POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS
Defect Description
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
121,411 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS
Defect Description
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
121,411 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS
Defect Description
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.
Consequence
A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
121,411 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
Defect Description
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles previously recalled under recall 18V-666. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance, which can overheat
... the rear seats.Read moreConsequence
Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the PRA and replace either the PRA or the Main Relay, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC256. This recall supersedes NHTSA recall n
... umber 18V-666. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.Read more27,030 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
Defect Description
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance.
Consequence
The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 23, 2018. Owners may contac
... t Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC168.Read more27,030 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: Kia Motors America
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
Defect Description
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Kia Niro vehicles. The Hydraulic Clutch Actuator (HCA) inner oil seal may leak, allowing oil to accumulate in the cap area, possibly resulting in an electrical short.
Consequence
An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the HCA caps for leaked oil and replace the HCA assembly if needed, or replace the HCA cap with additional sealant. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 15, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer servi
... ce at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC163.Read more27,029 vehicles affected
Manufacturer: Kia Motors America
Complaint Statistics
95 total complaints
4 crashes 7 fires 4 injuries
Top Reported Components
| Component | Complaints |
|---|
| ENGINE | 23 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 13 |
| POWER TRAIN | 13 |
| UNKNOWN OR OTHER | 11 |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 8 |
| STEERING | 6 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 4 |
| AIR BAGS | 2 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 2 |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY | 1 |
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
-Car was leaking or burning coolant causing engine to overheat. -Car was diagnosed with: Exhaust heat exchanger is leaking coolant and needs to be replaced. After costly repair, car continued to leak coolant and overheated. -Car was taken back to the dealership and diagnosed with: Engine Assembly -
... Long Block - Replace | Engine long block needs replacement due to coolant in the oil. This was at a certified Kia Dealership. No insurance reps or police were involved. An engine light has come on a couple of times over the years that was interpreted to mean replacing the gas cap. After replacing the gas cap, the engine light didn't come back on. My safety was impacted as a person living in a cold, rural state to have a sudden mechanical failure where I couldn't run the heat and had to stop the car immediately.Read more
Incident date: Aug 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Check Hybrid System" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the hydraulic clutch actuator and power assembly had failed. The dealer r
... elated the failure to Kia Safety Recall Campaign Number: SC163 (Hydraulic Clutch Actuator (HCA) Inspection, Repair or Replacement). The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where the part was replaced a second time; however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that while attempting to drive out of a parking space, the vehicle stalled and became undrivable. The vehicle was towed to Executive Kia (1164 N Colony Rd, Wallingford, CT 06492), where it was diagnosed and determined that the HCA needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the HCA failure had caused a hole in the bottom of the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the recall repair failed to correct the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the case was escalated to a case manager, who informed the contact that the case would fall under Goodwill assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
The push-button locks (the plastic button that covers the electronic components) on the exterior of the driver's door and passenger's door fell off. The problem was confirmed by the Kia dealership, and attempting to push the buttons back on did not work (the buttons promptly fell back off). There wa
... s no warning that the buttons were loose before they fell off. The dealership stated that the only solution would be to replace the entire door handle.Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
I previously had major issues and recall 23V534000 fixed on my 2017 Kia Niro. I had issues again and took it to the local Kia dealership in Wichita, KS. They found a leak in a seal causing fluid to leak on to the clutch actuator. The service tech indicated it is related to the recall. I have spoken
... with Kia customer service escalations on multiple occasions. Originally they stated it was related to the recall. When I spoke when them today, on the phone they said all the parts that are affected are what were changed out previously. When they called back, they changed the story and said it is not related and they would not pay for it to be fixed, even though they previously said it was the exact thing related to the recall. When I emailed and asked for it in writing as to why it was denied, she changed the reasoning. It was nothing the same that she had told me on the phone. This is a safety issue that should be fixed by the manufacturer and they are refusing to fix it and telling me I have to pay over $5000 to fix it. Completely unacceptable.Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
Power sterring went out - MDPS. Car has less than 50,000 miles. This is apparently happening to many of this model & a recall was done on a very small number of vehicles for the same issue. The recall should be expanded. This is very unsafe.
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
When I was driving, a propulsion system warning went off. Then a malfunction in the vehicle’s powertrain/propulsion system lit up on the GPS screen. Shortly afterward, the engine began smoking, and a loud popping sound occurred simultaneously. The vehicle then experienced a sudden loss of propul
... sion, requiring me to pull over immediately to avoid a hazardous situation. An authorized Kia dealer subsequently diagnosed a blown head gasket with internal coolant intrusion, confirming an internal powertrain failure consistent with propulsion system malfunction, and the vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was inspected in October and the loss-of-propulsion failure occurred in December.Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
When I was driving, a propulsion system warning went off. Then a malfunction in the vehicle’s powertrain/propulsion system lit up on the GPS screen. Shortly afterward, the engine began smoking, and a loud popping sound occurred simultaneously. The vehicle then experienced a sudden loss of propul
... sion, requiring me to pull over immediately to avoid a hazardous situation. An authorized Kia dealer subsequently diagnosed a blown head gasket with internal coolant intrusion, confirming an internal powertrain failure consistent with propulsion system malfunction, and the vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was inspected in October and the loss-of-propulsion failure occurred in December.Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2024
When I was driving, a propulsion system warning went off. Then a malfunction in the vehicle’s powertrain/propulsion system lit up on the GPS screen. Shortly afterward, the engine began smoking, and a loud popping sound occurred simultaneously. The vehicle then experienced a sudden loss of propul
... sion, requiring me to pull over immediately to avoid a hazardous situation. An authorized Kia dealer subsequently diagnosed a blown head gasket with internal coolant intrusion, confirming an internal powertrain failure consistent with propulsion system malfunction, and the vehicle became inoperable. The vehicle was inspected in October and the loss-of-propulsion failure occurred in December.Read more
Incident date: Jul 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a personal code reader and retrieved a fault code related to the evaporative emissions. The contact replaced the gas cap. The contact stated t
... hat the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle with internal failure. The independent mechanic provided the contact with the Manufacturer's Service Action Number: SA395. The contact was informed that the failure might be related to the evaporative emissions system. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 135,000.Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2025
Failed/leaking coolant heat exchanger which is integrated into the rear catalytic converter assembly. This seems to be a well-known issue with 2017-2020 Kia Niros. Leaks cause overheating of the engine or no heat in the vehicle and potential blown head gaskets. This issue has been confirmed by an in
... dependent service center. Car itself gave no messages or warnings regarding the leak.Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Engine Overheated - Turn Engine Off" was displayed with white smoke coming from the exhaust system. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the coolant level was extremely low. The contact stated that
... coolant was added to the reservoir; however, hours later the coolant level was low again. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the head gasket was blown and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.Read more
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
The heat exchanger (exhaust heat recovery system) on my 2017 Kia Niro has been diagnosed by an authorized Kia dealership as leaking coolant. The failed component can be available for inspection upon request. This failure poses a serious safety risk. The heat exchanger is part of the vehicle’s coo
... ling system, and when it leaks, the engine can rapidly lose coolant while driving. This can lead to sudden overheating, reduced power, or potential engine shutdown in traffic. A driver may not receive immediate warning, and if the vehicle overheats unexpectedly at highway speeds, it can put both the occupants and surrounding drivers at risk of a collision. Coolant leaking into the exhaust system can also create steam and white smoke that may impair visibility for the driver or other vehicles. The problem has been confirmed by a Kia dealership, which inspected the vehicle and provided a repair estimate of over $3,500 for heat exchanger replacement. The vehicle has not been inspected by the police or insurance representatives. In my case, there were no warning lamps or messages prior to the diagnosis. The vehicle did not illuminate a check-engine light related to the failure or coolant warning, meaning the failure could easily occur without the driver’s knowledge until the engine overheats or loses power while on the road. This lack of warning significantly increases the safety risk. Given the number of owners reporting identical heat-exchanger failures, the high repair cost, and the potential for sudden overheating or power loss, this appears to be a widespread safety-related defect that warrants investigation.Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
The push buttons that lock/unlock the car in the outer front door handles fell out within two weeks of each other (passenger door and driver door). There was no sign of them being loose before falling out. There was no event that would cause them to fall out. Without the buttons, the lock circuitry
... is exposed. Kia dealership has seen the broken handles but unable to reinsert the buttons.Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
I am experiencing engine issues with my 2017 Kia Niro Touring Launch Edition at approximately 111,000 miles, including engine hesitation and lack of acceleration, along with engine code P0011. These symptoms started suddenly and have made highway driving difficult and potentially unsafe, as I was re
... cently in the mountains unable to exceed 35 mph. This appears to be a widespread issue among 2017 Kia Niro owners, with many reporting CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing) or solenoid failures around 100,000 miles shortly after the powertrain warranty expires suggesting a pattern of premature failure. My car was purchased certified preowned and is still within the 10 year timeframe. No official recall currently exists for this issue, but it should be investigated. Despite submitting service requests and making multiple attempts to contact the dealership to have these recalls addressed, I have received little to no follow up. I have not yet had the engine issue officially diagnosed by a Kia dealer due to lack of response but the pattern of failure and symptoms match what others are experiencing. There has been no crash, fire, or injury at this time, but the combination of the existing fire related recalls and the new engine malfunction creates serious concerns for long term safety and reliability.Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
I am experiencing engine issues with my 2017 Kia Niro Touring Launch Edition at approximately 111,000 miles, including engine hesitation and lack of acceleration, along with engine code P0011. These symptoms started suddenly and have made highway driving difficult and potentially unsafe, as I was re
... cently in the mountains unable to exceed 35 mph. This appears to be a widespread issue among 2017 Kia Niro owners, with many reporting CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing) or solenoid failures around 100,000 miles shortly after the powertrain warranty expires suggesting a pattern of premature failure. My car was purchased certified preowned and is still within the 10 year timeframe. No official recall currently exists for this issue, but it should be investigated. Despite submitting service requests and making multiple attempts to contact the dealership to have these recalls addressed, I have received little to no follow up. I have not yet had the engine issue officially diagnosed by a Kia dealer due to lack of response but the pattern of failure and symptoms match what others are experiencing. There has been no crash, fire, or injury at this time, but the combination of the existing fire related recalls and the new engine malfunction creates serious concerns for long term safety and reliability.Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
Cooling system broke down at 140k miles. Water pump, EHRS failure EGR Cooler. Engine head gasket blown needs engine replacement 144k miles $9000 repair. Problems confirmed by dealership. Engine light never came on for cooling system, water pump coupling repair. Engine light did come on for head gask
... et and vehicle stopped working.Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
Cooling system broke down at 140k miles. Water pump, EHRS failure EGR Cooler. Engine head gasket blown needs engine replacement 144k miles $9000 repair. Problems confirmed by dealership. Engine light never came on for cooling system, water pump coupling repair. Engine light did come on for head gask
... et and vehicle stopped working.Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
I was driving my car as usual and it began overheating. I took it to the mechanic and they could not find a coolant leak, even though the coolant was all gone. We added more coolant and I was on my way. A few weeks later, the same thing happened. The mechanic said to take it to the dealer because th
... ey would need to run a diagnostic. I took it to the dealer and they said there were some new recalls that needed to be repaired that could fix the issue. They did the recalls, I topped off my coolant, and I was on my way. One week later, while picking up my son from school, the engine had a catastrophic failure. This was not only dangerous to me and my kids, but to those around me. The car stopped and refused to start up again mid-driving. I had it towed to the Dealer (Kia of Carson) and they rand diagnostics. A few days later they send me a quote for $10K to replace the engine as well as the muffler system - more than the current market value of the car. The car has just over 70K miles on it, and since I bought it used from Carvana, it was not under Kia's warranty. This is NOT how things should be. They should not be allowed to put vehicles that break down like this and then charge people outrageous amounts for it with no compromise whatsoever. How can the engine be worth more than the whole car? I've talked with Kia customer service and they don't care. I've spent months trying to reason with them, but to no avail. Also, upon research online, there are tens of thousands of Kia Niro (and other kia car model) owners who've had the same problem - overheating that turns into engine failure. This is a systemic problem with a fraudulent company that is destroying the lives of their customers. This experience put my family in danger and has essentially ruined my life since it happened. I hope the NHTSA can do something about this!Read more
Incident date: Nov 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check hybrid system warning light illuminated, and the hybrid system seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with power relay assembly failure. The contact was informed that the
... power relay assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired. The contact referenced Technical Service Bulletin: SC256 as a possible fix for the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000.Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
My Kia Niro 2017 began losing antifreeze back in January of 2024. Upon inspection by Folsom Lake KIA they determined that the EGR needed to be replaced. The dealership made the repair under my third-party warranty that I purchased when I bought the car preowned in 2020 (22,000 miles). In August 2
... 024 the engine began to overheat triggering and engine light. The car had approximately 90,000 miles on it at the time. The antifreeze was gone, and I filled it up and took it to the dealership a few weeks later when they had an available appointment. They were not able to diagnose the issue during that visit. They said that I had to schedule a multiday appointment to get a diagnostic done. In the meantime, I was adding antifreeze every few days to keep the reservoir full. I took the car back to Folsom Lake KIA on October 14th and received a diagnostic on the 17th that the vehicle's heat exchange recover system was leaking the antifreeze into the exhaust which burns off as a white smoke. The recommendation was to replace the entire heat exchanger. I decided to do some research and found find out what exactly this part does. I discovered that it simply warms up the antifreeze faster using the engine exhaust and shuts off when the coolant temperature reaches a setpoint. After further research on the internet, it became clear to me that this is a systemic issue with these vehicles, but no recall has been made. My warranty claim was denied due to the part not being covered. When I took it to an independent shop, they said that the part was not available from anyone, but KIA and they said that there was no price listed, and you had to contact KIA for the part. KIA quoted 3,000.00 for the part and labor to replace the heat exchanger. All of this just seems very suspect. I believe KIA knows this is a systemic problem but refuse to recall the part. Instead, they are making a bundle replacing this part. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2024
I had some lurching when trying to accelerate for a month before the check engine and HEV warning beeping came on. Kia Niro EGR (Gas Recirculated Cooler) failed at 105K miles. It leaked on to the engine causing it to overheat. My children and I got smoked out and my child had an asthma attack from t
... his issue. We were also stressed, thinking the engine would catch fire. Kia says there are no recalls for my 2017, yet the 2023 has a recall on this exact item. I would like this complaint to be filed due to a part failing 5K miles after a warrenty. The problem was diagnosed by the Kia Dealer. Quote is $1875.Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2024
I had some lurching when trying to accelerate for a month before the check engine and HEV warning beeping came on. Kia Niro EGR (Gas Recirculated Cooler) failed at 105K miles. It leaked on to the engine causing it to overheat. My children and I got smoked out and my child had an asthma attack from t
... his issue. We were also stressed, thinking the engine would catch fire. Kia says there are no recalls for my 2017, yet the 2023 has a recall on this exact item. I would like this complaint to be filed due to a part failing 5K miles after a warrenty. The problem was diagnosed by the Kia Dealer. Quote is $1875.Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2020
I have had ongoing electrical issues with my 2017 Kia Niro. First, the back passenger (driver side window) was working intermittently. The back windows from the day I bought the car brand new are rarely used, but when it was used for the 3rd or 4th time I had already gone over the miles where it w
... ould have been covered. The dealership was going to charge me almost $300, so I never fixed it. I just don't use the back windows. Then, the driver side low beam bulb kept going out. Erlich Kia in Longmont kept replacing the bulb despite my concerns of it being an electrical issue. Finally, the dealership was transitioned to Fowler Kia. By that time the issue was no longer going to be covered. Fowler eventually determined that the socket and harness assembly needed to be replaced. That was last year. Now, the passenger side headlight is having the same exact issue. I find it extremely frustrating that there are so many electrical issues that I have had with this car, and the dealership just doesn't care to try and connect any of the other issues. I also had to have my car towed twice to fix issues with it in the past. I have never had a car that I bought brand new have so many issues with it.Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2020
I have had ongoing electrical issues with my 2017 Kia Niro. First, the back passenger (driver side window) was working intermittently. The back windows from the day I bought the car brand new are rarely used, but when it was used for the 3rd or 4th time I had already gone over the miles where it w
... ould have been covered. The dealership was going to charge me almost $300, so I never fixed it. I just don't use the back windows. Then, the driver side low beam bulb kept going out. Erlich Kia in Longmont kept replacing the bulb despite my concerns of it being an electrical issue. Finally, the dealership was transitioned to Fowler Kia. By that time the issue was no longer going to be covered. Fowler eventually determined that the socket and harness assembly needed to be replaced. That was last year. Now, the passenger side headlight is having the same exact issue. I find it extremely frustrating that there are so many electrical issues that I have had with this car, and the dealership just doesn't care to try and connect any of the other issues. I also had to have my car towed twice to fix issues with it in the past. I have never had a car that I bought brand new have so many issues with it.Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2024
I received a warning indication that the engine temperature is too hot while driving the vehicle to work. I opened the hood of my vehicle and discovered the vehicle’s coolant reservoir was empty which led me to believe there was a coolant leak. I took the vehicle to be inspected and diagnosed by a
... n independent repair shop (non-dealership) and it was explained that there was in fact a coolant leak and it’s because the exhaust heater exchanger is failing. This is a serious safety concern because if there is a coolant leak the vehicle’s engine can overheat causing further and extensive damage to the engine which could result in a fire. Based on research, there have been other cases where this particular year/model vehicle has had or is experiencing issues with the exhaust heater exchange failing. This faulty system is causing customers who own the same year/model vehicle that I drive to either bypass the exhaust heater exchange all together—which I don’t believe is safe to do—or customers are being made to pay a huge bill just to repair the faulty system. My vehicle only has 73,000 miles and this is something that I should not be experiencing especially since Kia is aware of the fault with the exhaust heater exchange on these particular year/model vehicles. Kia should be recalling these vehicles with the faulty system for diagnosis and repair as this is a major safety concern on the road not only for the driver, but also for other motorists as well.Read more
Incident date: Sep 17, 2024
I received a warning indication that the engine temperature is too hot while driving the vehicle to work. I opened the hood of my vehicle and discovered the vehicle’s coolant reservoir was empty which led me to believe there was a coolant leak. I took the vehicle to be inspected and diagnosed by a
... n independent repair shop (non-dealership) and it was explained that there was in fact a coolant leak and it’s because the exhaust heater exchanger is failing. This is a serious safety concern because if there is a coolant leak the vehicle’s engine can overheat causing further and extensive damage to the engine which could result in a fire. Based on research, there have been other cases where this particular year/model vehicle has had or is experiencing issues with the exhaust heater exchange failing. This faulty system is causing customers who own the same year/model vehicle that I drive to either bypass the exhaust heater exchange all together—which I don’t believe is safe to do—or customers are being made to pay a huge bill just to repair the faulty system. My vehicle only has 73,000 miles and this is something that I should not be experiencing especially since Kia is aware of the fault with the exhaust heater exchange on these particular year/model vehicles. Kia should be recalling these vehicles with the faulty system for diagnosis and repair as this is a major safety concern on the road not only for the driver, but also for other motorists as well.Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2024
Niro had been exhibiting increasingly frequent "crunching" noises in the steering mechanism at lower speeds, like backing up and in-town driving. Issue started in late June 2024 at about 67K miles. A few times the steering wheel grabbed on turning and I had to fight it back. I called the dealer f
... or a diagnostic appointment and they said they couldn't see it until mid-August 2024. I then took the car in to a local mechanic two times, who said they could feel the crunching on backing up, but weren't able to reliably reproduce the condition and refused to open up the steering column in the absence of a defined problem. I continued to drive car the throughout July. On 7/20/24, the crunching noise in the steering column got markedly more frequent, was witnessed and felt by passenger, and continued intermittently throughout the day through a number of short in-town drives at low speeds on typical city roads. The next day, 7/21/24, after about 1.5 hours of continuous highway, then local driving on curvy mountain road, a series of loud crunching noises suddenly came from the steering column, the EPS warning light came on, and I experienced a total loss of power steering, making the car extremely difficult to control. The failure occurred in a triple s-curve at the top of a hill with an approaching, very steep drop-off embankment and I was very scared I would not be able to keep it on the road, even at the low speed I was driving. It took both hands and considerable effort to wrest control of the wheel and to keep the car on the road, and I managed to drive the remaining two miles home with considerable effort and both hands forcefully steering the car through turns. Definitely NOT safe to drive in this condition. The car was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. Dealer confirmed "total failure of steering mechanism"Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
I am unsure of what to say about my car. I saw a check oil light flicker and it went away. The car had oil when I checked on it so it didn't seem to be a problem. There was no sign of leakage and no sign of burning oil or fuel. Several days later, the check oil light came on permanently. Before I c
... ould get the car anywhere, the car started making a strange sound. I took it to my usual shop. They said it had sprung a spontaneous leak. They said it was a large oil pressure switch leak. They replaced the sensor and added oil. They said there was some damage but that the car was still drivable. I drove the car for a week and then when I was on the highway, the car starting roaring and shaking like I was in an earthquake. The check engine light started blinking. I could not accelerate properly and had to coast to safety on the electric. I was able to use my friends scanner and found 4 misfire codes: PO300-303. My neighbor (a mechanic) looked at the vehicle and said that was damage was internal and was going to need extensive work or a new engine. He didn't have the time to take the vehicle apart so we did not find the true cause and I am now wondering if this is a new safety issues or related to the recall. I did not receive the recall information until recently (I tend to have issues receiving my mail sometimes) and haven't even had time to get to the dealership to check on it. Everyone I have spoken to has said this is how Kia's are and they are not worth purchasing.Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
I am unsure of what to say about my car. I saw a check oil light flicker and it went away. The car had oil when I checked on it so it didn't seem to be a problem. There was no sign of leakage and no sign of burning oil or fuel. Several days later, the check oil light came on permanently. Before I c
... ould get the car anywhere, the car started making a strange sound. I took it to my usual shop. They said it had sprung a spontaneous leak. They said it was a large oil pressure switch leak. They replaced the sensor and added oil. They said there was some damage but that the car was still drivable. I drove the car for a week and then when I was on the highway, the car starting roaring and shaking like I was in an earthquake. The check engine light started blinking. I could not accelerate properly and had to coast to safety on the electric. I was able to use my friends scanner and found 4 misfire codes: PO300-303. My neighbor (a mechanic) looked at the vehicle and said that was damage was internal and was going to need extensive work or a new engine. He didn't have the time to take the vehicle apart so we did not find the true cause and I am now wondering if this is a new safety issues or related to the recall. I did not receive the recall information until recently (I tend to have issues receiving my mail sometimes) and haven't even had time to get to the dealership to check on it. Everyone I have spoken to has said this is how Kia's are and they are not worth purchasing.Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2024
I am unsure of what to say about my car. I saw a check oil light flicker and it went away. The car had oil when I checked on it so it didn't seem to be a problem. There was no sign of leakage and no sign of burning oil or fuel. Several days later, the check oil light came on permanently. Before I c
... ould get the car anywhere, the car started making a strange sound. I took it to my usual shop. They said it had sprung a spontaneous leak. They said it was a large oil pressure switch leak. They replaced the sensor and added oil. They said there was some damage but that the car was still drivable. I drove the car for a week and then when I was on the highway, the car starting roaring and shaking like I was in an earthquake. The check engine light started blinking. I could not accelerate properly and had to coast to safety on the electric. I was able to use my friends scanner and found 4 misfire codes: PO300-303. My neighbor (a mechanic) looked at the vehicle and said that was damage was internal and was going to need extensive work or a new engine. He didn't have the time to take the vehicle apart so we did not find the true cause and I am now wondering if this is a new safety issues or related to the recall. I did not receive the recall information until recently (I tend to have issues receiving my mail sometimes) and haven't even had time to get to the dealership to check on it. Everyone I have spoken to has said this is how Kia's are and they are not worth purchasing.Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2024
The Exhaust heat recovery system has a valve that can malfunction and allows coolant to leak into the exhaust and ignite it into the atmosphere. It can cause misfires in the engine, there are technical service bulletins (TSB 212 and Pitstop Tech bulletin PS709 that are attached to this report) that
... have more information on this issue. This can drain the coolant from the system and cause engine overheating issues. Some shops may misdiagnose it as a head gasket problem. This is a common problem for Kia Niro's 2017-2022. A new heat exchanger as of now costs $3000 brand new from the OEM and Kia is very strict about how they apply their warranty to any kind of part. Please can you help remedy this issue for Niro owners.Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2024
The Exhaust heat recovery system has a valve that can malfunction and allows coolant to leak into the exhaust and ignite it into the atmosphere. It can cause misfires in the engine, there are technical service bulletins (TSB 212 and Pitstop Tech bulletin PS709 that are attached to this report) that
... have more information on this issue. This can drain the coolant from the system and cause engine overheating issues. Some shops may misdiagnose it as a head gasket problem. This is a common problem for Kia Niro's 2017-2022. A new heat exchanger as of now costs $3000 brand new from the OEM and Kia is very strict about how they apply their warranty to any kind of part. Please can you help remedy this issue for Niro owners.Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2024
Coolant keeps leaking causing car to overheat. Faulty heat exchange flooding catalyic converter. This is a know issue with Kia Niros. No warning lights. Kia service department found the issue.
Incident date: Apr 5, 2024
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact then observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadw
... ay, where the vehicle soon became engulfed in flames. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A fire report was filed. A police report was also filed, with no injuries reported. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Engine), and the VIN was included, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.Read more
Fire
Incident date: Nov 30, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the HEV warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated while driving 35-40 M
... PH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond and lost motive power. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the dealer determined that the failure was related to the recall. The dealer informed the contact that the recall repair part was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000. Parts distribution disconnect.Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer w
... as made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer w
... as made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the
... manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced a strong electrical burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side wheel well had melted and collapsed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,760. VIN tool confirms parts not available.Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the
... manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had experienced a strong electrical burning odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that the front passenger’s side wheel well had melted and collapsed. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,760. VIN tool confirms parts not available.Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2024
My 2017 Kia Niro (hybrid) discharges white smoke and overheats while being driven. I brought it to a reputable mechanic immediately. After an inspection, it was discovered that coolant is leaking into the engine because the heat exchange system is not functioning correctly. There are 6 similar c
... omplaints files about the same model vehicle (NHTSA 11561701, 11550994, 11547940, 11442817, 11457565 & 11491873) and many that have not been filed on line but complaints are the same. A Kia dealership said that the part (#28601G5320) is on back order everywhere w/ no availability in sight. This is a $3000-$6000 repair and is ridiculous. No engine lights or indications of anything malfunctioning, this needs to be recalled ASAP!Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
My car slowed, smelled hot, and then transmission overheat light came on approximately 130 miles from my home. I had it towed to nearest Kia service due to my warranty, Lehighton Kia dealer by AAA (Kia roadside wanted $293). Dealer claimed it was Clutch Actuator (said nothing about recall) and cla
... im to be attempting to confirm warranty with Zurich for days with no success, I had no issue calling Zurich to confirm warranty would cover it. They said parts were unavailable in US, some in Korea, no guarantee where they would be distributed to and could not be ordered yet, so timeline of at least a month that I would be without a car. They could not offer me a loaner or rental. Last night I received Recall notice SC276 for the exact issue I am dealing with. In 4 calls to Lehighton Kia this recall was never mentioned. I bought my car in March with 31,000 with the best extended warranty I could buy to protect myself as a recent widow with a daughter in college. My car now has 52,000 and is not usable indefinitely, I cannot afford a rental and I work 35 miles away and feel that the Lehighton Kia has been less than helpful in dealing with this issue.Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2023
My car slowed, smelled hot, and then transmission overheat light came on approximately 130 miles from my home. I had it towed to nearest Kia service due to my warranty, Lehighton Kia dealer by AAA (Kia roadside wanted $293). Dealer claimed it was Clutch Actuator (said nothing about recall) and cla
... im to be attempting to confirm warranty with Zurich for days with no success, I had no issue calling Zurich to confirm warranty would cover it. They said parts were unavailable in US, some in Korea, no guarantee where they would be distributed to and could not be ordered yet, so timeline of at least a month that I would be without a car. They could not offer me a loaner or rental. Last night I received Recall notice SC276 for the exact issue I am dealing with. In 4 calls to Lehighton Kia this recall was never mentioned. I bought my car in March with 31,000 with the best extended warranty I could buy to protect myself as a recent widow with a daughter in college. My car now has 52,000 and is not usable indefinitely, I cannot afford a rental and I work 35 miles away and feel that the Lehighton Kia has been less than helpful in dealing with this issue.Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the Check Hybrid System, Turn Off Engine message displayed, and the HEV warning light illuminated. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was
... diagnosed and determined that the engine and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, who determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,787.Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2023
EHRS fails, causing coolant leaks & cracked cylinders
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
I was driving and the car was stuttering. Then after I stopped for a bit it resumed normal operations. Then the warning light came on, then it went off again. This happened for a couple of weeks until finally, while on a road trip at the end of July 2023, the car seemed to just lose power in 4th
... gear and I would have to really rev the engine just to keep it moving, that happened while on a road trip. I called the dealership several times during the trip and they said I’d already had the computer recall reset so they didn’t think it made any sense. I took it to my neighborhood repair shop when I got back and they said two spark plugs are shot, they replaced them and it ran fine. But now it’s stuttering again, just a few months later. I called the dealership again and they said I could bring it it for a diagnostic (not free) and then I got a letter about a recall. Not sure if it’s related to my issue because the dealer said probably not and said they’d call me when they knew more and my car had the computer issue not this one. No one has called and the car is still stuttering. I took it to the mechanic again and he said spark plugs look fine, but again, it is losing power in 4th gear, just around 45 mph only when I’ve been driving for more than two hours. I would just like the dealership to take a look and fix it.Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
I was driving and the car was stuttering. Then after I stopped for a bit it resumed normal operations. Then the warning light came on, then it went off again. This happened for a couple of weeks until finally, while on a road trip at the end of July 2023, the car seemed to just lose power in 4th
... gear and I would have to really rev the engine just to keep it moving, that happened while on a road trip. I called the dealership several times during the trip and they said I’d already had the computer recall reset so they didn’t think it made any sense. I took it to my neighborhood repair shop when I got back and they said two spark plugs are shot, they replaced them and it ran fine. But now it’s stuttering again, just a few months later. I called the dealership again and they said I could bring it it for a diagnostic (not free) and then I got a letter about a recall. Not sure if it’s related to my issue because the dealer said probably not and said they’d call me when they knew more and my car had the computer issue not this one. No one has called and the car is still stuttering. I took it to the mechanic again and he said spark plugs look fine, but again, it is losing power in 4th gear, just around 45 mph only when I’ve been driving for more than two hours. I would just like the dealership to take a look and fix it.Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2023
I was driving and the car was stuttering. Then after I stopped for a bit it resumed normal operations. Then the warning light came on, then it went off again. This happened for a couple of weeks until finally, while on a road trip at the end of July 2023, the car seemed to just lose power in 4th
... gear and I would have to really rev the engine just to keep it moving, that happened while on a road trip. I called the dealership several times during the trip and they said I’d already had the computer recall reset so they didn’t think it made any sense. I took it to my neighborhood repair shop when I got back and they said two spark plugs are shot, they replaced them and it ran fine. But now it’s stuttering again, just a few months later. I called the dealership again and they said I could bring it it for a diagnostic (not free) and then I got a letter about a recall. Not sure if it’s related to my issue because the dealer said probably not and said they’d call me when they knew more and my car had the computer issue not this one. No one has called and the car is still stuttering. I took it to the mechanic again and he said spark plugs look fine, but again, it is losing power in 4th gear, just around 45 mph only when I’ve been driving for more than two hours. I would just like the dealership to take a look and fix it.Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2023
Car stalled, overheated due to coolant leaking into car parts which is causing catyllac converter to not work correctly. The issue is not with the catillac converter but the faulty piece that causes coolant leaking. This is a known issue amongst Niro Users. KIA is illegally forcing customers to
... purchase the most expensive part instead of bypassing so that the heat exchange system doesn’t leak into converter. The same issue affects the EV model which KIA has recalled but they refuse to add the hybrid to the recall list. Please help. The repair is $3,000 and customers that have paid to fix only end up in the same position moths later with the same issue. I reported the issue to KIA and my claim was denied.Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2023
Hybrid System Failure due to overheating Overheating due to coolant leak into resorvoir My car started having white smoke come from exhaust during driving Took to the repair shop, repaired the coolant reservoir next day, same issue took back to the service tech stated they couldn't find the leak,
... but the reservoir was empty. Took the car for a second opinion, the service people had my car all day, after picking up, was told by the repairman that it was the engine and KIA is aware of it. Stated he is unable to help and I should take the car to a KIA dealer For weeks the car was still blowing smoke Took the car to KIA of Stamford Had the car for a few hours, tech said coolant leak and I will need to replace the part which is 3000, advised there is a bypass method on the internet for NIRO owners with the same issue online, and I was told they will not do the bypass due to emission laws. Advised my car should be covered under Emissions warranty, and was told it does not cover the part. Advised the service man this should be covered under my 100,000 warranty with KIA, which is what I was sold, and was told this is not the case, and I wasn't covered. Advised KIA I have an extended warranty with WIZ autos where i purchased the car. Spoke to the warranty department and was told it wasn't covered under their warranty either. May 2023 While driving I saw white smoke, my car began to overheat and I tried to pull over, when I pulled over the car would not drive. HYBRID System Malfunction The car has been with Wiz autos and they are now telling me the repairs will cost $5,800 There are many people online suffering because of this defect. There are reports online that once fixed, the issue returns months later. Wiz autos is asking me to pay 6000 for a repair and 3 month warranty on the part. Issue: Coolant leak is causing issues that affect the safety of drivers, as well as destroys their vehicles and KIA Motors has been the worst to work with.Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2023
Hybrid System Failure due to overheating Overheating due to coolant leak into resorvoir My car started having white smoke come from exhaust during driving Took to the repair shop, repaired the coolant reservoir next day, same issue took back to the service tech stated they couldn't find the leak,
... but the reservoir was empty. Took the car for a second opinion, the service people had my car all day, after picking up, was told by the repairman that it was the engine and KIA is aware of it. Stated he is unable to help and I should take the car to a KIA dealer For weeks the car was still blowing smoke Took the car to KIA of Stamford Had the car for a few hours, tech said coolant leak and I will need to replace the part which is 3000, advised there is a bypass method on the internet for NIRO owners with the same issue online, and I was told they will not do the bypass due to emission laws. Advised my car should be covered under Emissions warranty, and was told it does not cover the part. Advised the service man this should be covered under my 100,000 warranty with KIA, which is what I was sold, and was told this is not the case, and I wasn't covered. Advised KIA I have an extended warranty with WIZ autos where i purchased the car. Spoke to the warranty department and was told it wasn't covered under their warranty either. May 2023 While driving I saw white smoke, my car began to overheat and I tried to pull over, when I pulled over the car would not drive. HYBRID System Malfunction The car has been with Wiz autos and they are now telling me the repairs will cost $5,800 There are many people online suffering because of this defect. There are reports online that once fixed, the issue returns months later. Wiz autos is asking me to pay 6000 for a repair and 3 month warranty on the part. Issue: Coolant leak is causing issues that affect the safety of drivers, as well as destroys their vehicles and KIA Motors has been the worst to work with.Read more
Showing 50 of 95 complaints.