NHTSA recalls & complaints · 2017

Kia Niro Hybrid recalls, complaints and VIN decoding

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 19 owner complaints for the Kia Niro Hybrid, covering model year 2017. Engine is the component owners name most often.

Source: NHTSA recall and complaint flat files, updated September 25, 2026.

Decode your Kia Niro Hybrid VIN

See the model year, plant and build details of one vehicle, then the recalls for its exact year.

1 recall campaign on file
19 owner complaints (unverified reports to NHTSA)
1 model year with data (2017)

top component: Engine (3 complaints)
latest recall 17V159000 (reported Mar 10, 2017)

0 complaints reporting a crash (0.0%)
1 complaint reporting a fire (5.3%)
1 complaint reporting an injury (5.3%)
0 complaints reporting a death (0.0%)

Kia Niro Hybrid complaints by model year

1 model year · NHTSA complaints

All 19 complaints are for the 2017 model year.

Kia Niro Hybrid complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death

Kia Niro Hybrid complaints by model year, with complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury or death
Model year	Complaints	Reporting a crash	Reporting a fire	Reporting an injury	Reporting a death
2017	19	0	1	1	0

Crash, fire, injury and death columns count complaints that report at least one of them, not people.

Most-reported Kia Niro Hybrid components

top 11 · NHTSA categories

Engine is the component named most often, in 3 complaints (15.8% of all 19), followed by Power Train (3) and Service Brakes (3). Another 4 complaints are filed under NHTSA’s “Unknown or Other” category.

Components named most often in Kia Niro Hybrid complaints (top 11)

Components named most often in Kia Niro Hybrid complaints (top 11)
Component	Complaints	Share of complaints
Unknown or Other	4	21.1%
Engine	3	15.8%
Power Train	3	15.8%
Service Brakes	3	15.8%
Structure	3	15.8%
Vehicle Speed Control	3	15.8%
Exterior Lighting	1	5.3%
Fuel/Propulsion System	1	5.3%
Hybrid Propulsion System	1	5.3%
Seats	1	5.3%
Steering	1	5.3%

One complaint can name several components, so the shares add up to more than 100%. Component names are NHTSA’s top-level categories.

What NHTSA owner complaints mean

These figures count complaints that vehicle owners and other members of the public have submitted to NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA uses complaints, together with other data, to spot safety issues that may warrant an investigation and to check whether existing recalls go far enough.

They are reports, not findings. Each complaint is the submitter's own account. Its presence in the database does not mean NHTSA has confirmed a defect.
Counts are not defect rates. The data doesn't say how many vehicles were sold, so a raw count can't tell you what share of vehicles had a problem.
Popular models collect more complaints. A model sold in large numbers will usually gather more complaints than a rare one, simply because more people own it.
One complaint can name several components. Totals by component can therefore add up to more than the number of complaints.
Coverage starts in 1995. NHTSA's complaint file contains complaints received since January 1, 1995.

Use complaint patterns as a prompt for questions: whether a recall covers the issue, whether the vehicle you are considering has had the fix, and what a mechanic finds on inspection. For confirmed safety defects, see the recall list for this model.

Kia Niro Hybrid recalls

1 campaign · newest first

Every vehicle recall campaign NHTSA lists under the model name Niro Hybrid, newest first. The only campaign, 17V159000, covers model year 2017.

1 recall campaign

Kia Niro Hybrid recall campaigns covering each model year
2017: 1 campaign

NHTSA campaign 17V159000
Reported Mar 10, 2017
Steering › Electric Power Assist System
Model year 2017
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017 Niro vehicles. The affected vehicles may have a damaged Motor Driven Power Steering (MDPS) connector resulting in a loss of electric power steering assistance.
Consequence:
Loss of power steering assist would require higher steering effort, especially at lower speeds, which may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy:
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the MDPS motor, free of charge. The recall began April 3, 2017. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC145.
Filed by Kia America, Inc.

Recall text is shown as NHTSA publishes it. NHTSA’s Vehicle Safety Hotline, 1-888-327-4236, also answers recall questions.

How to read this recall list

This list shows every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for this make, model and model year. It is not specific to one vehicle: a recall often covers only vehicles built in a certain date range or with a certain part, and many of the vehicles it covers will already have been repaired.

What each recall field means

What each recall field means
Field	What it tells you
Campaign number	NHTSA's unique ID for the recall, such as 20V771000. Quote it to a dealer or when searching NHTSA's site.
Component	The system or part involved, for example air bags, brakes or electrical software.
Summary	What the defect or non-compliance is and which vehicles are covered.
Consequence	The safety risk if the problem isn't fixed.
Remedy	What the manufacturer will do, such as a repair, replacement or software update, and whether it is free.

Some recalls carry an NHTSA consumer advisory, “Do Not Drive” or “Park Outside”. Follow it until the repair is done.
A single campaign often covers several models or model years, so the same campaign number can appear in more than one list.
Recalls are shown as NHTSA publishes them. Very recent campaigns may take time to appear.

Does your vehicle have an open recall? Only a VIN check can tell you. Enter the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or on the manufacturer's website. Our VIN recall check guide explains what each option covers.

Kia Niro Hybrid questions

4 questions

How many recalls does the Kia Niro Hybrid have?

NHTSA lists 1 vehicle recall campaign for the Kia Niro Hybrid, covering model year 2017. The campaign, 17V159000, was reported on March 10, 2017 and is filed under “Steering”.

What is the most common Kia Niro Hybrid complaint?

Engine is the component named most often: 3 complaints, or 15.8% of all 19. Power Train (3) and Service Brakes (3) follow. Complaints are unverified reports from owners, not confirmed defects, and one complaint can name several components.

Does every recall on this page apply to my Kia Niro Hybrid?

Not necessarily. Each campaign lists specific model years, and many cover only vehicles built in a certain period or fitted with a certain part; repairs already carried out aren’t shown. To see whether a recall is open on your vehicle, enter its VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup (opens in a new tab) or ask a Kia dealer.

How many Kia Niro Hybrid complaints report a crash, fire, injury or death?

Of the 19 complaints, 0 report a crash, 1 a fire, 1 at least one injury and 0 at least one death. These figures count complaints, not people, and each complaint is the submitter’s own unverified account.

8 models · most complaints first

The Kia models with the most NHTSA complaints, and the Kia VIN decoder with every Kia model page, WMI code and VIN note.

Kia Sorento 2003–2026 · 40 recalls · 10,159 complaints
Kia Optima 2001–2020 · 22 recalls · 7,499 complaints
Kia Soul 2010–2025 · 15 recalls · 5,532 complaints
Kia Sportage 1995–2026 · 36 recalls · 4,687 complaints
Kia Forte 2009–2024 · 18 recalls · 2,539 complaints
Kia Sedona 2002–2021 · 23 recalls · 2,406 complaints
Kia Telluride 2020–2027 · 19 recalls · 2,009 complaints
Kia Sephia 1995–2003 · 7 recalls · 1,687 complaints

All Kia models and WMI codes Look up recalls by year

Data: NHTSA recalls and complaints flat files, updated September 25, 2026. Recall campaigns are vehicle (V) campaigns listed for this model name; complaints are counted once per NHTSA ODI number and model year.