2019 Kia NIRO: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
55 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
35,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2019 model year. Data snapshot: . 19 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 21 of 55 complaints (38.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical and battery issues | 11 | 20.0% |
| Braking behavior | 9 | 16.4% |
| Transmission and shifting | 5 | 9.1% |
| Steering behavior | 3 | 5.5% |
| Engine operation | 2 | 3.6% |
| Fuel system concerns | 1 | 1.8% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 21 |
| Electrical System | 13 |
| Engine | 10 |
| Service Brakes | 10 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 8 |
| Unknown Or Other | 6 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 4 |
| Air Bags | 2 |
Power Train: 21; Electrical System: 13; Engine: 10; Service Brakes: 10; Fuel/Propulsion System: 8; Unknown Or Other: 6; Engine And Engine Cooling: 4; Air Bags: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 7 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 3 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 4 |
| 150,000 and above | 0 |
Under 25,000: 7; 25,000 to 49,999: 3; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 4; 150,000 and above: 0
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 36 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 6 |
| 2023 | 10 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 11 |
| 2026 | 10 |
2019: 4; 2020: 2; 2021: 3; 2022: 6; 2023: 10; 2024: 9; 2025: 11; 2026: 10
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Electrical and battery issues appears in 11 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 5 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 11245045 · 2019-08-19 (August 19, 2019)
AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE AC STOPPED WORKING. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS, ALARMS OR INDICATORS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, BUT I IMMEDIATELY GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY BECAUSE I THOUGHT THIS IS NOT RIGHT. AS I BRAKED ON THE RAMP, THE CAR STILL WORKED, BUT WHEN I TRIED TO ACCELERATE LEAVING THE RAMP, THERE WAS NO POWER. I GOT INTO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT AND TURNED OFF THE CAR. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN IT BACK ON, IT WAS COMPLETELY DEAD. I CALLED AAA, THEY GAVE IT A JUMP, BUT EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY WAS FULL, WHEN PUT INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE IT WO…
Owner-reported narrative. 6,140 miles reported. Look up ODI 11245045 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11246151 · 2019-08-24 (August 24, 2019)
FIRST THE AIR CONDITIONER STOPPED WORKING FOR 2 DAYS. THEN ON THE 3RD DAY, 8/13/19, THE HEV LIGHT AND OIL LIGHTS WENT ON. THE ENGINE SLOWED DOWN. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN ONTARIO, CA. INITIALLY THEY SAID IT MAY NOT BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. THEN ON 8/17 THEY TOLD ME THE AIR CONDITIONER NEEDS A NEW COMPRESSOR. THEN ON 8/23 I WAS TOLD THAT OIL AND METAL SHARDS HAD LEAKED INTO THE ENGINE AND THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IT IS UNKNOWN WHEN THE REPAIR WILL BE DONE.
Owner-reported narrative. 26,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11246151 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11255755 · 2019-09-16 (September 16, 2019)
THE PROBLEM THAT I'M I'M HAVING IS A CODE P0456 (EVAPORATIVE EMISSION SYSTEM LEAK DETECTED, WHICH IS A SMALL LEAK. THE REASON WHY I'M WORRIED IS BECAUSE THE GAUGE FOR THE RPMS GOES ALL THE WAY ACROSS AS FAR AS IT CAN GO, IN OTHER WORDS IT'S LIKE AS IF I'M PUSHING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL AS FAR AS IT CAN GO , IT DOES THIS WHEN I'M DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, WHEN I'M ABOUT TO LEAVE A SIGNAL LIGHT FROM A COMPLETE STOP , WHEN I'M DRIVING UP A HILL IS WHEN IT'S WORST.
Owner-reported narrative. 5 miles reported. Look up ODI 11255755 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11269378 · 2019-10-18 (October 18, 2019)
TL* THE CONSUMER RENTED A 2019 KIA NIRO. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND PLACED IN REVERSE, THE VEHICLE MOVED FORWARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE GEAR SHIFT INDICATOR DISPLAYED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO THE RENTAL COMPANY. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 9,000. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. *AS
Owner-reported narrative. 9,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11269378 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11317160 · 2020-03-09 (March 9, 2020)
WHEN I WAS GOING TO LA USING 110 EXPRESS LANE. CAR STOP UNPREDICTABLY TOTALLY AND I PARKED THE CAR LEFT SIDE 110 EXPRESS LANE. I WAS STAYED 3 HOURS UNTIL TOW COMING.
Owner-reported narrative. 12,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11317160 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11321456 · 2020-04-17 (April 17, 2020)
PULLING INTO MY PARKING SPACE, BARELY MOVING, CAR SUDDENLY LUNGED FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT OVER A CONCRETE BARRIER AND UPHILL. THIS HAPPENED WITH ANOTHER KIA - FORTE- A FEW YEARS AGO . SAME TRAJECTORY. LOW SPEED TURN, I DID NOT ACCELERATE.
Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11321456 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11406006 · 2021-04-01 (April 1, 2021)
I BOUGHT MY 2019 CAR ON DECEMBER 2020. WHEN THE CAR IS STOPPED, AND I START FORWARD, THE CAR JERKS AND MAKE A LOUD NOISE. THIS HAPPENS TO ME RANDOMLY, BUT ONCE VERY 15 STOPS IN AVERAGE, ABOUT ONCE EVERY 2 DAYS. I WENT TO AN ONLINE FORUM OF KIA OWNERS AND IT SEEMS THAT THE PROBLEM COMES FROM THE WRONG TRANSMISSION FLUID BEING PUT INTO THE CAR DURING PRODUCTION. THERE IS A KIA TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN THAT DEALS WITH CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AT HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/TSBS/2020/MC-10174520-0001.PDF BUT WHEN I CALLED KIA USA, THEY TO…
Owner-reported narrative. 23,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11406006 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11407600 · 2021-04-12 (April 12, 2021)
WHEN WE ARE STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE ALARM BEEPS/CHIRPS A WARNING. OUR VEHICLE IS STOPPED, NOT MOVING AT ALL. THE CAR IN FRONT OF US, OR NEXT TO US IS ALSO STOPPED, NOT MOVING. OUT OF NOWHERE, THE COLLISION AVOIDANCE LIGHT BEEPS CAUSING US TO BE CONCERNED THAT WE MIGHT GET INTO A COLLISION. IT TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF US IS A TESLA, MERCEDES OR OTHER HIGH END CAR, BUT ALSO OCCURS WHEN THE CAR IN FRONT OF US IS NOT A TYPICAL HIGH END BRAND. THIS SAFETY CONCERN HAPPENS RANDOMLY, NOT EVE…
Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11407600 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
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 ↗