Kia Niro Recalls

NHTSA has issued 6 safety recalls for the Kia Niro, covering model years 2017 through 2025. The 2017 model year has the most, with 4 separate campaigns against it. The largest single recall covered 121,411 vehicles. The most recent was reported to NHTSA on January 17, 2025.

Total recalls: 6
Model years affected: 9
Most recalled part: No repeat
Latest recall: 2025

Kia Niro recalls by model year

How many campaigns were issued against each model year. One recall often covers several years at once, so these add up to more than the 6 total.

20251 recall20241 recall20232 recalls20221 recall20211 recall20201 recall20191 recall20183 recalls20174 recalls

All Kia Niro recalls

Each entry is an official NHTSA campaign, shown with the defect, consequence, and remedy exactly as the manufacturer reported them, newest first.

25V024000SeatReported January 17, 2025

SEATS

Model years affected: 2023–2025

The problem

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Hybrid vehicles. The floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can prevent the front air bags and seat belts from deploying properly or cause an unintended side curtain air bag deployment.

What can happen

Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

The fix

Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, dealers will install wiring covers. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC332.

Vehicles affected: 80,255
Maker's recall no.: SC332
Owners notified: February 27, 2025

Read campaign 25V024000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

23V534000Power trainReported July 31, 2023

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS

Model years affected: 2017–2022

The problem

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.

What can happen

A fire increases the risk of injury.

The fix

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.

Vehicles affected: 121,411
Maker's recall no.: SC276
Owners notified: December 29, 2023

Read campaign 23V534000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

23V298000Electrical systemReported April 26, 2023

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Model years affected: 2023

The problem

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023 Sportage, Sportage Hybrid, Sportage Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Hybrid, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Soul, and Telluride vehicles equipped with a digital instrument cluster containing a 4.2" LCD screen. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 101, "Control and Displays," and 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems."

What can happen

A blank instrument cluster display will not show critical information, such as tire pressure, warning messages, and warning lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix

Dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 26, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC270.

Vehicles affected: 108,936
Maker's recall no.: SC270
Owners notified: May 26, 2023
Safety standard: FMVSS 101

Read campaign 23V298000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

22V836000Reported November 11, 2022

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Model years affected: 2017–2018

The problem

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.

What can happen

Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.

The fix

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.

Vehicles affected: 27,030
Maker's recall no.: SC256
Owners notified: January 9, 2023

Read campaign 22V836000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

18V666000Reported September 25, 2018

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Model years affected: 2017–2018

The problem

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.

What can happen

The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.

The fix

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.

Vehicles affected: 27,030
Maker's recall no.: SC168
Owners notified: November 23, 2018

Read campaign 18V666000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

18V257000Reported April 20, 2018

HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM

Model years affected: 2017

The problem

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.

What can happen

An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.

The fix

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.

Vehicles affected: 27,029
Maker's recall no.: SC163
Owners notified: June 15, 2018

Read campaign 18V257000 on NHTSA.gov ↗

What to do if your Kia Niro is on this list

A recall listed here applies to a range of vehicles, not to every car of that model year. Manufacturers narrow it down by build date and VIN, so the only way to know whether yours is included is to check the VIN. You can do that free on NHTSA's recall lookup, or by calling any franchised dealer for that brand with your VIN in hand.

Recall repairs are free. Under federal law the manufacturer has to fix a safety defect at no charge, and there is no mileage limit and no expiry on that obligation for vehicles under 15 years old. A dealer cannot charge you for the parts, the labour, or the diagnosis on a recall repair, and you do not need to have bought the car there. If a dealer asks you to pay, that is worth escalating to the manufacturer's customer line, which is listed in the remedy text of each recall above.

Recalls do not block a title transfer or registration in any state. You can legally buy, sell, or register a car with an open recall, and sellers are generally not required to fix one first. That said, an open recall is worth raising before money changes hands, especially one with a do-not-drive advisory. If you are buying, run the VIN before you hand over the payment; if you are selling, telling the buyer about an open recall costs you nothing and avoids a dispute later.

Kia Niro recall questions

How many recalls does the Kia Niro have?

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the Kia Niro across model years 2017 to 2025. That count covers recalls filed from 2010 onward. Not every campaign applies to every car of that model year, because manufacturers limit recalls by build date and VIN.

Which Kia Niro model year has the most recalls?

The 2017 Kia Niro carries the most, with 4 recall campaigns. A high count does not automatically mean a worse car: a single supplier fault can trigger a recall across an entire production run, and manufacturers that report problems quickly tend to show more campaigns.

Are Kia Niro recall repairs free?

Yes. Federal law requires the manufacturer to repair a safety recall at no cost, including parts and labour, on vehicles under 15 years old. There is no mileage limit, and you do not have to be the original owner or have bought the car from that dealer.

Can I sell or register a Kia Niro with an open recall?

Yes. An open recall does not stop a title transfer or registration in any state, and private sellers are generally not required to repair one first. Dealers face stricter rules on some safety recalls. If you are buying, check the VIN before you pay; the repair is free, but you want to know what you are taking on.

Other Kia recalls

Kia Sorento recalls38 Kia Sportage recalls23 Kia Telluride recalls19 Kia Forte recalls18 Kia Optima recalls18 Kia Soul recalls15

Where this data comes from

Every recall on this page is published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal agency that oversees vehicle safety recalls in the United States. We pull the full recall file from NHTSA and reproduce the campaign number, defect description, consequence, and remedy exactly as the manufacturer reported them. NHTSA data is in the public domain.

Source:: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
NHTSA data as of:: July 18, 2026
Coverage:: Recalls from 2010 onward

Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov ↗

Buying or selling this car?

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Last reviewed: 2026-07-18 · Reviewed by the Car Paperwork editorial team · Independent resource · Not legal advice

⚠ Independent resource — check your VIN before actingCar Paperwork is not affiliated with NHTSA, any manufacturer, or any dealer. This page lists recalls issued for a model, which is not the same as a recall on your car: only a VIN check confirms that. Recall records are also updated by NHTSA continuously, so treat this as a starting point and confirm anything urgent with NHTSA or a franchised dealer. Nothing here is legal or repair advice.