Kia has issued a recall for more than 80,000 electric and hybrid vehicles in the United States, citing a critical safety issue involving the floor wiring assembly.
The recall, announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Saturday, includes the 2023-2025 models of the Kia Niro, Niro EV, and Niro plug-in hybrid.
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The NHTSA revealed that the floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may be at risk of damage. This defect could interfere with the proper deployment of front airbags and seat belts, potentially increasing the risk of serious injury during a crash. Kia has stated that the issue requires immediate attention to ensure passenger safety.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified starting in March. Kia dealerships will provide a complimentary inspection of the floor wiring assembly, replacing or rerouting it as necessary to ensure the airbags and seat belts function correctly in an emergency.
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This recall follows a similar action last year when Kia recalled nearly 63,000 EV6 vehicles from the 2022-2024 model years to address a separate issue that could lead to a loss of drive power, posing a crash risk.