While brand officials highlighted their upcoming Super Bowl commercial, the National Highway Traffic Administration revealed a recall Kia Motors America is orchestrating.

NHTSA indicated Kia is recalling the Optima from the 2006 through 2008 model years and the Rondo from the 2007 and 2008 model years for a problem associated with the front air bags.

Federal officials indicated a total of 145,755 vehicles contain a clock spring contact assembly for the driver’s air bag supplemental restraint system that may become damaged through usage over time.

NHTSA fears if the clock spring assembly becomes damaged, the driver’s air bag electrical circuit will experience a high resistance condition potentially causing the driver’s air bag to not deploy.

If the clock spring develops high resistance, officials indicated that in the event of a crash the driver’s air bag will not deploy and will not be able to properly protect the driver, increasing the risk of injuries.

Kia told NHTSA it will begin to notify owners and commence a repair campaign at franchised dealers beginning in March. Dealer service departments have been told to replace the vehicle’s air bag clock spring assembly as necessary for free.

Brand officials noted the Optimas originally were manufactured between Sept. 25, 2005 and Jan. 29, 2009. The Rondos were made between Sept. 13, 2006 and March 21, 2008.

Potentially effected owners also can contact Kia at (800) 333-4542.

Kia Discusses Super Bowl Commercial

In other brand news, Kia believes it is tapping into the idea of dreams revealing true desires in a new 60-second commercial set to air during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVI. 

In the spot, titled “Drive the Dream,” officials highlighted the new 2012 Optima Limited races through a Gen X couple’s wildest thoughts as they sleep, including Victoria’s Secret Angel Adriana Lima waving the checkered flag at a speedway, an in-your-face Motley Crue concert, mixed martial arts legend Chuck Liddell battling in the ring, a heroine and hunk on horseback in a romance novel setting champion bull rider Judd Leffew taming a bucking rhinoceros and a fairy tale ending.

Kia is returning to the big game for the third straight year with a fully integrated marketing campaign incorporating TV, cinema, digital, print, social media and in-dealership components.

In a Super Bowl advertising first, Kia pointed out the complete “Drive the Dream” ad will premiere on Feb. 2 on more than 18,000 movie screens nationwide in National CineMedia’s FirstLook pre-show program before airing in the game.

Kia said it also will run 15-second teaser ads featuring Adriana Lima on TV and in cinema beginning today while also leveraging the Twitter and Facebook channels of the spot’s celebrity cast.

A special expanded version of the ad will be available at YouTube.com/Kia beginning on Feb. 2.

Furthermore as part of the “Drive the Dream” campaign, consumers can download a $25 pre-paid test drive voucher at Kia.com beginning on Feb. 2 that is redeemable after eligible consumers visit a Kia dealership and complete a test drive of any Optima model.

“With more than 100 million people watching the Super Bowl broadcast and millions more viewing content online around the world, Kia will once again deliver a memorable, one-of-a-kind campaign that entertains people before, during and after the game and leaves them wanting to see the Optima Limited fantasy again and again,” explained Michael Sprague, Kia’s vice president of marketing and communications.

“We selected an eclectic group of celebrities and personalities for ‘Drive the Dream’ to enable us to tap into a diverse body of fan bases and leverage each talent’s expansive social media footprint,” Sprague continued.

Created by David&Goliath, officials mentioned “Drive the Dream” opens with the familiar notes of The Chordettes’ “Mr. Sandman” as a real-life Mr. Sandman enters the bedroom of an unsuspecting young couple who are asleep.

After being sprinkled with “Sweet Dreams” dust, the woman smiles and envisions herself on a horse with a romance novel-like hunk in a beautiful green meadow.

Meanwhile, Mr. Sandman accidentally stumbles and spills his entire night’s dust supply on the man, launching an extreme dream sequence that begins with the roaring guitars of Motley Crue’s “Kickstart My Heart” and Lima waving a checkered flag as he blasts around a race track at night in a Snow White Pearl Optima Limited with thousands of bikini-clad fans cheering him on from the stands.

As he circles the track with Lima looking on adoringly, officials recapped the dreaming driver receives nods of approval from the band as bursts of flames and fireworks surround their stage as well as Liddell, champion bull rider Leffew and a pair of lumberjacks sawing a massive submarine sandwich.

“Motley Crue had a blast doing the Kia commercial,” said bassist Nikki Sixx.  “A hot model, a fast car, a pro fighter, pyrotechnics and rock n’ roll. What’s not to love?”

Much to the disbelief of Lima and drummer Tommy Lee, Kia went on to note the high-octane dream turns into a fairy tale when the husband makes a conscious decision to drive the Optima Limited off the race track and into his wife’s fantasy to win her back from prince charming.

“After working with Kia for the Super Bowl last year I was drawn to work with the fast-growing brand again by the idea of exploring people’s ultimate fantasies in a fun and lighthearted way, and I am certain we have created a spot people will be talking about after the game,” director Noam Murro emphasized.