2020-2024 Kia Models AVN Radio Icon Non-Responsive TSB

Symptoms

Owners of certain 2020-2024 Kia vehicles may experience an issue where the radio functions become inoperative. The primary symptom is a "non-responsive" or "inoperative" radio, affecting AM, FM, and SXM bands. This occurs when the AVN unit does not respond to input, either when pressing the physical 'RADIO' hard key/button or when selecting the 'RADIO' icon on the AVN menu screen. This issue indicates a problem with the 5th Generation AVN wide infotainment system.

Diagnosis / Trigger Conditions

The root cause of the "Kia AVN non-responsive radio" issue is outdated software on the 5th Generation AVN wide unit. Technicians will inspect the current software version displayed in the 'General Settings' menu of the AVN unit. If the existing software version matches one of the known affected versions (e.g., 221011, 221025, 221115, 221220, 221228), then the software update procedure applies. If the current software version is not among those listed, this Technical Service Bulletin does not apply to the vehicle.

Important Warnings

Kia has issued important advisories regarding this software update:

• "A Technical Service Bulletin is a field fix repair program without customer notification that may be performed during the warranty period. Any dealer requesting to perform this repair outside the warranty period will require DPSM approval."
• "If the current software version shown in 'General Settings' is not included in the software version listed below, this TSB does not apply."
• "CAUTION: DO NOT turn the ignition switch 'OFF', start the engine, and/or remove the USB drive from the vehicle during the update process." Doing so could interrupt the update and potentially damage the AVN unit.
• If the USB Flash Drive is not recognized, the 'Update' button will not be activated. In this case, remove the USB Flash Drive and repeat the initial setup steps.

Repair Procedure Summary

The repair involves updating the software on the 5th Generation AVN wide unit using a USB Flash Drive. The general steps are as follows:

1. Turn the ignition switch to the 'ON' position.
2. Select 'Confirm' on the AVN screen to acknowledge safety messages.
3. Press the 'Power' button to turn the Radio/Media 'OFF'.
4. Navigate to 'Setup' from the main menu.
5. Select 'General' within the setup options.
6. Inspect the last six digits of the AVN Software Version. If it's an affected version, proceed.
7. Insert the appropriate USB Flash Drive (A or B, depending on the model) into the USB slot located underneath the AVN unit.
8. From the 'General Settings' screen, select 'SW Info/Update', then 'Update'.
9. Confirm the update by selecting 'OK' on the pop-up screen. If prompted, select 'Yes' to install the version again.
10. Select 'Update' on the subsequent pop-up screen. The update process will take approximately 25 minutes, during which the system will be unavailable. The display may show the Kia logo or be black, which is normal.
11. Once the update is complete, repeat steps 4-6 to confirm that the Software Version has been successfully updated to the new version, SK3_PE.USA.55W_M.V009.001.230203.

Required Tools or Parts

To perform this software update, specific USB Flash Drives are required:

• USB Flash Drive A: Applicable for Stinger (CK PE), Soul (SK3), Niro (DE P/HEV, EV), Sorento (MQ4 P/HEV), Cadenza (YG), EV6 (CV), K5 (DL3a), and Seltos (SP2) models.
• USB Flash Drive B: Applicable for Forte (BDm PE), Soul (SK3 PE), Niro (SG2 P/HEV, EV), Sportage (NQ5 P/HEV), Sportage (NQ5a), Carnival (KA4), and EV6 (CV) models.

These USB drives were auto-shipped to dealers. If a dealer needs a replacement, they can purchase one from Snap-On. Software update files can also be downloaded from Kia's update portal, requiring a 64GB USB Flash Drive. Refer to TSB ELE208 for detailed instructions on downloading software files using the Navigation Updater.

Owner Action

If you are experiencing a "Kia AVN non-responsive radio" in your 2020-2024 Kia vehicle, you should contact your authorized Kia dealer. Since this is a field fix repair program without customer notification, you may need to specifically mention Technical Service Bulletin ELE303 (Rev 1) to ensure the dealer is aware of the issue and the software update. The repair is typically performed under warranty, with a labor operation code of 96560F00 and an estimated time of 0.3 man-hours.

NHTSA ID: 10242982