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South Korean carmaker KIA is recalling 80,255 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid and Hybrid vehicles in the US due to the risk of airbags and seatbelts not working properly.
According to Reuters, the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said that wiring defects could lead to a malfunction of the safety system.
Problem with the airbags
According to the NHTSA, the airbags in these models may not deploy properly or may even activate unintentionally. This creates a risk of injury to the driver and passengers in the event of an accident.
“Airbags that deploy unexpectedly increase the risk of serious injury,” the administration said.
Models subject to recall
The list of vehicles being recalled by KIA includes the following models:
- Niro EV
- Niro Plug-in Hybrid
- Niro Hybrid
All of these vehicles were sold in the US market, and the company urges owners to contact dealerships immediately for free repairs.
In response to the situation, KIA representatives said they were investigating and taking steps to fix the problem. The manufacturer has pledged to fix the problem free of charge for all owners who contact official service centres.