Kia bulletin OTA_ELE396
Kia filed this with NHTSA as a over-the-air update dated Sep 18, 2025, received Sep 23, 2025, about the electrical system. It names 1 model year (2025). A over-the-air update is not a safety recall — there is no NHTSA campaign number and no federal requirement — but it is usually work the manufacturer pays for on the vehicles it names; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
What the bulletin says
Source: NHTSA's summary of the manufacturer's communicationRELEASE NOTES: OVER-THE-AIR: SOFTWARE UPDATE FOR PLUG AND CHARGE ENHANCEMENT - This Over-the-Air (OTA) software update is designed to update the Vehicle Charging Management System (VCMS) and Central Communication Unit (CCU) logic of certain 2025 EV6 vehicles. This update is designed to enable your vehicle to be Plug & Charge ready. Plug & Charge allows you to charge at compatible public charging stations without opening a mobile application or pulling out a credit card.
Document filed under this number
| Document | Kind | Dated | NHTSA id |
|---|---|---|---|
| OTA_ELE396 | Over-the-air update | Sep 18, 2025 | 11023287 |
The summary is NHTSA’s abstract of the document, as filed under 49 CFR 579.5; the full text comes from the manufacturer or a dealer. One communication is usually filed as several documents — the bulletin, a dealer notice, an owner letter — and the number on any of them finds this page. Quote it at a service desk; it is what the dealer’s system is keyed on.
Model years it names
Source: as the manufacturer filed themA vehicle page’s bulletin list shows the newest few communications filed against that model year; the count there is every one.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR 579.5Is Kia OTA_ELE396 a recall?
No. A over-the-air update is a manufacturer communication filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR 579.5; a safety recall carries an NHTSA campaign number (two digits, a letter, six digits) and a federal duty to repair for free. Check the vehicle’s recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or on its page here.
Is the OTA_ELE396 repair free?
A over-the-air update is usually paid by the manufacturer on the vehicles it names, within the terms and time limit the document sets; the dealer checks the VIN against the manufacturer’s list.
Which vehicles does OTA_ELE396 cover?
The manufacturer filed it against 1 model year: 2025 Kia EV6. Whether one particular vehicle is affected is a matter of its VIN and its build, not its model year alone.