- Kia is recalling 80,000 electrified Niro crossovers in the United States.
- The problem: the wiring assembly underneath the front passenger seat could be damaged in time.
- After multiple adjustments of the manual seat, the wiring could break, leading to airbag issues.
Kia is recalling 80,225 Niro crossovers equipped with a manual front passenger seat because one of the front passenger airbags may not deploy in case of a crash or it may deploy randomly when driving.
Affected vehicles include certain 2023 to 2025 Niro EV, Niro Hybrid and Niro Plug-in Hybrid models that were built between 2022 and 2024. Besides the airbag issues described above, other problems could occur, including the inability to turn off the front passenger airbag when using a child seat or the deactivation of the seatbelt pre-tensioner.
The cause of all these issues is the wiring that runs underneath the front passenger seat–but only in the case of cars equipped with a manual seat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, “the floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can prevent the front airbags and seat belts from deploying properly or cause an unintended side curtain airbag deployment.”
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In the United States, 21,909 Niro EV units built between August 10, 2022, and December 13, 2024, are affected. An additional 49,535 Niro hybrids assembled between June 21, 2022, and December 17, 2024, are included in the recall. Furthermore, 8,811 Niro plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) manufactured between July 11, 2022, and December 16, 2024, are part of the same recall.
To fix the issue, owners will need to schedule a service appointment with a Kia dealer, who will inspect and replace the floor wiring assembly if necessary. Additionally, the harness will be properly routed and extra protective coverings will be installed.
This is the third recall affecting the current generation Kia Niro EV, but it’s by far the largest. In April 2024, the NHTSA published a recall campaign for just four Niro EVs sold in the U.S. that may have improperly tightened differential bolts. Additionally, roughly 200 units of the electric crossover are part of a different recall that has to do with improperly heat-treated front drive shafts that may break under load.
