Hyundai Recalls 5,360 Ioniq 9 EVs Over Rear-Seat Safety Risk

The recall affects certain 2026 Hyundai Ioniq 9 vehicles equipped with the Limited, Calligraphy and Calligraphy Design trims. The safety campaign was filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) under recall number 26V588000.

Second-row seats may fail to detect an occupant

The problem involves the power-operated second-row seats and their control system. According to the recall information, the system may fail to properly detect a person when certain powered seat functions are activated, including the automatic folding and storage function.

If the system does not correctly detect an occupant, the seat could continue moving after making contact with a person. The NHTSA warns that an occupant, particularly a child, could become trapped by the moving seat and suffer injuries.

Until the repair is completed, Hyundai advises owners to exercise caution when operating the second-row seats and to keep children away from the seats and their range of movement while the powered mechanism is operating.

Software update will address the problem

Hyundai’s remedy involves checking the software version of the seat-control system and updating it when necessary. The repair will be performed at no cost to affected owners.

Depending on the vehicle, the software update may be completed through an over-the-air (OTA) update or at an authorized Hyundai dealership.

Owners can determine whether their vehicle is included in the recall by checking its vehicle identification number (VIN). According to the recall information, VIN-specific details became available through the NHTSA database on September 12, 2026.

Hyundai is scheduled to notify affected owners beginning November 9, 2026. The automaker has identified the campaign internally as recall 307.

Five consumer complaints linked to the defect

Recall documents indicate that Hyundai received five consumer complaints related to the issue. Two of those reports involved minor injuries.

The recall does not affect every Ioniq 9. It is limited to specific 2026 model-year vehicles and the trim levels identified in the safety campaign.

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What Ioniq 9 owners should do

Until the recall repair has been completed, owners should take extra care when using the electric folding functions of the rear seats. In particular, children should be kept away from the seats and their range of movement while the mechanism is operating.

Owners whose vehicles are included in the campaign will be able to have the necessary software update performed free of charge. Hyundai recommends checking the vehicle’s VIN and contacting an authorized dealer if the vehicle is affected.

The campaign underscores the role that software-controlled systems now play in vehicle safety, as functions that were traditionally mechanical are increasingly managed by electronic controls and software.