1 complaint-reported fatality on this model.
SERVICE BRAKES,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM06/23/2026
My car is a 2019 KIA Niro Hybrid. It's only 7 years old, and my husband and I have been the only owners. It only has 61,000 miles on it, and it is serviced regularly and has to pass a state emissions test each year. As I was driving the other day, the dashboard lit up with critical alerts saying "check regenerative battery" and the braking system went completely soft; I could not stop the car using the brakes. It was terrifying. I had to pull off the road and use the emergency brake to stop the car. This was an awful incident that could have resulted in deaths or serious injuries. Again this is for a car that is well-maintained and well under 100,000 miles.
UNKNOWN OR OTHER06/12/2026
The Hydraulic Clutch Actuator has caused functional driving issues and caused my vehicle to go into limp mode. I was never informed of the recall issue prior to purchase, and the recall was marked as complete, when it was not. The fix for KIA NIRO Recall SC276 was incomplete in January 2024, and I purchased my vehicle in April 2024. My issues started in November 2025, and the incomplete recall issue has been ongoing. KIA offers only a 1/2-way fix, and this is simply not acceptable.
STEERING,POWER TRAIN,WHEELS05/22/2026
A major drivetrain service and repair was completed by an authorized manufacturer dealership. After picking up the vehicle, an unusual front-end/steering noise was immediately reported to the staff. Over just 390 miles of driving, the symptom worsened. A subsequent formal inspection by a separate, independent authorized service center confirmed the root cause of the safety failure: the primary axle nut had been left completely unstaked during the initial drivetrain assembly, rendering the vehicle entirely unsafe to operate. The vehicle was grounded to prevent an accident. Because the mandatory safety protocol of staking the axle nut was omitted, the critical fastening hardware was allowed to back off under normal driving conditions. This component failure directly compromised the structural integrity of the front drivetrain, steering knuckle, and wheel hub assembly. Had the vehicle continued to be driven, the omission presented an imminent risk of complete mechanical separation, which could cause a wheel assembly to detach or lock up while in motion at high speeds, putting the safety of the occupants and other motorists at extreme risk. The vehicle remains grounded and is available for inspection. The safety-critical assembly failure has been fully documented by the inspecting service center via technical video (available upon request) and photographic evidence. The manufacturer has been notified of the dealer workmanship defect but has failed to authorize corrective action or safe transport of the vehicle to a certified facility for remediation.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING03/26/2026
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle was successfully restarted and moved over to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a blown head gasket, a misfire in the engine, and coolant mixing with the engine oil; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 118,000.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM,ENGINE,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM03/14/2026
While traveling from upstate New York, the vehicle displayed an engine overheating warning shortly after startup while the engine was still cold. Because I was away from home, I stayed overnight and the next morning took the vehicle to a Kia dealership for inspection. The dealership inspected the vehicle and diagnosed a problem with the exhaust heat recovery system pipe. According to the service department, coolant is leaking internally through this component and is being burned in the exhaust system. The cooling system was pressure tested and held pressure externally, indicating the coolant loss is occurring internally through the exhaust heat recovery system rather than from an external leak. This condition can cause coolant loss and overheating while driving. If the engine overheats while the vehicle is in operation, it could create a safety risk due to sudden loss of power or engine damage. The dealership confirmed the diagnosis after inspection and testing and provided a repair estimate to replace the affected exhaust heat recovery system component. The overheating warning message was the first symptom observed prior to diagnosis. The problem was confirmed by the dealership after inspection and testing. This issue may indicate a defect in the exhaust heat recovery or thermal management system used in this hybrid vehicle, as coolant is entering the exhaust stream internally rather than leaking externally. If this type of failure occurs in other vehicles, it could lead to overheating while driving and potential engine damage.
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE03/05/2026
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked. The check engine warning light and the hybrid battery warning light were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the clutch actuator was leaking, and the dual clutch and slave cylinder needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but denied assistance in covering the cost of the repair. The contact stated that the engine and dual clutch were replaced two years ago. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM02/03/2026
Hydraulic fluid is leaking onto the hydraulic clutch actuator’s circuit board, creating a potential fire hazard. The vehicle requires replacement of the dual clutch and slave cylinder. This failure occurred just over one year after Kia replaced the dual clutch and performed a full engine replacement at a Kia dealership. This condition is identical to a known safety recall affecting 2019–2022 Kia Niro vehicles involving hydraulic clutch fluid leaking onto the actuator circuit board and creating a fire risk. Although my VIN is not listed under the recall, the vehicle is the same year, make, model, and drivetrain and is exhibiting the same defect described in the recall. This appears to be a recurring safety defect involving the hydraulic clutch system.
BACK OVER PREVENTION01/13/2026
My backup camera works intermittently, it has been tested at the dealership and supposed to be faulty, but if faulty why does it sometimes work, this causes danger when reversing the vehicle! The dealership wants $821 to replace the camera, I feel it should be a recall, as a whole bunch of Ford vehicles are recalled for the same issue! I have had several close calls even using my mirrors and looking over my shoulder, as the car has big blind spots!
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM11/11/2025
Continuing and worsening motor rumbling noise and ticking/clicking at slow speeds. Spent a couple of months and without car for weeks just to have kia confirm and have gearbox changed. This has existed in some form for a couple years now.
POWER TRAIN08/01/2025
The contact owns a 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Pull Over and Shut off Engine" was displayed and a burning odor was coming from the engine compartment. After restarting the vehicle, the failure was self-corrected. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who determined that fluid had leaked into the clutch actuator and the clutch actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact was informed that the VIN was previously inspected as part of the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 35,000.
SERVICE BRAKES07/13/2025
While driving an error message appeared about regenerative braking system error and the braking effectiveness was severely impaired.
POWER TRAIN,ENGINE06/26/2025
The contact owns 2019 Kia Niro. The contact stated that on several occasions when the vehicle was started, the check engine warning intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that while driving and accelerating, the vehicle lost motive power momentarily. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and DTC: P074A, P1921, P074A/73, and P1921-77 were retrieved. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it a diagnosed and determined that the transmission gear actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 75,000.
Showing 12 of 79 complaints.
