 Kia Optima Hybrid | air bag system |
| 2012 Kia Forte Koup | air bag system |
| 2013 Kia Forte Koup | air bag system |
| 2010 Kia Forte Koup | air bag system |
| 2011 Kia Forte Koup | air bag system |
| Units affected | 507,587 |
A matching year and model does not guarantee inclusion. Check your VIN to confirm whether this recall applies to your specific vehicle.
What's the safety risk?
If the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, occupants face a higher injury risk in a crash that needs those systems. Keep using seat belts, avoid delaying service, and arrange the recall repair once Kia opens it and your VIN is included. Repair will be free at any franchised Kia dealer once available.
What should I do?
- Check your VIN to confirm your 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Sedona, Optima, Optima Hybrid, or Forte Koup is included in this recall.
- Contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542 if you never received the owner notice mailed September 28, 2018.
- Ask a franchised Kia dealer about the free ACU connector wire harness repair that prevents a short circuit from disabling the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners.
- Reference recall number 18V363 and Kia recall SC165 when you call.
- Drive with extra caution until the repair is complete, because this recall involves air bags and seat belt pretensioners that protect occupants in a crash.
What happens at the repair
Kia has described the dealer work, but this recall is still listed as under development. Once the final dealer repair is available, a Kia technician will check the air bag control unit part number on 2011 Sedona vehicles and install an extension wire harness kit between the ACU connector and the vehicle harness connector when needed. For the other affected Forte, Forte Koup, Optima, Optima Hybrid, and Sedona vehicles, the Kia technician will install the extension wire harness kit. Parts and labor will be free once the repair opens. Kia's standard reimbursement plan covers repair expenses owners already paid for this issue. Contact Kia customer service with repair documentation to claim reimbursement.
| Reimbursement | Reimbursement available |
|---|
Timeline
| June 1, 2018 | NHTSA published the recall |
|---|---|
| July 24, 2018 | Dealer notification began |
| July 24, 2018 | Dealer notification ended |
| July 27, 2018 | Interim owner notification (was planned for this date) |
| September 28, 2018 | Owner notification mailed |
Frequently asked questions
What is recall 18V363?
Recall 18V363 covers 507,587 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Sedona, Optima, Optima Hybrid, and Forte Koup vehicles with an air bag control unit issue. In a crash, the unit can short circuit and stop the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying.
What should I do if my 2010-2013 Kia Forte, Sedona, Optima, Optima Hybrid, or Forte Koup is on this recall?
Check your VIN to confirm your specific vehicle is included in recall 18V363. If it is, contact a franchised Kia dealer and reference recall 18V363 or Kia recall SC165. The dealer will follow Kia's repair instructions for the air bag control unit harness.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Federal recall law requires the manufacturer to repair the defect at no cost. Kia dealers will inspect the affected 2011 Sedona ACU part number when required and install the extension wire harness kit for covered vehicles free of charge.
What is the safety risk?
The safety risk is reduced crash protection. If the air bag control unit shorts during a crash, the frontal air bags and seat belt pretensioners can fail to deploy when those systems are needed, increasing injury risk for occupants.
What if I bought my Kia used?
The free recall repair still applies. Recall coverage follows the vehicle, not the first owner. Check your VIN to confirm whether your Forte, Sedona, Optima, Optima Hybrid, or Forte Koup is included, then call a franchised Kia dealer with recall 18V363 or Kia recall SC165.
More information
| NHTSA campaign page | nhtsa.gov/vehicle-recalls/18V363000 |
|---|---|
| Kia customer service | 1-800-333-4542 |
| NHTSA recall # | 18V363 |
| NHTSA recall # (full) | 18V363000 |
Source documents
-
Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF) - Download Recall Investigation Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notification Letter (PDF)
- Download Misc. Document (PDF)
- Download Recall Document (PDF) (PDF)
- Download Owner Notice (PDF)
- Download Recall Report (PDF)
- Download Quarterly Report (PDF)
- Download Recall Acknowledgement (PDF)
This article is generated from NHTSA's primary recall filings and reviewed against the source on May 25, 2026. RecallNotify does not paraphrase NHTSA's consequence language; that text is reproduced as written above. Editorial standards →