2017 KIA NIRO Complaints and Recall Information
The 2017 KIA NIRO has 5 complaints and 6 recalls filed with NHTSA. Owners most frequently report engine failures related to overheating and cooling system malfunctions. Several complaints mention sudden engine hesitation and lack of acceleration, often occurring near or after 100,000 miles.
- Engine overheating. Vehicles stop due to coolant loss despite no visible leak, leading to engine damage.
- Catastrophic engine failure. Complete engine shutdown occurs suddenly, sometimes while driving, requiring costly engine replacement.
- Cooling system defects. Failures in water pumps, EGR coolers, and head gaskets have been reported, with repairs confirmed by dealerships.
- Engine hesitation. Loss of acceleration and engine codes such as P0011 emerge, causing unsafe driving conditions.
- CVVT or solenoid failure. Premature malfunction of valve timing components typically arises around 100,000 miles.
- Powertrain warranty expiration correlation. Problems often appear shortly after the warranty ends, limiting coverage for owners.
- Dealer response issues. Some owners report difficulty obtaining diagnosis or repairs from dealerships.
- Engine light indications. Some defects trigger dashboard warnings, while other serious issues like cooling failures do not trigger alerts.
- Safety concerns. Failures place drivers and passengers at risk due to sudden loss of power or potential fire hazards.
Six recalls affect various systems on the 2017 KIA NIRO, primarily targeting the hybrid propulsion and powertrain components. These recalls address fire hazards linked to electrical shorts, overheating, and fluid leaks in critical assemblies.
- Hydraulic clutch actuator. Recall 23V534000 affects 121,411 vehicles due to fluid leaks causing potential engine compartment fires. Dealers will inspect and replace actuators and install new fuses. No "Do Not Drive" advisory issued.
- Main relay in power relay assembly. Recall 22V836000 covers 27,030 vehicles. Inadequate contact connections may overheat rear seats, raising fire risk. Dealers inspect and replace necessary components at no cost.
- Main relay in power relay assembly. Recall 18V666000 also affects 27,030 vehicles and previously addressed similar overheating risks from electrical resistance in relay contacts. Repairs are free of charge.
- Hydraulic clutch actuator oil seal. Recall 18V257000 involves 27,029 vehicles where oil leaks can cause electrical shorts and fire risk. Dealers inspect and repair or replace affected parts for free.
Owners dealing with repeated engine failures, cooling system breakdowns, or unresolved recall issues may have rights under their state’s lemon law. Consulting a qualified attorney experienced in consumer protection and lemon law claims can help evaluate potential remedies.
2017 KIA NIRO Summary
2017
Model Year
5
Total Complaints
4
Total Recalls
202500
Vehicles Affected
Recalls
2017 KIA NIRO
121411 vehicles affected
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS
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.
2017 KIA NIRO
27030 vehicles affected
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: Overheated rear seats increase the risk of a fire.
2017 KIA NIRO
27030 vehicles affected
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: The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.
2017 KIA NIRO
27029 vehicles affected
HYBRID PROPULSION SYSTEM
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.
Risk: An electrical short can increase the risk of a fire.
Complaints
2017 KIA NIRO
ID: 2111008POWER TRAIN
I am experiencing engine issues with my 2017 Kia Niro Touring Launch Edition at approximately 111,000 miles, including engine hesitation and lack of acceleration, along with engine code P0011. These symptoms started suddenly and have made highway driving difficult and potentially unsafe, as I was recently in the mountains unable to exceed 35 mph. This appears to be a widespread issue among 2017 Kia Niro owners, with many reporting CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing) or solenoid failures around 100,000 miles shortly after the powertrain warranty expires suggesting a pattern of premature failure. My car was purchased certified preowned and is still within the 10 year timeframe. No official recall currently exists for this issue, but it should be investigated. Despite submitting service requests and making multiple attempts to contact the dealership to have these recalls addressed, I have received little to no follow up. I have not yet had the engine issue officially diagnosed by a Kia dealer due to lack of response but the pattern of failure and symptoms match what others are experiencing. There has been no crash, fire, or injury at this time, but the combination of the existing fire related recalls and the new engine malfunction creates serious concerns for long term safety and reliability.
2017 KIA NIRO
ID: 2111007ENGINE
I am experiencing engine issues with my 2017 Kia Niro Touring Launch Edition at approximately 111,000 miles, including engine hesitation and lack of acceleration, along with engine code P0011. These symptoms started suddenly and have made highway driving difficult and potentially unsafe, as I was recently in the mountains unable to exceed 35 mph. This appears to be a widespread issue among 2017 Kia Niro owners, with many reporting CVVT (Continuously Variable Valve Timing) or solenoid failures around 100,000 miles shortly after the powertrain warranty expires suggesting a pattern of premature failure. My car was purchased certified preowned and is still within the 10 year timeframe. No official recall currently exists for this issue, but it should be investigated. Despite submitting service requests and making multiple attempts to contact the dealership to have these recalls addressed, I have received little to no follow up. I have not yet had the engine issue officially diagnosed by a Kia dealer due to lack of response but the pattern of failure and symptoms match what others are experiencing. There has been no crash, fire, or injury at this time, but the combination of the existing fire related recalls and the new engine malfunction creates serious concerns for long term safety and reliability.
2017 KIA NIRO
ID: 2099848UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Cooling system broke down at 140k miles. Water pump, EHRS failure EGR Cooler. Engine head gasket blown needs engine replacement 144k miles $9000 repair. Problems confirmed by dealership. Engine light never came on for cooling system, water pump coupling repair. Engine light did come on for head gasket and vehicle stopped working.
2017 KIA NIRO
ID: 2099847ENGINE
Cooling system broke down at 140k miles. Water pump, EHRS failure EGR Cooler. Engine head gasket blown needs engine replacement 144k miles $9000 repair. Problems confirmed by dealership. Engine light never came on for cooling system, water pump coupling repair. Engine light did come on for head gasket and vehicle stopped working.
2017 KIA NIRO
ID: 2068761ENGINE
I was driving my car as usual and it began overheating. I took it to the mechanic and they could not find a coolant leak, even though the coolant was all gone. We added more coolant and I was on my way. A few weeks later, the same thing happened. The mechanic said to take it to the dealer because they would need to run a diagnostic. I took it to the dealer and they said there were some new recalls that needed to be repaired that could fix the issue. They did the recalls, I topped off my coolant, and I was on my way. One week later, while picking up my son from school, the engine had a catastrophic failure. This was not only dangerous to me and my kids, but to those around me. The car stopped and refused to start up again mid-driving. I had it towed to the Dealer (Kia of Carson) and they rand diagnostics. A few days later they send me a quote for $10K to replace the engine as well as the muffler system - more than the current market value of the car. The car has just over 70K miles on it, and since I bought it used from Carvana, it was not under Kia's warranty. This is NOT how things should be. They should not be allowed to put vehicles that break down like this and then charge people outrageous amounts for it with no compromise whatsoever. How can the engine be worth more than the whole car? I've talked with Kia customer service and they don't care. I've spent months trying to reason with them, but to no avail. Also, upon research online, there are tens of thousands of Kia Niro (and other kia car model) owners who've had the same problem - overheating that turns into engine failure. This is a systemic problem with a fraudulent company that is destroying the lives of their customers. This experience put my family in danger and has essentially ruined my life since it happened. I hope the NHTSA can do something about this!