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exact model and see every recall for it.
Recalls are issued for a make, model and model year. Whether the repair has already been done on one specific car is known only to its manufacturer and dealers. Check your vehicle's official status at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a dealer.
US recalls (3)
Power train: automatic transmission, internal
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 and remedy
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Remedy: 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
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 and remedy
Risk: Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Hybrid propulsion system
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 and remedy
Risk: The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
Remedy: 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.
Canadian recalls (3)
Show 3 Canadian recalls
Label
2024-08-15 · campaign 2024-549
Issue:
On certain vehicles, the compliance label may be missing information in French. The words listed on the label for "Tires", "Rims", "Front" and "Rear" appear in English only, when they should be listed as "Tires/Pneus", "Rims/Jantes", "Front/Avant" and "Rear/Arriere". Canadian regulations require this information to be listed on the label in both English and French.
Safety Risk:
These small errors do not affect vehicle safety.
Corrective Actions:
This is not a recall. Kia has corrected the compliance label for all new vehicles.
Powertrain
2023-08-01 · campaign 2023-423
Issue:
On certain vehicles, fluid could leak onto the printed circuit board for the hydraulic clutch actuator (HCA). If this happens, the circuit board could short circuit.
Safety Risk:
A short circuit could create the risk of an engine compartment fire while driving.
Corrective Actions:
Kia will notify owners by mail and advise you to take your vehicle to a dealership to inspect the hydraulic clutch actuator (HCA), and replace it if necessary. The technician will also install a new fuse for the HCA to reduce the risk of a fire.
Electrical
2018-09-28 · campaign 2018-537
On certain vehicles, the main relay contacts in the Power Relay Assembly located underneath the rear seat may have an inadequate connection. This could increase electrical resistance and generate heat, increasing the risk of fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly for signs of thermal damage. If no thermal damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If signs of thermal damage exist, the Power Relay Assembly will be replaced. Note: This problem may cause the Illumination of the HEV warning light while driving and/or an inability to start the vehicle.
Owner complaints (60)
Owners filed 60 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Kia Niro (5 crashes, 4 injuries reported). Among 10 model years of this model, it ranks #2 for the most complaints (median 39).
| Most-reported problem | Complaints | |
|---|
| Power train | 19 | |
| Electrical system | 18 | |
| Engine | 17 | |
| Unknown or other | 11 | |
| Service brakes | 6 | |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | |
| Structure | 3 | |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | |
Crash test ratings
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2018 Kia Niro.
| Version | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover |
|---|
| 2018 Kia Niro Hybrid SUV FWD | – | – | – | – |
| 2018 Kia Niro Plug-In Hybrid SUV FWD | – | – | – | – |
Fuel economy
EPA ratings for each 2018 Kia Niro version.
| Version | City MPG | Highway MPG | Combined | Yearly fuel cost |
|---|
| Niro 1.6 L Automatic (AM6) | 51 | 46 | 49 | $1,350 |
| Niro FE 1.6 L Automatic (AM6) | 52 | 49 | 50 | $1,350 |
| Niro Plug-in Hybrid 1.6 L Automatic (AM6) | 48 | 44 | 46 | $1,450 |
| Niro Touring 1.6 L Automatic (AM6) | 46 | 40 | 43 | $1,550 |
Need this data in your app?
Recalls, complaints, crash ratings and fuel economy as a JSON API. Decode up to 50 VINs per call and get a daily feed of new recalls.
Explore the API →Sources: NHTSA recalls, complaints and 5-Star Safety Ratings, US EPA fuel economy and Transport
Canada's Vehicle Recalls Database (contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada).
Recalls updated 2026-10-30.