Kia America is recalling over 80,000 vehicles in the United States due to a wiring issue beneath the front passenger seat that could potentially prevent airbags and seat belts from deploying properly.
The recall, which affects the 2023-2025 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Hybrid models, was initiated to address the safety risk of improper or unintended airbag deployment.
Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that the damaged wiring could lead to either the failure to deploy airbags and seat belts or, in some cases, cause unintended airbag deployment.
To remedy the issue, US dealerships will inspect the affected vehicles, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly as necessary, and install wiring covers at no cost to vehicle owners. Owners will be notified of the recall in March.
This recall follows a similar action taken in November 2023, when Hyundai and Kia recalled over 200,000 electric vehicles due to a faulty transistor in a charging control unit, which could cause the 12-volt battery to stop charging, potentially leading to a loss of drive power and increased accident risk.
