NHTSA campaign 16V231000 · Kia campaign SC131
Kia Recall 16V-231: Air Bag Second Stage may not Inflate Properly
NHTSA recall 16V231000 (Kia campaign SC131) was reported by Kia Motors America on April 21, 2016, with 17 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Kia Optima for the 2016 model year. Owners were notified on May 6, 2016, per NHTSA.
Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files
Is my vehicle included?
This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 16V231000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.
To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Kia VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.
Key facts
- NHTSA campaign
- 16V231000 (also written 16V-231 or 16V231)
- Filed by
- Kia Motors America
- Kia campaign number
- SC131
- Report received
- Potentially affected
- 17 vehicles (per NHTSA)
- Component
- Air Bags — Frontal
- Owners notified
Repair completion: 94.12% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)
NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.
Vehicles listed for this recall
NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 16V231000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.
Kia
Kia Optima
- 2016 · Vehicles built November 10, 2015 – February 12, 2016 (per NHTSA)
NHTSA's recall notice
As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 16V231000.
Defect description
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2016 Kia Optima vehicles manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. In these vehicles, a chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's frontal air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes.
Safety consequence
If the second stage air bag does not deploy it increases the risk of injury or death.
Manufacturer remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall began on May 6, 2016. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC131.
Notes
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
Sources
Official NHTSA notice for recall 16V231000
Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.