Kia recalling 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles over improper air bag deployment

Kia is recalling more than 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States because of improper airbag and seat belt deployment, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Saturday.

The affected vehicles are the Kia Niro from 2023-2025, Niro EV from 2023-2025 and the Niro plug-in hybrid from 2023-2025.

According to the NHTSA, the floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can then prevent front airbags and seat belts from deploying properly.

"Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an airbag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash," it said.

Vehicle owners will be notified in March if they must take their vehicles to their closest dealership. Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge, the NHTSA said.

Last year, Kia recalled nearly 63,000 EV6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024 to fix a problem that can cause the loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.