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U.S. public vehicle records

2017 Kia NIRO: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

79 owner complaints analyzed

4 distinct recall campaigns

50,500 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2017 model year. Data snapshot: . 21 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Engine is the most frequently named component, appearing in 28 of 79 complaints (35.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Electrical and battery issues1620.3%
Engine operation810.1%
Steering behavior78.9%
Transmission and shifting56.3%
Braking behavior22.5%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Engine
28
Electrical System
18
Power Train
18
Unknown Or Other
12
Fuel/Propulsion System
9
Steering
7
Structure:Body
5
Engine And Engine Cooling
3
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Engine28
Electrical System18
Power Train18
Unknown Or Other12
Fuel/Propulsion System9
Steering7
Structure:Body5
Engine And Engine Cooling3

Engine: 28; Electrical System: 18; Power Train: 18; Unknown Or Other: 12; Fuel/Propulsion System: 9; Steering: 7; Structure:Body: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
7
25,000 to 49,999
3
50,000 to 74,999
2
75,000 to 99,999
4
100,000 to 149,999
5
150,000 and above
0
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0007
25,000 to 49,9993
50,000 to 74,9992
75,000 to 99,9994
100,000 to 149,9995
150,000 and above0

Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 4; 100,000 to 149,999: 5; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 58 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2017
1
2018
4
2019
2
2020
3
2021
4
2022
11
2023
13
2024
16
2025
7
2026
18
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
20171
20184
20192
20203
20214
202211
202313
202416
20257
202618

2017: 1; 2018: 4; 2019: 2; 2020: 3; 2021: 4; 2022: 11; 2023: 13; 2024: 16; 2025: 7; 2026: 18

Pattern summary

Engine leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 16 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 8 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10957721 · 2017-02-28 (February 28, 2017)

LEASED THE 2017 KIA NIRO EX HYBRID CAR, LATE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2017 AND DROVE HOME 10+ MILES. ODOMETER HAD 15 MILES AT START. LEFT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT EARLY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 AT 4AM. BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE AND WAS STEERING ONTO THE STREET WHEN THE POWER STEERING WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND STEERING WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND NOISY (GROWLING) - VIBRATING WHILE TURNING THE WHEEL ITSELF. PULLED BACK INTO THE GARAGE AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RETRIED SEVERAL TIMES. …

Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10957721 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11065272 · 2018-01-26 (January 26, 2018)

THE AIR BAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY WHEN I WAS REAR ENDED AND TOTALED MY CAR.. WHILE.SITTING AND WAITING FOR GREEN LIGHT ON A ROAD(STATIONARY).THE NEW KIA ARE NOT SAFE. IF YOU ARE REAR ENDED.THERES NO PROTECTION.THE AIR BAGS DON'T WORK EVEN IF YOU GET HIT AT 35 MPH.I AM COMPLAINING TO MAKE THE CONSUMERS TO BE AWARE OF THE KIA BRAND.THAT THEY ARE NOT TESTING CARS ON REAR END COLLISIONS.MY CAR WAS ONLY 6 MONTHS OLD.I HOPE YOU INVESTIGATE THIS AND MAKE CARS MORE SAFER.

Owner-reported narrative. 30,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11065272 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11102835 · 2018-06-20 (June 20, 2018)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2017 KIA NIRO. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE, A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT LOOKED OUTSIDE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER TURN SIGNAL LIGHT AND THE MIDDLE OF THE VEHICLE WERE ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THE BATTERY CAUSED THE FIRE AND DECLARED THE VEHICLE A TOTAL LOSS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND THE CONTACT WAS …

Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11102835 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11114382 · 2018-07-29 (July 29, 2018)

THIS CAR HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP 8 TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED IT IN FEBRUARY 2017. THE AIRBAG SENSORS WERE DEFECTIVE AND REPAIRED. THE CAR MALFUNCTIONS OVER A BRIDGE CONSTANTLY ON MY WAY TO WORK. KIA DOESN'T KNOW WHY IT DOES THIS. THE LATEST ISSUE IS THE TRANSMISSION FAILING IN TRAFFIC AND THERE BEING NO ACCELERATION. I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF UNSAFE SITUATIONS BECAUSE OF THESE ISSUES. KIA CORPORATION HAS BEEN INVOLVED AND A TECH HAS BEEN FLOWN OUT TO INVESTIGATE MY CAR. I'M CURRENTLY SUING THEM TO REPURCHASE IT AS A LEMON. THIS COULD BE THE BEGINN…

Owner-reported narrative. 11,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11114382 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11122337 · 2018-08-25 (August 25, 2018)

PASSAGER DOOR HANDLE COMPLETELY CAME APART WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE DOOR; RENDERING THE DOOR INOPERABLE. IN AN EMERGENCY, THIS CAN LEAVE A PASSENGER STUCK IF THE DRIVER OR FIRST RESPONDERS CANNOT ACCESS THEM. THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN (TSBBOD173) ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT DUE TO THE SAFETY HAZARD, THIS SHOULD BE A FULL RECALL. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE.

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11122337 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11172990 · 2019-01-29 (January 29, 2019)

I HAVE TRIED ON THREE OCCASIONS TO HAVE THIS RECALL FIXED. EACH TIME, I LEFT THE CAR WITH THE DEALER, WAITED ALL DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WORK WASN'T DONE BECAUSE THAT THEY HAS TO ORDER THE PART. THE FIRST TIME, COVINA KIA, SENT ME AN E-MAIL TELLING ME THAT I HAD CANCELLED THE APPOINTMENT, WHEN THEY CANCELLED IT BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GET THE PART. THE SECOND TIME, THE PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE IN STOCK BUT WAS AGAIN NOT AVAILABLE. THE LAST TIME WAS WITH CITRUS KIA. I CALLED KIA CUSTOMER CARE, REPORTED THE PROBLEM AND WAS PROMISED THAT IT…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11172990 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11282193 · 2019-12-02 (December 2, 2019)

2017 KIA NIRO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SEVEN SAFETY RECALLS. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL WAS NOT COMPLETED DUE TO NOT HAVING THE PARTS TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME SLUGGISH. THE TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED EVEN WHEN THE TIRE WAS FILLED.*JS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 11282193 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11298499 · 2020-01-10 (January 10, 2020)

SITTING IN VEH. READY TO START.VEH. WILL TURN ON BUT NOT TURN OVER. BATTERY STRONG, LIGHTS ON AND BRIGHT BUT NO PETAL FOR A GAS START. THE VEH. WAS SITTING STILL. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,421 miles reported. Look up ODI 11298499 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

4 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

18V257000 · Hybrid Propulsion System

Reported: 2018-04-20 (April 20, 2018)

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 service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC163.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
18V666000 · Hybrid Propulsion System

Reported: 2018-09-25 (September 25, 2018)

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 contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC168.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
22V836000 · Hybrid Propulsion System

Reported: 2022-11-11 (November 11, 2022)

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.

Consequence: 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 number 18V-666. Vehicles already repaired under the previous recall will need to have the new remedy completed.

NHTSA campaign record ↗
23V534000 · Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Internal:Clutches/Bands:Actuators/Solenoids

Reported: 2023-07-31 (July 31, 2023)

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.

NHTSA campaign record ↗