Recall 21V164000 scope
Recall 21V164000
ALAMO THERMO KING EQUIPMENT CORP. • AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE • reported Mar 11, 2021 • • 142 units affected
View official record on NHTSA.gov · federal source of truth
- Campaign
- 21V164000
- Manufacturer
- ALAMO THERMO KING EQUIPMENT CORP.
- Component
- AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE
- Make
- KIA
- Model Years
- 2021
- Affected Units
- 142
- Country
- US
- Data As Of
- Apr 5, 2026
What this recall is about, in plain English
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child. Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge.
Synthesized from the NHTSA defect summary, consequence, and remedy fields shown below.
This recall describes a safety risk and the remedy is still pending. Affected vehicles should be parked or driven only as needed until the manufacturer issues guidance. Always verify directly with the manufacturer or your dealer using the campaign number.
How serious is this recall vs others?
Each card compares this campaign against an NHTSA-derived peer baseline. Cards omit themselves when the denominator is too thin to be useful.
Risk Summary (Consequence)
In the event of a crash, deployment of the front passenger air bag, with a child in that seat, can increase the risk of injury to the child.
Defect Summary
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2021 Telluride, K5, and Forte vehicles. The Occupant Classification and Detection System (OCS/ODS) unit may not detect the presence of a child restraint system in the front passenger seat. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the OCS/ODS unit, free of charge. The recall began March 18, 2021. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC207.
Key Dates
Affected Vehicles
3 vehicles under this recall
Official Sources & Documents
Links to NHTSA.gov and Part 573 recall reports when available — hosted by NHTSA, not TruckCodex
Documents hosted on nhtsa.gov. Links open in a new tab.
Recalls Affecting the Same Makes
Campaigns touching KIA from other manufacturers (last 3 years)
| Campaign | Component | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 26V430000 | SEATS | 462,869 |
| 26V431000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 8 |
| 26V356000 | SEAT BELTS | 6,264 |
| 26V232000 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 141,032 |
| 26V173000 | SEATS | 568 |
| 26V135000 | SEAT BELTS | 14,870 |
| 26V105000 | SEATS | 85,515 |
| 26V046000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 42,677 |
| 25V874000 | ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 5,046 |
| 25V794000 | FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE | 250,547 |
Related NHTSA Investigations
Investigations opened by ODI covering the same manufacturer or make (KIA) in the last 3 years
Related NHTSA Complaints
Consumer complaints for the same make, model, and year within two years of the recall report date
Of 249 related complaints, the most reported components are Visibility/Wiper (49), Unknown Or Other (38), Electrical System (20).
How to Act on This Recall
- Owners: Contact your authorized dealer to schedule the remedy at no cost. Remedy is covered under 49 U.S.C. 30120.
- Fleets: See the Fleet Recall Workflow Guide for the operator workflow to sweep your VIN list against this and other open campaigns.
- Looking up a specific VIN? Check VIN against NHTSA for open recalls on that vehicle.
- NHTSA contact: Vehicle Safety Hotline 1-888-327-4236.
How to verify your vehicle is affected
- Find your VIN. Locate your 17-character Vehicle Identification Number on the lower-left corner of your windshield, on the driver's-door jamb sticker, or on your vehicle registration. The VIN is the only reliable way to confirm whether a specific vehicle falls under a recall — make/model/year alone is not enough.
- Check your VIN on this site. Enter the VIN at /vin/ to see every open recall tied to your specific vehicle, including 21V164000. Our lookup pulls directly from the NHTSA recall database and refreshes daily.
- Cross-reference with the official NHTSA recall search. For a second source of truth, run the same VIN through https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. If both this site and NHTSA show the same campaign as open for your VIN, it applies — schedule the repair.
- Contact your dealer if affected. Bring the campaign number, your VIN, and your registration to an authorized dealer for the make. The dealer performs the remedy at no cost. If you've already paid for a related repair, bring the receipt — the manufacturer is required to reimburse pre-recall repairs that addressed the same defect.
Frequently asked questions about recall 21V164000
What does this recall mean for me as a vehicle owner? ▾
Is this recall under remedy yet? ▾
How do I find out if my specific VIN is affected? ▾
Who pays for the recall remedy? ▾
What if I've already had repair work done that addresses this issue? ▾
How do I check the recall status by VIN? ▾
What if this recall isn't fixed and I sell the vehicle? ▾
Where can I see all recalls for KIA FORTE 2021? ▾
Related
Data sources & freshness
TruckCodex aggregates official public-sector datasets. See the Source registry for dataset-level coverage and the Freshness log for last-import timestamps.
Census, SAFER, SMS, Licensing & Insurance (L&I), roadside inspections, crashes, and authority history.
Vehicle recall campaigns, defect investigations, and consumer safety complaints (SCRS).
Cross-border carrier registry and Canadian recall campaigns where applicable.
TruckCodex is an independent aggregator; it is not affiliated with FMCSA, NHTSA, EIA, or Transport Canada. Always verify compliance-critical information directly with the originating agency.