Kia Motors America, Inc.
Corporate Headquarters
111 Peters Canyon Road, Irvine, CA 92606-1790 USA

2011-2015 MY Sorento Occupant Detection System (ODS) Sensor Pad
New Vehicle Limited Warranty Extension
PLEASE KEEP THIS LETTER IN THE GLOVEBOX OF THE VEHICLE
September 29, 2020
Dear Kia Sorento Owner:
Kia is extending the warranty coverage for the front passenger Occupant Detection System (ODS) Sensor
Pad to 15 years with unlimited mileage, starting from the date your vehicle was first put into service.
The ODS Sensor Pad is designed to detect the presence of a properly seated front passenger and
determine if the passenger’s front air bag should be enabled (may inflate) or not. The ODS Sensor Pad
can become damaged from liquids being spilled repeatedly onto the seat. If this occurs, Kia’s system is
designed to illuminate the airbag warning light
on the instrument panel to alert you of a potential
problem with your airbag system so that you can have the system inspected and repaired as soon as
possible. The passenger’s front airbag is a ‘low risk deployment’ airbag that complies with Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standard 208, meaning it has a reduced deployment strength for occupants in close
proximity to the air bag. Despite being a low risk deployment airbag, if the airbag warning light is
illuminated and the vehicle continues to be driven without being repaired, the front passenger airbag will
deploy in a frontal impact regardless of whether the seat is occupied or not.
What You Should Do:
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CHECK THE AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT. It is easy to check your airbag system. Start your
Sorento vehicle’s engine, and observe the airbag warning light on the instrument panel. The location
of the airbag warning light is further described in the Airbag section of your Owner’s Manual. The
airbag light should illuminate for 6 seconds while the control unit is being checked. The light should
then go off and remain off while operating the vehicle if no problems are detected.
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AIRBAG SYSTEM FUNCTIONS PROPERLY. If the airbag warning light
operates as
described above, you do not need to contact your Kia dealer. However, place this letter in
your glove compartment as a record of the extended warranty this letter provides.

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AIRBAG SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. If the airbag warning light
remains
illuminated after the engine has been on for more than 6 seconds, or if the light comes on by
itself later, contact your Kia dealer to schedule a system diagnosis to determine if the ODS
Sensor Pad needs replacement as soon as possible. You will not be charged for this
diagnosis, regardless of the condition causing the light to illuminate.

REVIEW THE WARNINGS IN THE OCCUPANT DETECTION SYSTEM (ODS) SECTION OF THE
OWNER’S MANUAL AND ON THE BACKSIDE OF THE SUNVISOR IN THE VEHICLE
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DO NOT seat a child under the age of 12 in the front passenger seat.
DO NOT place any electronic device on or near the seat cushion as it may defeat the proper
functioning of the ODS.
DO NOT place sharp objects on the front passenger seat as they may damage the ODS, in
which case, the Sensor Pad will not be covered under this extended warranty.

To find your nearest dealer, visit www.kia.com and click the “Find Dealer” button in the upper right
corner (“Dealers” on a mobile device). You can also use the QR code below with your mobile device to
access this information (see the bottom of this letter for more information about QR code use):

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RETAIN THIS LETTER IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT OF YOUR KIA VEHICLE. Place this letter
in your glove compartment, preferably together with your vehicle’s other warranty information.
When seeking service due to an airbag warning light illumination, refer this letter to your serving
dealer. If you sell your vehicle, ensure that you include this letter with the documents you provide to
the buyer.

Warranty Extension Coverage:
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If, at any time within the extended warranty period, the airbag warning light is illuminated, your Kia
dealership will diagnose the cause at no cost to you.

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If the diagnosis indicates the condition is caused by a failed ODS Sensor Pad, Kia will replace it at no
cost to you, provided the Sensor Pad has not been damaged due to misuse as outlined in the
vehicle’s owner’s manual. If another issue exists with your airbag system, you will be advised of that
condition and of the expense of the repair needed to correct the condition.

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NOTE: This extended warranty coverage is separate from and does not affect the prior
warranty extension for the driver’s side clock-spring assembly/airbag light on issue that
you received notification of in June 2016.

What If You Have Already Paid To Have This Situation Corrected?
If you have experienced this issue and repaired it at your own expense prior to the date of this notice,
you may have the opportunity to obtain reimbursement for that expense whether or not you still own the
vehicle. You may submit your receipts online to Kia via the Owners section of www.kia.com or mail your
receipts with the enclosed Request for Reimbursement Form directly to Kia for review and consideration:
Consumer Assistance Center
Kia Motors America, Inc.
P.O. Box 52410
Irvine, CA 92619-2410
1-800-333-4542
Kia will review and respond to your claim within sixty (60) days of receipt. Kia may either accept or
reject the claim, or it may request more information to evaluate the claim.
Have You Changed Your Address or Sold Your Kia?
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If you have changed your home address or no longer own your vehicle, please complete the enclosed
prepaid “Change of Address/Ownership” card and mail it to us. You can also contact the Consumer
Assistance Center phone number listed above.
What If You Have Other Questions?
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Should you have any questions regarding this warranty extension or if your dealer does not respond
to your service request in a timely manner, please contact Kia’s Consumer Assistance Center at 1800-333-4542 (Monday through Friday, 5AM to 6PM, Pacific Standard Time), or through the Owners
section of www.kia.com.
We hope that this warranty extension demonstrates Kia’s commitment to your safety. If you have any
questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Consumer Affairs Department
QR Code Use:
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A QR Code is a square, 2-dimensional barcode that can be read by mobile devices loaded with an appropriate barcode
or QR Code Reader App. The app reads the barcode image and then launches/uploads the specific information the
code contains, such as URLs, text, photos, videos.
With a mobile device, download a QR Code Reader App. With many devices, you can do this through an app store or
marketplace.
Open the QR Code Reader App on your mobile device. The app will utilize your device’s camera. Center the
code in the camera viewing area. With some apps, the URL or other information will automatically load when the code
is recognized. For others, you may have to snap or take a picture of the QR code. Refer to the QR Reader Code App
instructions.

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