Fire Risk Prompts Kia Niro Hybrid and PHEV Recall
The Kia Niro Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid are being recalled for an issue that could cause fires in the engine compartment. A total of 121,411 vehicles are involved in the recall, which relates to the printed circuit board in the hydraulic clutch actuator.
Niro Hybrid from 2017 through 2022 and PHEV models from 2018 through 2022 are involved. Recall documentation states that the circuit board could become contaminated with fluid, which could cause a short and lead to a fire. In some cases, the hybrid warning light may illuminate, but it’s unclear if the vehicles exhibit other warning signs during the failure.
Dealers will inspect the hydraulic clutch actuator and replace it, along with the fuse, if the defect is present. Owners will be notified by September 29 and can call Kia’s customer service line with any questions. This is the first recall for the Niro from these model years, but Kia was one of the most recalled automakers in 2022, with a whopping 1,458,962 units involved in recall actions. Kia’s corporate sibling, Hyundai, wasn’t far behind, recalling 1,452,101 vehicles last year.
Kia recently overhauled the Niro, bringing it into its second generation for the 2023 model year. The SUV is fully electrified, with hybrid, PHEV, and EV configurations.
[Image: Kia]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Niro fiddles, Kia burns. Sorry, couldn't resist...
I wonder if this was another brand if we'd have more than 6 comments
My neighbor went from his troublesome Niro (waiting for a part too long) to trade it in for a G70 Genesis.
The only encouraging part about the H/K recalls is that they seem to be more proactive than they used to be; this article doesn't state there've been any fires reported related to the recalled part.
I and my brother both own fairly new Hyundai hybrids (a '20 Sonata hybrid and 21' Elantra hybrid, respectively), and though they're still young cars with ~40k miles each, they've both been trouble-free, with each of our cars subject to 1 recall so far, fixed without any prior malfunctioning. Keeping my fingers crossed they stay that way.
There seems to be a binary way with H/K reliability. Some people say they have >150k miles with nothing more than regular maintenance, others have had nothing but trouble at