Well, folks, it looks like most of us have come through the bitterest bit of January here in North America. At least that’s what we’re hoping. At this point, we’ll take just about any temperature that’s in the double digits, right? Anyway, if you’re reading this (thanks, by the way…we love having you here!) we assume you’re safe, warm, and plowing through the winter just fine.
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And on the subject of safety, we came across some pretty important news we thought needs to be shared. You know we love to keep up with changes and trends in the automotive world here at eTags, and this report absolutely bears repeating here on the blog – in case you haven’t heard it yet.
We’re talking about an automotive manufacturer’s recall, friends.
A recall on over eighty thousand – roughly 80,225 – pieces, more or less. Who, what, why, you ask? We’ll tell you.It seems that Korean automotive giant Kia has issued an official recall on its popular, compact SUV, the Niro. The recall includes these SUVs manufactured from year 2023 through year 2025. It also affects all the Niro Hybrid, the Niro Plug-in Hybrid, and the Niro EV models.
If you’re curious to read the official statement issued by Kia, you can find the Safety Recall Report here.
The recall is particularly aimed at models bearing a manually adjustable front passenger seat only, and here’s why. It appears that the manual adjustment of the seat could possibly affect and damage the wiring that lives under the seat. This wiring is specifically connected and instructs the passenger airbag and seatbelt.
Over time, the risk of damage from seat movement could eventually lead to the following high-risk issues:
- The passenger side airbag failing to deploy
- The passenger side seatbelt pretensioner failing to work
- The passenger side front airbag going off on its own without cause
- The passenger side side airbag going off unintentionally
Any of the aforementioned wiring failures could lead to serious injury or possibly worse. Thus, on the 17th of January, Kia officially submitted its recall of the affected Niro models to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 
It’s nice to note again, however, that the recall only affects Kia Niro models with manual passenger side seat adjustments.
None of Kia’s Niros with electric-powered seats have been documented as being affected by any of the malfunctions that the manual models have reported.
So, now that we know about the recall, what’s the next step? Well, the first step is to see if you happen to be a Kia Niro owner with a model that falls into the category of:
- Manufacture years between 2023 and 2025
- Manual passenger seat adjustment only
- EV’s, hybrids, or plug-in hybrids
If so, you may have already received notice of the recall from Kia via mail. And if you have not received any notification, know that the company aims to have all recall letters mailed out to customers by March 14, 2025.
You don’t have to wait for the letter, of course. You can ascertain whether or not your Niro is impacted and/or at risk for damaged wiring by checking your VIN at the NHTSA dedicated page for recall information here. 
If your vehicle is one of the Niro models under the recall, you can bring it to any local Kia dealer at any time. There, the technicians will inspect your SUV free of charge. Upon inspection, if the mechanics find that your seatbelt or airbag wiring is at risk for damage or malfunction due to manual adjustment of the seat, they will remedy it accordingly.
The fix for this important floor wiring issue is said to be a complete reroute of the wires as well as an installation of a protective wire covering for extra security. This two-step process is meant ensure that no future damage or malfunction to seatbelts or airbags will occur from seat movement over time.
Kia is promising to cover all costs for the repair, obviously, as well as any associated issues that fall under its warranty.
In addition, if you happen to be a Niro owner that somehow got wind of the wiring problem before the recall was issued and if you happened to pay for it to be fixed out-of-pocket, Kia will reimburse you for the repair!
Now, if a repair is necessary on your affected Niro, the next question is, how long will the fix take? All-in, if you include the inspection, assessment, and repair, reports say that you can expect the process to take anywhere between a few hours to one full day.
So, while it might not be the absolute most fun way to spend your day – waiting on a dealership to get your ride back to roadworthy status – in the end, it’s not all that inconvenient when you think about it. A few hours, maybe one day, and you and your Niro will be good to go.
We know that this news may not be the most thrilling read this lovely January morning, it could potentially save a life or two. And seeing as how it’s our job to lend a hand with things automotive related, we’re happy to share any pertinent information with our awesome readers. Because although our specialty is tags and titles, in general, when it comes to the world of cars (and trucks, SUV’s and motorcycles), as always, at eTags, we’re here to help!
