RoadVitals

2025 Kia Niro

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.
17
+1 complaint in 30 days
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.
2

Overview

Our database contains 17 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2025 Kia Niro, most frequently naming the driver assistance, suspension and electrical 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

  • Driver assistance317.6%
  • Suspension317.6%
  • Electrical317.6%
  • Engine211.8%
  • Steering15.9%
  • Airbags15.9%
  • Tires & wheels15.9%
  • Other / unspecified15.9%

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

View all 17
Filed Sep 10, 2026

My car was shifted into drive but when I press accelerate my car went backwards. I’ve reported this to kia numerous times and they refuse to fix it

NHTSA ID
11763276
Incident
Sep 3, 2026
Tires & wheels
Filed Aug 14, 2026

The vehicle began shaking violently on the Florida Turnpike, and the factory-installed tire completely separated from the factory rim at highway speeds. This was a life-threatening equipment failure on a brand-new vehicle fully covered under Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The vehicle is at the dealership awaiting repairs. The tire size is 205/60R16

NHTSA ID
11757072
Incident
Aug 9, 2026
ElectricalEngineSuspension
Filed Jul 23, 2026

Finally got car back from previous repairs and it was making a loud groaning noise all the time. Took it back to dealership and they said they had to repair the rack and pinion system and the gears were shredded. Employee says they now have another niro with the same problem as my original symptoms when transmission was replaced twice. Car has consistently had problems with the RPMs being incredibly high at low speeds but the dealership can’t seem to replicate the problem. Car randomly switched over to manual mode after a long drive. Video of problems given to employee and just said he’s going to give them to his field technician. Car has now been at the dealer for over 4 months and was finally returned because they can’t reproduce the problem.

NHTSA ID
11752437
Incident
Jun 1, 2026
Filed Jul 17, 2026

Re: Driver Safety Downgrade Stemming from Recent Software Update Complicating Tire Pressure Display Accessibility I am writing as the owner of a 2025 Kia Niro HEV to express my concerns regarding a recent software update that altered how tire pressure information is accessed on the instrument cluster. Prior to the update, tire pressures were available through the steering wheel page button, allowing drivers to view this safety-critical information with a single press and a quick glance. After the update, the tire pressure screen was removed from the page sequence and relocated into a deeper Vehicle Information submenu that requires multiple button presses and menu navigation. This change has created a significant safety issue. Tire pressure can only be displayed while the vehicle is in motion, yet the update now requires the driver to divert attention from the road to navigate several screens in order to access it. This is a clear regression from a human factors and safety standpoint. The previous method was intuitive, efficient and aligned with safe driving practices. The new method increases cognitive load and driver distraction at precisely the moment when attention should remain on the road. I respectfully request that Kia reevaluate this change and consider restoring tire pressure visibility to the steering wheel page button or another single-action, high-visibility location. Tire pressure is not a secondary diagnostic item; it is essential real‑time safety information that should remain immediately accessible. I appreciate Kia’s commitment to innovation, but updates that alter established safety workflows should be communicated clearly and designed to not be at odds with a driver's attention to the road. I hope Kia will take this feedback seriously and consider adjustments in future software releases. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NHTSA ID
11751226
Incident
Jul 1, 2026
Suspension
Filed Jul 6, 2026

I purchased this vehicle new from the dealer last year. The second time I went to them for an oil change the tires were worn out oddly and needed to be replaced. They said the car needed an alignment that I had to pay for. I purchased replacement tires from another shop and had the alignment paid for at another shop. The dealer refused any responsibility. This vehicle has not been in any accidents and miles driven are highway miles

NHTSA ID
11748421
Incident
Jun 11, 2026
ElectricalEnginePowertrain (other)
Filed Jun 17, 2026

Transmission was replaced but then completely shut down as I was making a right turn. Multiple indicators on dash went off and safety errors kept scrolling across dash. Vehicle then wouldn’t shift at all. TCM was replaced but vehicle has high RPMs at low speeds. Has been at the dealership now for over 90 days.

NHTSA ID
11744906
Incident
May 1, 2026
Driver assistance
Filed May 13, 2026

Situation: Slowing on exit lane from freeway while in I-Pedal mode. Anomaly: As i gradually lifted the accelerator pedal, at about 61 mph the car strongly accelerated. My response: I lifted my foot entirely off the accelerator pedal and scanned the dash to confirm that cruise control was not active. Acceleration continued. I tapped the accelerator pedal and the acceleration stopped. We were now at 69 mph and close to the car in front of us.

NHTSA ID
11737568
Incident
May 12, 2026
Driver assistance
Filed May 6, 2026
Crash reported

The contact leased a 2025 Kia Niro. The contact was stopped at a traffic light during the night. When the light changed, the contact was partially turning when the other vehicle slammed into the contact's vehicle. No injuries were reported. The contact stated that the front collision sensor failed. The contact was not warned of the impending collision. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was taken to the collision center. A police report was filed. The contact believed that the sensor failed in the evening and worked as intended during the daytime. The insurance company was notified of the accident. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.

NHTSA ID
11736086
Incident
Jan 9, 2026
Mileage
35,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

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

TSB_CLI049_R2

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; VISIBILITY/WIPER

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: PARTIAL REPAIR – ELECTRICAL A/C COMPRESSOR - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides information regarding the partial repair of the Air Conditioning (A/C) compressor assembly on some 2011MY~ Optima Hybrid (TF HEV, JF HEV/PHEV), 2015MY~ Soul EV (PS EV), 2017MY~ Niro (DE HEV/PHEV/EV), 2022MY~ EV6 (CV), 2021MY~ Sorento (MQ4 HEV/PHEV), 2023MY~ Sportage (NQ5 HEV/PHEV), and 2023MY~ Niro (SG2 EV/HEV/PHEV) vehicles.

TSB_ELE426

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: AVN GEN 5.0 WIDE SOFTWARE UPDATE - This bulletin provides information on the Audio Video Navigation (AVN) system software update for certain vehicles equipped with AVN5W and Navigation System listed in the table below. Affected vehicles may overestimate travel times during route calculation.

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.

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 by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2026200—
2025Viewing171052.8
2024910—
2023442060.0
2022311161.4
2021911—
2020381161.4
2019561156.2
2018603165.8
2017824068.2

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.