RoadVitals

2025 Kia Niro PHEV

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
2
Latest Aug 30, 2025
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
1
Latest Jan 17, 2025
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
0
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 2 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2025 Kia Niro PHEV, most frequently naming the electrical and interior & seats categories. 1 safety recall has been issued covering this model year; and 12 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Electrical266.7%
  • Interior & seats133.3%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

1 campaign cover this model year

Recalls apply to specific vehicles, not to every vehicle of a model year. Check your VIN with NHTSA or your manufacturer's dealer to confirm whether a recall affects your vehicle.

Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov
25V024000

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; SEATS

Jan 17, 2025
80,255 units potentially affected
The defect: 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.
The risk: Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
The remedy: 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.
Kia America, Inc.Manufacturer number SC332View on NHTSA.gov

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Electrical
Filed Aug 30, 2025

The first time I drove this car after getting screwed in my contract , I pulled over in a pullout spot to turn around. I went to back up and it would not move. I tried everything to get it to go. There was a ed malfunction warning on the dash panel.between 5 and 10 minutes later it finally backed up and then trying to go forward did the same thing. I called Kia in medford and took it in, Noone had heard of such a thing and basically just sent me on my way. This is a brand new car. It wasn't even 3 hours and this happened. It happened again. I wanted them to take the car back for this and the fact that my contract was nothing like we agreed to. I want to give it back, already recalls and they misrepresented what they did. There was no paperwork, they didn't find it important, although I was stuck in a pullout lane twice.

NHTSA ID
11684141
Incident
Aug 24, 2025
ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed Mar 10, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Niro PHEV. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V024000 (Seats, Electrical System); however, the dealer inspected the wiring but did not install the wiring covers as described in the recall. The contact stated that the dealer advised her that the inspection of the wiring harness was all that was required by the manufacturer. The contact explained to the dealer that the recall stated that a wiring cover would be installed. The contact attempted to contact the manufacturer but was unable to reach a representative. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID
11647314
Incident
Jan 17, 2025

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

TSB_ELE422

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFOTAINMENT SYSTEM SOFTWARE UPDATE USING UPDATE.KIA.COM - This bulletin provides information and service procedures for updating the infotainment systems on applicable Kia vehicles using the Kia Navigation Updater available at update.kia.com. The software update may improve system performance, enhance existing features, and apply the latest operating software for supported vehicles (2021-2026MY All Models).

TSB_ELE394

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN5.0W DTC P17A000 DAIGNOSTIC PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information regarding a potential illuminated Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) accompanied by DTC P17A000 on some 2022-2025MY Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV) equipped with AVN5.0Wide head units listed below. This condition occurs when the Global Positioning System (GPS) module within the Audio Video Navigation (AVN) head unit, sends an inaccurate signal to the Hybrid Power Control Unit (HPCU), causing the DTC to set. There are no drivability symptoms associated with this condition.

TSB_SC358

VISIBILITY/WIPER

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: INCORRECT AMOUNT OF AIR CONDITIONING REFRIGERANT (SC358) - This bulletin provides information regarding an incorrect amount of air conditioning refrigerant in certain 2025MY Niro EV, HEV, and PHEV (SG2 P/HEV, SG2 EV) vehicles manufactured between September 2, 2024 and May 19, 2025. During assembly, the affected vehicles may have been produced with the incorrect amount of refrigerant during the in-line manufacturing process. As a result, the HVAC system may provide insufficient cooling in the cabin when vehicle owners are operating the vehicle.

SC358_OWNR

VISIBILITY/WIPER

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: OWNER NOTIFICATION (SC358) - This document is the owner notification advising that Kia is conducting Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2025 MY Niro, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, and Niro EV vehicles, manufactured from September 2, 2024 through May 19, 2025, to inspect and, if necessary, recover and charge the air conditioner refrigerant.

SC358_DPSM

VISIBILITY/WIPER

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO - This document is the announcement to the dealer Parts and Service managers advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2025 MY Niro, Niro Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Niro EV vehicles manufactured from September 2, 2024 through May 19, 2025 to inspect and, if necessary, recover and charge the air conditioner refrigerant.

SC358_DP

VISIBILITY/WIPER

VOLUNTARY SERVICE CAMPAIGN: DEALER PRINCIPAL MEMO () - This document is the announcement to the dealer principals advising that Kia is conducting a Voluntary Service Campaign on certain 2025 MY Niro, Niro Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Niro EV vehicles manufactured from September 2, 2024 through May 19, 2025 to inspect and, if necessary, recover and charge the air conditioner refrigerant.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Kia Niro PHEV by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026000—
2025Viewing210—
2024310—
2023620—
2022121143.0
2021111—
2020511—
2019261136.0
2018131147.1
2017000—

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.