KnownCarProblems2017 Kia Niro Problems and Recalls
Owners filed 82 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Kia Niro, most often about the engine (40% of complaints, typically around 97,000 miles). It is the most complained-about Niro model year since 2000 and has 4 recalls.
Most common 2017 Kia Niro problems
Engine
33 complaints · 40%Half of these problems showed up before 97,000 miles. Parts named most often: exhaust system.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that her son pulled over to input more coolant however, upon starting the vehicle, the coolant immediately drained from the reservoir.…
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer, where the vehicle was being serviced. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage…
Electrical
23 complaints · 28%Half of these problems showed up before 10,000 miles. Parts named most often: 12v/24v/48v battery, wiring.
The contact owned a 2017 Kia Niro. While the vehicle was parked at the contact's residence, a loud abnormal noise was heard. The contact looked outside and noticed that the front passenger turn signal light and the middle of the vehicle were on fire. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. A police…
This car has been in the dealership 8 times since I purchased it in february 2017. The airbag sensors were defective and repaired. The car malfunctions over a bridge constantly on my way to work. Kia doesn't know why it does this. The latest issue is the transmission failing in traffic and there being no acceleration.…
Transmission
19 complaints · 23%Half of these problems showed up before 92,000 miles.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v534000 (power train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had…
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the check hybrid system, turn off engine message displayed, and the hev warning light illuminated. The vehicle then stalled. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and…
Other or unspecified
12 complaints · 15%The contact owned a 2017 Kia Niro. While the vehicle was parked at the contact's residence, a loud abnormal noise was heard. The contact looked outside and noticed that the front passenger turn signal light and the middle of the vehicle were on fire. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. A police…
The contact had a loaner 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving and stopping at a red light when the light turned green the contact depressed on the accelerator pedal and was going about 5 MPH when suddenly the power steering failed. The contact manually steered the vehicle and caused the driver to rear-end…
Fuel system
11 complaints · 13%Parts named most often: storage.
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact used a personal code reader and retrieved a fault code related to the evaporative emissions. The contact replaced the gas cap. The contact stated that the failure…
Steering
7 complaints · 9%The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel intermittently made an abnormal clicking sound upon turning the steering wheel in either direction without warning. Over time, the contact stated while driving at various speeds, excessive force was needed to steer…
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The message, "turn off the vehicle and stop" was displayed, and the transmission failure warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle.…
Body and structure
7 complaints · 9%Parts named most often: body.
Passager door handle completely came apart while trying to open the door; rendering the door inoperable. In an emergency, this can leave a passenger stuck if the driver or first responders cannot access them. There is a service bulletin (tsbbod173) issued for this problem but due to the safety hazard, this should be a…
The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while her mom was opening the front passengerâs side door outside door handle detached. The driverâs and passengerâs side door handle and button detached. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer four times where…
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. One complaint can name several components, so shares add up to more than 100%.
2017 Kia Niro recalls
Transmission: actuators/solenoids
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Hybrid system: hybrid propulsion system
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Hybrid system: hybrid propulsion system
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Hybrid system: hybrid propulsion system
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
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.
Full defect summary
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.
Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which recalls are still open on your car.
Questions about the 2017 Kia Niro
- What are the most common problems with the 2017 Kia Niro?
- By NHTSA owner complaints: engine (33 complaints, typically around 97,000 miles); electrical (23 complaints, typically around 10,000 miles); transmission (19 complaints, typically around 92,000 miles).
- How many recalls does the 2017 Kia Niro have?
- 4 recalls listed by NHTSA, the latest from July 31, 2023 (transmission). Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which ones are still open on your car.
- Is the 2017 a bad year for the Kia Niro?
- It is the most complained-about Niro model year since 2000, with 82 complaints. Complaint counts are not adjusted for how many cars were sold, so popular years collect more of them, and the newest years have had less time to.