NHTSA Complaint #10744244 — 2016 KIA SORENTO

WHEN A CUSHION (SMALL PILLOW) IS USED (I AM A SHORT PERSON) ON THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SEAT, THE AIR BAG DETETECOR TURNS OFF THE PASSENGER AIR BAG LEAVING THE PASSENGER UNPROTECTED. I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPT. AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO WORK-AROUND FOR THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO CONTACTED KIA MOTORS AND WAS TOLD THE SAME THING..NOT FIXABLE. SITTING IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT IS UNCOMFORTABLE FOR ME (ARM REST HEIGHT, WINDSHIELD VISIBILITY, ETC.) WITHOUT THE SMALL PILLOW. I CANNOT BELIEVE THERE IS NO WAY TO DISCONNECT THE SENSOR (WHICH I WAS TOLD WAS WEIGHT SENSITIVE....OBVIOUSLY NOT, BECAUSE MY WEIGHT IS THE SAME WITH OR WITHOUT THE PILLOW). THIS LEAVES ME WITHOUT AIR BAG PROTECTION OR ELSE UNCOMFORTABLE. HAD I KNOWN THIS IN ADVANCE, I WOULD NOT HAVE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE. NOT ALL PEOPLE ARE THE SAME HEIGHT (I'M 5'3"...NOT ALL THAT SHORT) AND IF KIA WAS PUTTING IN THIS SYSTEM, THEY SHOULD HAVE MADE THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE...DOESN'T HAVE TO BE ELECTRIC, JUST ADJUSTABLE IN HEIGHT. IT IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION WHICH YOU HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF UNTIL YOU READ THE OWNER'S MANUAL....A MANUAL YOU DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE PURCHASED THE CAR. IT NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.