Below are recalls and complaints reported to NHTSA for the 2022 Kia Niro. This information is consumer-reported and provided for general informational purposes only. Vehicles like this may qualify under California lemon law depending on their individual repair history.
The following recalls were reported to NHTSA. A recall does not by itself establish that any individual vehicle is defective.
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.
Reported 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.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2022 Niro EV vehicles. The high voltage battery safety plug may overheat and melt, which can cause a loss of drive power or fire.
Reported consequence: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash, and a fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to charge their vehicle in a garage or any other covered structure until the recall repair is completed. Dealers will replace the safety plug, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 19, 2024. Kia's number for this recall is SC314.
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Niro EV vehicles. The circuit board for the rearview camera may become damaged and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Reported consequence: A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC342.
The following are consumer-reported complaints filed with NHTSA. These are unverified allegations and are not proof that any defect exists.
am writing to formally request assistance regarding my Kia vehicle which I purchased used at approximately 38,000 miles. Shortly after purchase, the vehicle became undrivable and has since required repeated repairs without resolution. To date, the vehicle has been presented for repair on six separate occasions for the same issue and has remained out of service for a significant period of time. Based on these repeated failures and lack of resolution, the vehicle may reasonably be considered defective at this point. Despite being unable to use the vehicle, I have continued to make monthly payments, resulting in considerable financial hardship. In an effort to resolve this matter, I consulted with a Maryland MVA investigator, who advised me to contact Kia directly and report that the vehicle appears to have been sold with a pre-existing defect. I have also communicated with the selling dealership, Eastern Motors; however, I was informed that due to changes in management, they are unable to provide further assistance and consider the matter outside of their control. Additionally, I have previously reached out regarding this issue and have not received a response. Given the timing of the failure, the repeated unsuccessful repair attempts, and the extended period the vehicle has been out of service, I respectfully request that Kia conduct a thorough review of this matter. I am respectfully requesting Kia’s assistance in resolving this matter. Specifically, I would like to explore options such as a replacement vehicle, repurchase (buyback), reimbursement of payments made, or other goodwill support. I remain open to a fair and reasonable resolution. Please advise what documentation or additional information is required to proceed. I am prepared to provide all relevant records, including purchase documentation and complete service history. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.
NHTSA #11736000
I was turning into a parking spot when my brakes suddenly felt loose, as if they had lost hydraulic pressure, and my vehicle accelerated into a wall. I had my vehicle serviced 3 weeks ago, and my brakes were fine. The day before the incident, I was coming to a stop, and the car was lurching forward as I was trying to stop. This isn't the first time the issue has occurred, and I had previously mentioned it to the dealership, but they found nothing upon checking. I was going to take it into the dealership, but I got into the accident.
Allegedly reported: 1 injury (as reported to NHTSA). NHTSA #11688712
I was called for battery recall. Brought my car at the kia of stockton dealership last Feb 14, 2025. Mechanic found problem with high voltage battery of my 2022 kia niro ev. Contacted kia manufacturer or customer care regularly for the repair/problem with case number [XXX] but until now june 16th, 2025 no updates yet(4 months). My car is still in the dealership and mechanic told me that no response from kia if they are gonna repair it or what. Pls help..INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA #11667112
express my concern regarding a persistent and unresolved defect in the 12-volt battery of my 2022 Kia Niro, which I purchased from Hanlees Kia in 2022. In 2023, I brought my vehicle back to Hanlees Kia due to the battery dying prematurely. At that time, the dealership informed me of a battery jump start button on the dashboard. It was later revealed to me by Kia service in Stockton—after the vehicle was held for over two weeks—that the issue originates from the 12-volt battery located under the driver’s seat, which is defective. Despite this discovery, I was told by the dealership that even though the battery is defective that I should have brought the vehicle in earlier—specifically before 2025—to qualify for any warranty or replacement coverage. This is simply not true, as I did bring the car in promptly when I noticed the battery issues in 2023, but unfortunately, this did not result in a satisfactory resolution. Further, I am not alone in facing this issue. Several Kia Niro owners in have shared similar experiences on social media platforms, including Facebook. These owners have reported the same battery problems during their warranty period and were repeatedly told by dealerships that the cause of the issue was unknown, leaving them frustrated and without a solution. It is concerning that Kia engineers appear to have been aware of this defect for some time, as evidenced by the installation of the dashboard battery bypass button. This workaround indicates that Kia has acknowledged the problem internally but has not adequately addressed it for customers under warranty. As a loyal Kia customer, I respectfully request a full investigation and resolution of this battery defect issue, including an official acknowledgment of the defect and a replacement or repair under warranty. The inconvenience, safety concerns, and ongoing costs caused by this defect are unacceptable for a vehicle of this quality and price point. Thank you
NHTSA #11666923
The car has chrome trim on the dashboard that can cause blinding reflections and which also reflects in the side windows making it hard to see the side mirrors. This is a design flaw (not strictly a failure or malfunction) and the vehicle is available for inspection. The risk is that it impedes the driver's vision and the ability to use the mirrors and sometimes to read the display. Impeding the driver's vision can result in a crash. This problem has been reported by many owners on various forums, but I have not had it corroborated.
NHTSA #11482959
The contact owned a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while his wife was driving in a parking lot at approximately 5 MPH, she drove over a curb to avoid a vehicle that was reversing. The vehicle crashed into the roadway aggressively after coming down from the curb and the contact's wife inadvertently depressed the accelerator pedal. The vehicle accelerated to approximately 40 MPH in a straight line and then crashed into four parked vehicles in a chain reaction, crashing into the rear end of the first parked vehicle. The contact stated that his wife was not aware of any warning lights being illuminated. The vehicle came to a stop on its own due to the crash's impact. The damage to the contact's vehicle was a crushed grill, hood, and fenders, all the way to the windshield. The contact's wife suffered a fracture to her C2 vertebrae on her neck, a fracture to her right foot, a small laceration to her left knee. The contact suffered bruises to her chest and shoulders from the seat belt. The contact's wife was transported to the ER by ambulance. The driver's side front air and side air bags had been deployed. The contact stated that the police were on the scene and filed a report. The contact said that the vehicle had been towed to an impound lot. The vehicle had not been diagnosed by a dealer or independent mechanic. The contact stated that the insurance provider requested that the vehicle be released to them. The contact stated that the vehicle was equipped with front collision avoidance technology which had apparently failed to stop the vehicle. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 1,500.
Allegedly reported: 1 injury (as reported to NHTSA). NHTSA #11480978
The car is equipped with an excessively loud and obnoxious backup alert that deploys whenever the car is shifted into reverse gear, whether or not the vehicle is moving. The dealer tells me this is a "safety" feature and that therefore the alert cannot be disconnected and the volume cannot be adjusted. My complaint is that this feature is not only not necessary, especially for a PHEV, but also in fact is itself a safety hazard. It is so loud and distracting it prevents the driver and those around the car from paying full attention to other circumstances. Is NHTSA requiring this or is this Kia's invention? I don't hear it from other EVs, let alone PHEVs.
NHTSA #11474865
EV was at 50%/130 miles to go, was driving on the expressway at 70 mph and it just quit. No warning, just all the lights started going on and off and i lost power and was able to coast to the side of the expressway. Was unable to restart, or get into gear for the hauler. Vehicle was hauled to dealership and is still there. The car has 1,100 miles on it.
NHTSA #11469609
The silver accent bar on the center console below the air vents creates a major glare when the sunlight hits it. It reduces visibility by causing a distraction and feels as if you're staring into the sun. The photo doesn't do it justice but this has happened multiple times and I have to hold up my arm to block the glare. Additionally when the sunlight hits the screens on the dashboard and center console they become unreadable.
NHTSA #11467170
Vehicle is equipped with a back up alarm that exceeds 75 decibels and is measured at 90 decibels inside of garage. This Poses a public safety risk and violation of local noise ordinances
NHTSA #11453587
I was driving extremely slowly pulling into a parking spot. I applied my brakes but the car experienced Unintended Acceleration. The vehicle felt like it went into another gear, and It jumped the curb on its own, ran over some shrubbery, and crashed into the porch of a condominium which stopped the car. The air bags did not deploy as I was only going approximately 3 m.p.h. The sensors that should have prevented me from jumping the curb, running over shrubbery, and crashing into a building failed. Kia Consumer Affairs performed a forensic inspection and found nothing, yet I am positive that this vehicle is unsafe to drive. There were no warnings prior to the incident. I could have been killed or hurt or killed others.
NHTSA #11465455
This vehicle was involved in an accident caused by unintended acceleration. The vehicle is not available for inspection as we sold it back to the dealer. I was going very slow with my foot on the brake when the car jumped a curb where I was trying to park, then ran over some shrubbery, and then crashed into a condominium.
NHTSA #11468588
This complaint is about a vehicle design and implementation issue rather than a malfunction. The implementation of the low speed warning alert for this vehicle is dangerous to pedestrians. Several times, as I was backing out of a parking spot pedestrians have stopped directly behind the moving vehicle and could have been hit. When put into reverse this vehicle emits beeping tone from a speaker mounted in the FRONT bumper of the vehicle. Because the backup alert tone is emitted from the front bumper of the vehicle, the sound is reflected off other cars and structures and is perceived as completely non-directional to anyone standing behind the car. When people hear the beeping, they tend to stop and look around for the source of the sound, which is some cases seems to be coming from 1 or 2 aisles over in the parking lot, or from another direction altogether. The tone that the car emits is also inconsistent with the usual and expected 1000Hz tone that most people associate with backup beepers, causing further confusion to pedestrians. As implemented, the backup alert system on this vehicle does more harm than good and has the potential to cause a pedestrian accident because of the confusing, non standard and non-directionality of the sound. A blind or vision impaired person would have a very hard time discerning the direction that the sound is coming from and could get hit by this vehicle as it is backing up. To be effective, the backup beeper should be mounted in the rear of the car and emit the standard tone that people generally associate with backup alarms.
NHTSA #11434645
Transmission overheat due to clutch inactivity
NHTSA #11690884
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro Plug-in Hybrid. 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 was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA #11562264
The contact owns a 2022 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 was 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. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA #11561195
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. The check engine and Hybrid System warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the hydraulic clutch actuator. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train). The VIN was included but parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was 60,000.
NHTSA #11558404
The contact owns a 2022 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 dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact recently received a recall notice that stated that parts were now available. The dealer was notified of the letter but stated that parts remained unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
NHTSA #11563231
The contact's husband owns a 2022 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 made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
NHTSA #11560736
On four separate occasion I shifted it the car into park and a car computer did not register it in the correct mode. Video of lst event upload to Google photos https://photos.app.goo.gl/Ty4AYfnUiF9EX6oE6
NHTSA #11472871
When the KIA is shifted into "park", it will sometimes roll forward or backwards until the brakes are applied by the driver. This doesn't happen all the time and we have not figured out a way to predictably reproduce the results, but it happens a lot. My wife is the primary driver and I have only driven the car about 10 times. It has happened to just me twice in that time frame. It's such a common problem that we have started trying to routinely activate the emergency brake, as the transmission is not reliable in shifting the vehicle into park. During one incident, my wife forgot to use the emergency brake after shifting the car into park. She got out, the vehicle began rolling in park and her leg almost got ran over in an attempt to stop the vehicle. We have taken the car to Mike Miller KIA in Peoria, IL, but they were unable to reproduce the results, so did not take action to fix the vehicle. We have also reached out to KIA on this issue and are awaiting a response. A quick Google search indicated that KIA is not exactly reliable safety-related issues, so I wanted to be proactive in exposing this potential vehicle hazard.
NHTSA #11450489
Vehicle enters power limited (turtle) mode randomly. While driving under normal conditions, with ample battery charge and range, the “turtle mode” warning indicator chimes. Sometimes it is brief and no noticeable power loss is experienced. However, often power will be lost and the vehicle must limp off the road to restart if it doesn’t resume on its own. This problem arises at varying speeds and ambient conditions. Our safety is at risk because you never know when it will happen. Losing power on the highway and making an emergency stop is clearly a safety hazard. The dealership has not been able to replicate this problem.
NHTSA #11527822
I wanted to go to the store and when I pressed the Start button I got the message: Stop car and check regenerative brakes. Soon after the lights dimmed and the message showed up that key fob was not detected even though it was in my hand. It then no longer took a charge and is completely dark. I checked the internet, and it sounds like it is the 12V battery and is a known issue that is not yet at recall level.
NHTSA #11676899
When I got to work one day I turned off my vehicle and went about my regular day until I went to go home and my car was dead. The entire electrical system wasn’t working. No lights on the dashboard or in the vehicle when I opened the door. We went to jump it with the instructions from the owner’s manual. We finally got it jumped the next day and I drove home everything seemed okay I put gas in it and battery seemed charged from what my dashboard said. I moved my vehicle once again and it was fine but then the next day I went to turn it on and my car system was freaking out saying I needed to check my brakes and wouldn’t let me move or anything. I turned it back off to see if it was just a weird malfunction but it did the same exact thing then the car completely shut off everything dashboard everything. I called AAA. He jumped the car so he could drive it up on his truck to not do any other damage to it. I got them to tow it to my Kia dealership I bought my car from. They ran diagnostics on it and told me the wiring harness needed to be replaced and was internally shorting causing my battery to drain. They still have my vehicle in shop at the dealership. Thankfully both times I had had issues I was either at my work or my home (safe locations), but I couldn’t imagine not being able to get my car started out in an unknown area or having to jump it every time I were to drive it due to this issue. Cronin Kia dealership in Harrison, Ohio has information on the vehicle, the issue, and the fixes they were doing. If you would like to further inspect it you can as well. [xxx] was the first time it died and the [xxx] was the day it had alerted of a problem with the brakes and died then I called AAA. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA #11685917
I received a recall notice for my 2022 Kia Niro EV regarding the safety plugs of the high-voltage battery. I have now scheduled three different appointments with Kia of Lincolnwood to perform this recall, and each time I have been turned away with a different excuse (lack of part, lack of tools, performing recall will take too many hours). The last time I asked to speak with the service manager, who assured me he would take care of this and I would be able to come in on Friday 10/11. Given how many times I've been turned away, I called the day before to confirm, and the manager said he would call me back and never did. Repeated attempts to contact him or the dealership that day went unanswered. I would like help getting this dealership to perform the recall. Given the risk of fire or crash, I am not comfortable driving this vehicle or charging it. I am attaching copies of both the recall and the last work order I was given, where it shows once again I was asked to come back another day.
NHTSA #11619465
In re: Manufacturer Recall Number SC314, NHTSA Recall Number 24V358 The Kia dealership (Aloha Kia Leeward, Waipahu, Hawai‘i) is imposing an unreasonable delay for this safety recall. Dealer was contacted in mid-July to schedule recall service. Dealer said it had to order the part. After not hearing from the dealer for two weeks, dealer was contacted on August 2 and recall service was scheduled for August 27 (claiming that was the first available appt.) Dealer kept the vehicle for 5 hours that day, then said the service could not be performed. Dealer said it would contact me to reschedule. After leaving messages and not hearing back from dealer, I went in person on 9-4-24. Dealer could not schedule recall service until October 7. Because this is a recall for safety issues, this repeated delay is unacceptable. I wish to put this complaint in the record regarding the disregard for vehicle safety by Aloha Kia Leeward of Waipahu, Hawai‘i. Thank you.
NHTSA #11612885
2022 Kia Niro EV loses main battery power causing the vehicle to not be able to maintain speed. This has happened at varying speeds including highway speeds. The vehicle showes "limited power" warning on the dash along with "check electrical system" warnings. The OBDii system does not record these warnings and do not show up when taken to service center. The service center can not make repairs as they are not able to replicate the issue.
NHTSA #11540377
Spontaneous combustion of the Sunroof. The Kia Niro is garage held in Colorado. While the temperature was in the teens the car has been driven and kept in much lower temps. No, Snow was on top of the car. When parking the car in the garage a loud noise was heard and the entire sunroof shattered
NHTSA #11701647
When vehicle is placed in ‘reverse’ gear, screen goes to green screen that reads “ No Camera Signal Received.Please try again later.” Unable to view rear of vehicle except through mirrors while backing up. Audio warning will still sound for proximity alarm, but no visibility from rear camera. Intermittently camera will function and show live feed of rear of vehicle. Taken to dealership and camera replaced, dealer reports that it worked for approx. 30 minutes but now is malfunctioning again and they are continuing diagnostics.
NHTSA #11669477
The dash chrome trim running across the dashboard reflects the sun and blinds the driver. It is so reflective it makes driving almost impossible. This needs to be addressed by Kia as it blinds the driver bad enough that it's only a matter of time till this will cause an accident that will cause harm or death of the cars occupants.
NHTSA #11475843
The silver strip on the dash reflects the sun and it blinds you while you're trying to drive
NHTSA #11537045
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop at 5 MPH, the vehicle was T-boned on the passenger's side by a Jeep Grand Cherokee driving at high speed. Due to the impact, the contact's head struck the dashboard. The other vehicle fled the scene of the crash. The airbag deployed on the passenger side but did not deploy on the driver's side. No warning light illuminated. There was no reported fire. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot, where the contact was informed that the vehicle would be destroyed. The contact sustained an eye and face injury, body aches, and a detached ear. Medical attention was received at the hospital, where the contact was stabilized and referred to the Primary Care Physician for future care. The contact called both an unknown local dealer and an independent mechanic, but there was no response. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact called the auto finance company and was referred to the insurance company. The failure mileage was unknown.
Allegedly reported: 1 injury (as reported to NHTSA). NHTSA #11743136
I was driving on a 70mph hwy and traffic came to a full and sudden stop due to a car cutting across lanes a few cars ahead of me. There was no time for me to stop and I couldn’t see the traffic stopped. The car in front of me was able to stop without hitting anyone but I could not. Airbags did not deploy and this concerned me even though I was not injured.
NHTSA #11703599
We discovered the passenger airbag "OFF" indicator was illuminated during while driving. My wife needs an orthotic cushion in the seat for anything other than a 10 minute trip. When the orthopedic cushion is placed in the seat the air bag does not activate. I went to the dealership and we tested a my and another 2022 Niro, a 2022 Sportage and a Telluride. The air bag in the Telluride was the only one that activated. The owners guidance was to contact KIA Consumer Assistance. A call to Kia Consumer Assistance (800-333-4542) options 2,5 & 2 yeilded a 30 minute wait with no indication of the remaining wait time and jazz music. Additionally, the external backup horn is so loud you cannot hear the collision alert alarm if the driver window is down.
NHTSA #11464534
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that the Hybrid Engine alarm activated and illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle for a few hours, and when restarting the vehicle, the alarm was no longer displayed. The contact continued to drive at approximately 5 mph. When pressing the brake pedal to park, the brake pedal floored with no resistance, and the vehicle began to accelerate. The contact immediately turned the vehicle towards the left to avoid crashing into a nearby building, jumped a curb into a ditch, causing the vehicle to bounce several times, and landed on the main street where it came to a stop. The air bags were deployed when the vehicle jumped the curb, landing in the ditch. The contact received bruises and cuts to their right leg and femur, chest, and back injuries. Medical attention was needed. The vehicle was damaged on the front end and was towed. It was not determined if the vehicle was totaled as of yet. A police report was filed. The dealer was not informed of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Allegedly reported: 1 injury (as reported to NHTSA). NHTSA #11663050
My right brake light keeps going out and it was “fix” before my the Kia dealership and they said it was just a lose harness but months later it has happened again, the warning light constantly comes on and the power to the light is intermittent. It is currently back into the shop to run another diagnostic
NHTSA #11590360
Just over 2 weeks after purchase of new Kia Niro the brakes failed completely. The regenerative brake light appeared in red along with the ABS light and several others. I was driving in a major highway and had no pressure in the brake pedal, leaving me completely unable to brake. I dropped the car to “manual” second gear” and rode (very fortunately on a straightaway) until I was able to apply the emergency brake. The Niro was towed to the dealership who has had the vehicle ever since. They are uncertain of the cause, have opened a tech case with Kia, and reportedly order parts. I have initiated a buyback with Kia as I am not willing to out my family’s life at risk.
NHTSA #11462521
Intermittent warning to "Refill Inverter Coolant" displays on the dash screen. This is a known issue pursuant to SA512 (ELE 270 Rev 3) due to faulty coolant that crystallizes and interferes with the sensor. However, per Kia, it is only covered under standard warranty (5 years/60k miles) and while my vehicle is within the year warranty, it is over the mileage. Quote was to replace "Chiller, water pump and flush coolant system" at a cost of $2369.02 including parts and labor. Dealership will not perform recommended maintenance of coolant flush (every 37k miles) without replacing these parts. If this was a known defect why is there a limitation to the SA? It should be covered as a recall, not a voluntary service alert. I am unable to properly monitor the in-dash warnings regarding coolant levels until this problem is fixed
NHTSA #11733667
Vehicle has been submitted for repair under recall RCRIT-23V534-0846. DTC P17ED - Engine clutch system EOL fault, is set and has never gone away. Initially the dealership did the recall in the spring of 2024. It was taken to the dealership after an accident and returned with the same DTC. I believe the DTC was never repaired; it is a non-MIL light so it is easy to miss. It was taken back, and they claimed to bleed a clutch. DTC is still present. Taken back again, wiring harness was ordered and replaced, DTC is still present. The dealership (Serra Kia, 12300 30 Mile Rd, Washington Twp., MI 48095, 586-281-2800) has failed to fix this issue. The attached invoice is a 3rd attempt to fix the recall and they refused to do it at no cost.
NHTSA #11626261
The vehicle has a recurring P0420 code (“Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 1”). A boroscope inspection at Ricardo Caballero Kia Santa Isabel (invoice #[XXX] dated December 5, 2025) confirmed internal disintegration of the catalytic converter, with physical pieces of the catalyst falling out when the exhaust pipe was removed. This failure appears related to Recall 23V534 (SC276) and TSB PS709 (overheating / coolant boiling issues in 2017-2022 Niro Hybrid models). Motorambar, Inc. (official Kia distributor in Puerto Rico) has ignored my warranty claim since December 2 and December 22, 2025 (more than four months). Motorambar is now refusing to authorize a courtesy loaner vehicle at the dealer Ricardo Caballero Kia Santa Isabel, claiming the tests will take less than 5 days. This leaves me without transportation. The catalytic converter is fully covered under the Federal Emissions Warranty (8 years / 80,000 miles). I request that NHTSA investigate this as a potential safety and emissions defect and require Kia / Motorambar to: 1. Immediately repair or replace the catalytic converter under warranty at no cost. 2. Provide a courtesy loaner vehicle during the repair. 3. Reimburse previous diagnostic costs of $449.17. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA #11728234
Vehicle with code p0420, Kia dealership technician say: the problem was the spark, proceeded to change it and clear code. Check engine turn on again, the same person say: it’s a ring piston, the car was leaked engine oil to exhaust and he see blue smoke, no evidence for part of dealership and dealership never mention the car was consuming excessive engine oil. I mentioned the law of emission to change the catalyst and the boss say: I can’t change it but the problem will be come but never do anything to change it. In other dealership Kia the technician dismantle the exhaust and see ceramic part coming from the catalyst, his recommendation is change it. Dealership make a formal petition to motorambar distributor official ok Kia in PR and motorambar refuse to change the part with the evidence provide by dealership: technician report and photos. I call motorambar in 2 times and the only thing motorambar do is creating ticket to escalated to technician, never received call from this ticket, this occurred on fort week of December 2025 and today is 19 January of 2026 and not received any call from motorambar.
NHTSA #11711969
I have had this vehicle for 13 months and have taken it to the shop 4 times for the same reason. The 12v dies and my car has to be Jumpstarted in order for me to use the vehicle. Dealer usually blames the 12v at the beginning of the appointments before ultimately telling me there is nothing wrong with the 12v and that they are unable to replicate the problem. They rarely go beyond preforming a drain test, despite me telling them that there is no drain. I've been stranded late at night because of this issue, and now keep a portable jumpstarter in my vehicle at all times.
NHTSA #11674004
I took my car to the Dublin California Kia dealer because my car would not start or allow me to open the doors. When I had it towed to the dealer they said that the lithium ion battery under the rear seat had swollen. They said they would first address the recall for the (HCA) recall number 23V534. They completed the recall and was given the okay to replace the battery. Car was in the shop for 2 weeks. When I got the car back I didn't drive for 4 days. When I went to drive the car it would not start again. I had the car towed to Kia Vacaville, California shop. They informed me that the recall was performed incorrectly at the first dealer and that the new battery under the rear seat was swollen. The car has been in the shop for 2 weeks again. I am very concerned that this is a dangerous problem and do not feel safe driving this vehicle.
NHTSA #11576918
Car has broken down, not started, battery dead when fully charged MULTIPLE TIMES. It has been in the Kia service department since March 2024 (9 months) and they can’t figure out where the parasitic drain is from. This is the third time this year getting towed to the Kia dealership with no resolution. No warning lights / labels prior to failure. Danger by leaving me stranded 3+ times this year with need for triple A.
NHTSA #11630675
The vehicle has failed to start on 3 occasions and needed to be jumped. When towed to the dealership they’ve been unable to find any issues.
NHTSA #11514336
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, there were exhaust fumes inside the vehicle. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train). The VIN was included; however, parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was 10,500.
NHTSA #11558408
Kia issued a recall warning dated September 29, 2023 regarding a fire hazard in our car. The recall stated that remedy was not available. After two months of no remedy from Kia and failure of Kia's Customer Care Center to respond to our requests for help, we went to the Kia dealer in Van Nuys, California to inspect the car to ascertain if it was still safe. The dealer refused to inspect or take any remedial action. To date there has been nothing from Kia to correct the problem. However, the 2023 and 2024 Kia Niro Hybrids do not have the fire hazard problem; these years were NOT in the recall warning. Kia should have offered a remedy by now since the problem was obviously corrected in the next two years.
NHTSA #11557904
Hi, We made an appointment for lube oil and filter change for Oct. 12 in Redding. We made the call because the dock to recharge the phone was getting very hot and the phone shut down and said it needed to cool down. Two different phones and several times. We do not use it. During the call to two different dealers. Harper Motors and Redding Kia the said there was another issues with no remedy but we should receive a recall by mail. This leading to yesterday morning. Sept. 30, 2023 at 08:30. I put my foot on the brake and pushed the start button. Nothing happened except the dash read Check regenerative braking system and some other things then everything shut down and screen went black. The dash made a winding down sound. Everything shut down and locked. No response with the FOB. Hatch will not open. No lights anywhere. I can not move the gear shift to move the gear shift. It recommends moving the car away from structures and other cars. Because of fire danger. 2022 Kia Niro PHEV. As noted before we made contact with the dealers, They said to have it towed to them. It is a fire safety issue. How do I get it out of my garage with it locked down like this.
NHTSA #11547586
Car keeps notifying me of an issue with my left break lights, it has been inspected twice to which both times, Kia services said it just needed a new light but yet this problem keeps happening. Nothing pops up on diagnostics and there are no recalls, this is a brand new car less than a year with no history of accidents. It’s a safety issue now because it could be a wiring issue.
NHTSA #11531915
I have now had 8 instances of the Low Power warning coming on while driving, which reduces available power, and when coming to a stop, car cannot go forward. This has happened at highway speeds as well as city street speeds. This happened 4 times on a 50 mile drive today, creating a very dangerous road situation. I now feel the car is unsafe to drive, as an accident is waiting to happen. I have contacted the dealership where car was purchased and am waiting to hear back from them.
NHTSA #11545438
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro PHEV. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the HEV warning light illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who informed her to bring the vehicle in for service. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and informed her that the failure was due to the port component. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. While unplugging the vehicle, it failed to disengage from the port. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 17,500.
NHTSA #11553830
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle intermittently entered limp mode and loss automotive power while the vehicle was still at full battery. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to get a diagnosis however, the dealer stated that the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 36,000.
NHTSA #11737434
Problem 1, Check Engine Light: I purchased the used car on Jan 9 2025, around 23,400 miles from Kia Dealership, capitol Expy in San Jose. Today 05/27/2026, the odometer reads 26, 407 miles. My car is used only twice a week - 20 miles on Fridays, 12 miles on Wednesdays. My car has less than minimum wear and tear and is barely used. I completed my 25K service after Thanksgiving in Nov 2025. I have not even driven 1500 miles and the car is back in for service. Prior to this, within a month of purchasing my car Kia replaced the battery in my car. Around Mar 15, 2026, the Check Engine Light displayed. I called the Kia Dealership on Capitol Expy in San Jose 3-4 times, but they Kia dealership don't call back. On 05/15/2026, for the first time I drove about 50 miles return trip. While driving North on I-280 from [XXX] to [XXX] , over rolling hills that had some incline, the Check Engine Light came on.I scheduled service. I experienced that the vehicle struggle to climb the incline of rolling hills, after the battery charge was exhausted and the engine was running only on gas. The gas was 3/4 full. This is a safety hazard for me to be interrupted by Check Engine Light twice while driving and that too when my car has not even completed 30K miles. My car is sin Service on 05/26/2026 and in the shop for 3 days diagnosis. The Kia Dealership has yet to determine the problem. I have had to rent my own rental car even though I purchased Extended Warranty on the car. Problem 2, Blind Spot Warning Light on right side mirror: On 05/13/2026 and on 05/22/2026, the Blind Spot warning light on right side mirror does not display oncoming traffic when my car is parallel to the lane markings. On 05/13/2026, I was driving at 30mph and on 05/22/2026 I was stationary in the center divider. In both instances, the passing driver had to honk at me really loud -- to avert an accident. Both problems are severe safety hazards. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA #11740374
This car was purchased certified pre-owned from a Kia Dealership with 46,227 miles in October 2024. Within a month (Nov 2024), the electrical system would die overnight and we would require a jump start. This seemed to align with colder temperatures. After the first or second jump start, a headlight blew out. We replaced it. Then a tail light blew out and we replaced that one too. It seemed that there must be a connection between the electrical failure and the headlights / tail lights burning out. We took it in for a software update to see if that solved it, we also had them check the hybrid battery and the 12V battery. No other issues were detected. Eventually the problem just stopped happening. Now in Nov 2025, a year later, the problem has returned. The car's electrical system dies overnight and we have to jump start the car. And another tail light / turn signal has burned out. This time, we called a dealership to ask about any recalls or pending software updates and they said there was nothing showing in their system. We are now driving without a turn signal, which is a significant safety hazard. We will have to go back and replace the tail light / turn signal bulb. But what about the situation recurring? How do we get the car to stop 'dying' overnight in cold weather?
NHTSA #11699174
The incident, occurring on [XXX], was first submitted by phone, followed by email to [XXX] on 27 May with incident description and sketch. I was given the Complaint ID no ODI11663050. However, now when I search for that number, nothing shows up! I have not received any information that the complaint has been investigated and dismissed! In order to publicize this event as much as possible to warn the public about this dangerous safety issue, I have posted the following on my X account ( [XXX] ) and have asked family and friends to spread the information as much as possible. Appreciate you contacting me at [XXX] and/or [XXX] about this. Post 1: Hybrid Car Warning! If you drive a hybrid and get a Hybrid Motor Failure warning, STOP IMMEDIATELY and seek help! My 2022 Kia Niro Hybrid flashed this warning—I drove straight to an auto shop nearby. What happened next was terrifying… ( 1/3) Post 2: As I tried braking to park, the brakes failed, and the car accelerated instead! I barely avoided the shop, parked cars & trees—but I jumped a curb, went in & out of a ditch, and stopped across a major road. A red light saved me from being hit! ( 2/3) Post 3: The airbag deployed, hitting my chest hard. My chest is in pain. I had a major lumbar surgery in 2021 and my back is a mess ChatGPT indicates several possible causes, but the most relevant is a hybrid motor failure may cause unintended acceleration & brake issues. Post 4: Drivers, take these warnings seriously! ️ Stay safe! #HybridCar #Safety INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Allegedly reported: 1 injury (as reported to NHTSA). NHTSA #11665549
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -I have received a "Check Brake Light" warning several times now, even after replacing the bulbs. I have replaced them twice now in the past 6 months and the issue persists. I believe it to be a faulty sensor or something similar. Yes, it is available to inspect upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? I do not know if my brake light is functioning properly as this warning indicator comes on intermittently even though the light has been replaced and even when it seems there is nothing wrong with the light. It is very stressful. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? I took my car to the dealership in November 2025 and they couldn't find any issue. The indicator light did not come on at the dealership but came on again later in the week. They even replaced both brake lights hoping that would help. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? The dealership service center Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No other symptoms.
NHTSA #11703967
I bought my 2022 Kia Niro EV new in 2022, and around 40,000 miles, I had a problem with the reduction motor so I replaced it, shortly after that I had a problem with the wheel so I replaced a part called the axle, and shortly after that, the other wheel had the same problem so I replaced the same part, and the Kia employee said that this part only breaks if there is a strong impact (traffic accident) so it's strange. All of this happened in less than 2 years but I had it covered under warranty so I got it fixed, but now the reduction motor problem that I had originally replaced has happened again and they are demanding $5,800 to repair it since it's out of warranty. I think this is unfair, and this is the first time I've had a car with this many problems in less than 3 years.
NHTSA #11639695
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The failure obstructed the driver's visibility, preventing the driver from safely operating the vehicle. Additionally, there was a delay with the image appearing on the screen when the vehicle was in reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it was unknown if the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to start up, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the battery terminals were loose. The vehicle was repaired; however, when the contact arrived to retrieve the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer inspected the vehicle; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact was informed by the dealer that the vehicle had an open recall, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V426000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.
NHTSA #11712922
I got my oil changed and since I picked it up, I have an EPB light on and my “auto-hold” is orange, I also can’t set my cruise control. This disables safety features on my car- adaptive cruise control.
NHTSA #11625827
Started 2-3 months ago and is progressively getting worse. Battery drop from charged down to 2% randomly. Battery would drop 1% every 3 seconds. During highway drive it would cancel out cruise control and/or limited power down to 30mph. Which almost caused accident for the sudden loss of power. Brought to dealer and found no issues, waiting for next appointment in 2 weeks (next opening) to bring in for second look. Currently renting a vehicle since it is life threatening to just have no power in range and acceleration.
NHTSA #11559245
2022 NIRO EV PHANTOM BREAKING WARRENTY DENIED WITH NO DAMAGE VISABLE What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? ACC SYSTEMS UNKNOWN KIA CLAIMS MY FRONT RADAR BRACKET IS OFF 1.9 DEGREES. THEY STATE THEIR NO NO PHYSICAL DAMAGE The text stating there was no damage, but Kia wants the bracket replaced, that’s reasonable but why they want you to pay for it I don’t yet understand. I will be looking into this as that’s a key point. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? nope Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? manufacturer PENDING STATE BAR REP How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? cAR STOPPED ON STRAIGHT AWAY WENT TO 63mph TO 50 VERY QUICK NO INCLINE NO DECLINE NO TURN NOONE OR NOTHING IN FRONT OR AROUND ME
NHTSA #11566619
The chrome colored plastic strip that runs along the dash reflects the sun into your eyes and is blinding. Sometimes I have to drive with my hand blocking the beams of light because it’s that blinding. This happens mostly in the summer but has happened in other seasons. I was going to paint it or put stickers on it to block it although my car is a rental and don’t want to void anything so I drive with my hand blocking the reflection.
NHTSA #11530630
The contact owned a 2022 Kia Niro EV. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. The contact depressed the brake pedal several times; however, the vehicle failed to stop immediately. The contact drove over a flower pot and then crashed into a support beam. No warning light was illuminated. The air bags failed to deploy upon impact. No injury was sustained, and medical attention was not received. No police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where the front passenger's side quarter panel, tire, and wheel were replaced. The vehicle was then traded to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 9,500.
NHTSA #11534334
When driving with ACC engaged in traffic at a speed below the target speed the vehicle will sometimes speed up. This seems to happen when the ACC radar loses the return from the vehicle ahead -- for example when when a ahead vehicle changes lanes in stop-and-go traffic, I think this may happen if the side of the vehicle merging into the lane is relatively "clean" and most of the radar energy is reflected away. When this happens the car will start accelerating to the target speed, in rush hour traffic the spacing between vehicles can be quite tight and there is little time to respond to the sudden acceleration. This has also happened at an approach to a roundabout where there is a sharp turn before entering the roundabout. The vehicle is available for inspection. The problem has happened several times and I'm often able to predict when it will happen, but it has not been independently reproduced. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer (the problem was reported to the dealer who sold the car, they brushed it off and could not provide a means of reporting it to the manufacturer). There were no warnings or indication of an equipment failure.
NHTSA #11482958
When installing a car seat in the center position of the back seat using the seat belt, we found that the latch for the lower seat belt came undone. (It is the latch for the fixed corner of the lap belt. This is the black latch with the small slot to release the belt that is to remain hooked except to fold the rear seat flat rather than the latch with the red button.) We unbuckled the other side of the seat belt, removed the car seat, and found that the latch itself was defective. When the buckle is placed into the latch it can be pulled free with little effort. Upon further inspection, we found that if you place the buckle into the latch, wiggle it from side to side, and then pull it will remain latched. However, if you push the buckle down into the latch again it will release and can be pulled free without using the slot to release it. We took our vehicle to our local dealership, and they determined that the latch was indeed defective and a new latch was ordered to replace it. The part is not yet in, so it is not fixed yet. We will ask the dealership to track where the part is once replaced if it needs to be inspected. If we had not noticed that the latch was defective, we would have installed a car seat in that position with the possibility of the latch coming loose during an accident. There was no known warning signals that alerted us to this problem other than our own inspection of the problem. We have a video recording available that shows the problem much better than the pictures, but the form will not allow us to upload it here. Feel free to reach out to us to get a copy of it.
NHTSA #11457201
I have tried to contact several dealerships to have it inspected, but they have as of yet (4 days later) not contacted me to get anything set up. We have collectively called 15 times, and they continue to tell us that a "service advisor" will call us back. Because of this, it has not been inspected yet, though we have tried. We plan to just show up and demand it be inspected, without appointment. The concern is that the crack continues to grow, and we are worried if there is a collision that it would cause our safety to be in jeopardy. According to the dealership, this issue has not been seen elsewhere, although several different models in different years have reportedly had a TSB put out for this issue (according to customer service at Corporate Kia on the first day of the issue). There were no other issues indicating that this would happen prior to my seeing the crack. Two weeks after the purchase of the vehicle, the windshield developed a crack coming from the drive side corner. When it was first noticed, it was only 3 inches long. It wasn't noticed at first because it began below the black portion of the windshield near the base. It wasn't until it extended up into the visible portion that I noticed it. But it has continued to grow over time just sitting in garage. Four days later, it is 15+ inches long. There was no collision to cause it (no rock, bug, hail, etc). A small chip has also begun to form at an area where the crack took a turn, I suspect because that's a focal point for the pressure.
NHTSA #11456146
After putting the car in park on a moderate slope, I exited the car and about 2 seconds later, as I was connecting the charger, the car rolled backward 4 feet before coming to a stop. I immediately confirmed that the car was in park. The parking brake was *not* on. (Or at least, I did not manually set it- I don't know if this car activates the brake automatically when in park.) The right front wheel was on ice. All other wheels on bare gravel. The temperature was 36 deg F. This is an EV, so it may have some sort of event recorder built in. If so, look at roughly 9:10 EST on 2/10/22. This is a short-term rental from Enterprise, so I'll set the parking brake manually for the remainder of the rental and report it to them on return. Contact them if you want to inspect it. The registration lists the owner as "EAN Holdings LLC"
NHTSA #11451321
If your 2022 Kia Niro has had repeated repairs for the same problem, you may have rights under California lemon law. Tell us about it and we will review your situation at no cost and no obligation.
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