Kia has announced that it will be recalling 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States due to issues with the cars’ airbags and seat belt deployment.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shared the news of the recall on Saturday, noting that the Kia Niro from 2023-2025, the Niro EV from 2023-2025, and the Niro plug-in hybrid from 2023-2025 are all affected.
According to the NHTSA, the issue stems from the floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat, which can become damaged and prevent airbags and seat belts from properly being deployed.
“Airbags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an airbag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash,” it said.
Owners of affected vehicles should expect to be notified about the recall in March. If their vehicle is included in the recall, owners will need to take it to the closest dealership, where dealers will inspect, replace, and reroute the floor wiring assembly free of charge, the NHTSA shared.