Potential "Smaht Pahk" Problem Leads Kia To Recall the New EV9

by Chris Teague

Published: September 25th, 2024

potential smaht pahk problem leads kia to recall the new ev9

Hyundai and Kia’s Remote Smart Parking Assist (AKA “Smaht Pahk” or RSPA) helps drivers remotely park their vehicles in tight spaces, but a recent recall shows that it might not work perfectly all the time. Kia is recalling the EV9 over concerns that a software glitch could lead to a malfunction in the parking assistance feature and cause a fender-bender.

The recall involves 12,400 2024 EV9 SUVs, with Kia noting that the software glitch could prevent the vehicle from stopping while the RSPA system is active. RSPA’s sensors guide steering inputs, throttle, and braking to remotely move the vehicle into and out of parking spots, but the glitch causes errors in the integrated electronic braking system (IEB), leading to a failure of brake application at speeds less than two mph. While the resulting collision would likely be minor at those speeds, there’s no such thing as a “good” crash.

Kia’s first recorded incident related to the error came earlier this month from Korea, where an EV9’s RSPA system failed to stop the vehicle, causing a collision with a nearby parked vehicle.

The automaker will notify owners by mail by October 18. Luckily, the fix is a simple one, only requiring a software update with “improved logic.” If you own a 2024 Kia EV9 and have questions, Kia’s customer service center can be reached at 1-800-333-4542. Reference recall number SC324 when calling.

[Images: Kia]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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3 of 13 comments

Redapple2 on Sep 25, 2024
Resident HK hater here. Man they make good looking stuff. Compare a random HK to the -gm- style leader; the Lyricmedusa. HK has cohesive style - each model different yet handsome, compared with a jarring jumble of shocking discordant triangles, slashes and rhombi.

1 Reply
- 28-Cars-Later on Sep 25, 2024
  *Nods while drinking Hateorade*.
  
  Like
- Ash78 on Sep 25, 2024
  At least they're cohesive now...for almost a decade there was no single design language, it was just a mess. But glad to hear I'm not the only Lyriq hater. Man, that thing is fugly -- and they're keeping that design going with future models. Sad because their ICE cars are all really well designed.
  
  Like
ToolGuy on Sep 25, 2024
Learn to park, people.

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