Kia is recalling 80,000 electric and hybrid cars due to incorrect deployment of the airbag

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

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

According to NHTSA, the floor wiring under the front passenger seat can be damaged, which can prevent the front airbags and seat belts from deploying properly.

“Airbags and seat belts that deploy incorrectly, or an airbag that deploys unintentionally, can increase the risk of injury in a crash,” it said.

Vehicle owners will be notified in March if they need to take their vehicles to their nearest dealer. Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as needed, free of charge, NHTSA said.

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