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.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
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.
Hybrid propulsion system
NHTSA recall 22V836000 · Nov 11, 2022 · 27,030 vehicles
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.
Risk: Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
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.
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.
Risk: The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
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.
Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.
Crash test ratings
2018 Kia Niro Hybrid SUV FWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
Forward collision warning: Optional · Lane departure warning: Optional
2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid SUV FWD
Overall
Not Rated
Frontal crash
Not Rated
Side crash
Not Rated
Rollover
Not Rated
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program). Ratings are comparable only between vehicles of similar size and weight, and ratings from 2011 on use tougher tests than earlier years. Photos: NHTSA.
Fuel economy
Niro FE Hybrid
50mpg combined
City / highway
52 / 49 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AM6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,350/year to fuel
Niro Hybrid
49mpg combined
City / highway
51 / 46 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AM6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,350/year to fuel
Niro Plug-in Hybrid Plug-in Hybrid
46mpg combined
City / highway
48 / 44 mpg
Electric range
26 mi
On electricity
105 MPGe · 32 kWh/100 mi
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AM6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,450/year to fuel
Niro Touring Hybrid
43mpg combined
City / highway
46 / 40 mpg
Fuel
Regular Gasoline
1.6 L · 4 cyl · Automatic (AM6) · Front-Wheel Drive · about $1,550/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
Problem area
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Typical mileage*
Power train
19
0
0
0
113,831 mi
Electrical system
18
2
0
1
1,927 mi
Engine
17
0
0
0
62,115 mi
Unknown or other
11
1
0
1
1,355 mi
Service brakes
6
4
0
3
1,800 mi
Vehicle speed control
4
0
0
0
—
Structure Body
3
0
0
0
—
Exterior lighting
2
0
0
0
—
Fuel/propulsion system
2
0
0
0
—
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
—
Air bags
1
0
0
0
—
Seats
1
0
0
1
—
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
May 8, 2026Unknown or other My 2018 Kia Niro had the Hydraulic Clutch Actuator (HCA) replacement in 2024 due to a recall. About two years later, it failed again causing the call to completely stop working creating safety issues for me. The car was towed to the dealership but Kia refused to pay for the fix. I eventually paid for the fix and requested a reimbursement since my vehicle is directly impacted by Safety Recall Campaign SC276 (NHTSA Campaign 23V534000) due to a critical design defect causing fluid leaks and electrical fire hazards. Kia never responded after initial request for escalation on August 4th, then August 14th, then August 21st and finally a voicemail on September 1st. Under federal safety regulations…
Sep 15, 2026Engine The dealership is falsely reporting to Kia Corporate and the NHTSA that Recall SC276 is 'completed' by only replacing a fuse. They are refusing to replace the actively leaking, fire-hazardous Hydraulic Clutch Actuator unless I pay an out-of-pocket diagnostic fee. They are violating federal recall safety mandates by trying to release a vehicle with an active, un-repaired recall leak.
Apr 10, 2025 · crashElectrical system My kia niro 2018 backup camera takes a few seconds to start up when the vehicle is put in reverse. the time it takes differs from a second to sometimes 5 seconds. I know of accident caused in a McDonalds drive through where someone was backing up but the cam didn't turn on right away and they got in a small accident.
Jun 22, 2026 · 158,000 milesPower train The contact owns a 2018 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge became elevated, and the vehicle stalled. The message "Check Hybrid System - Turn Engine Off" was displayed. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train). The dealer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was serviced under the recall; however, the vehicle was still inoperable, and additional diagnostic tests were needed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic discovered that there was no coolant inside the coolant reservoir. The contact attempted to contact the dealer but had not received a reply from…
Jun 27, 2026Power train The vehicle experienced a sudden powertrain failure while driving. A certified Kia dealership diagnostic scan confirmed active Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P17ED (Engine Clutch System) and a physical hydraulic clutch fluid leak around the transmission housing area. These symptoms match the exact criteria of NHTSA Safety Recall 23V534 (Kia Campaign SC276) for the Hydraulic Clutch Actuator (HCA). The manufacturer's defective component leaked fluid, causing direct consequential failure of the internal clutch and transmission assembly. Kia is refusing to remedy this safety campaign failure at 100% zero cost to the consumer, violating federal safety recall mandates by attempting to charge 50%…
May 8, 2026Unknown or other I am writing to request assistance regarding a recurring issue with Recall SC276. Approximately two years ago, I had the hydraulic clutch actuator (HCA) replaced by a dealership as part of this recall. Since then, the vehicle has been driven only 10,000 miles, bringing the total mileage to about 45,000. The vehicle recently broke down, and the dealership confirmed that the replacement HCA has failed. Despite this being the same part addressed by the recall, the dealership quoted $1,700 for the repair, and Kia has declined to cover the cost. I believe Kia should be responsible for this replacement, as the recalled part was intended to provide a long-term solution to a safety issue. I would…
May 13, 2026Unknown or other The vehicle just shut down as I exited. The power and gas pressure decreased. Pulled over to see if my hybrid battery was defective or drained. It wasnât. A notification popped up and said âHybrid Control System or Low Voltage DC/DC Converter, Contact dealer for service. Finally got it towed to Kia of Valencia the next day and they said it was âHydraulic Clutch Actuatorâ and they want charge me $2200 to fix it. But looking up the part, it says thereâs a recall for that exact problem.
Apr 23, 2026Engine On April 21, 2026, Go Kia Renton performed an oil change on my 2018 Kia Niro Touring (VIN). The car was in perfect condition just two weeks earlier â North Seattle Transmission did a full service on April 6, 2026 at 283,649 miles with no issues noted. Later that night while driving, the red oil light flashed. I pulled over immediately and called AAA. AAA towed the vehicle from Belltown [XXX] ) at 12:11 AM on April 23 to my house then at 9:14 AM towed it straight to Go Kia Renton. The AAA driver found oil leaking all over his tow truck. The car now has a dead battery and is showing Hybrid Control System / Low Voltage DC/DC Converter and Engine Control System codes. This appears to be a…
Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.
NHTSA defect investigations
DP22005 · opened Jan 27, 2023 · closed Aug 7, 2023 · led to recall 22V063000Pedestrian alert sounds NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review…