I had some lurching when trying to accelerate for a month before the check engine and HEV warning beeping came on. Kia Niro EGR (Gas Recirculated Cooler) failed at 105K miles. It leaked on to the engine causing it to overheat. My children and I got smoked out and my child had an asthma attack from this issue. We were also stressed, thinking the engine would catch fire. Kia says there are no recalls for my 2017, yet the 2023 has a recall on this exact item. I would like this complaint to be filed due to a part failing 5K miles after a warrenty. The problem was diagnosed by the Kia Dealer. Quote is $1875.

- Sebastopol, CA, USA

I received a warning indication that the engine temperature is too hot while driving the vehicle to work. I opened the hood of my vehicle and discovered the vehicle-??s coolant reservoir was empty which led me to believe there was a coolant leak. I took the vehicle to be inspected and diagnosed by an independent repair shop (non-dealership) and it was explained that there was in fact a coolant leak and it-??s because the exhaust heater exchanger is failing. This is a serious safety concern because if there is a coolant leak the vehicle-??s engine can overheat causing further and extensive damage to the engine which could result in a fire. Based on research, there have been other cases where this particular year/model vehicle has had or is experiencing issues with the exhaust heater exchange failing. This faulty system is causing customers who own the same year/model vehicle that I drive to either bypass the exhaust heater exchange all together-?"which I don-??t believe is safe to do-?"or customers are being made to pay a huge bill just to repair the faulty system. My vehicle only has 73,000 miles and this is something that I should not be experiencing especially since Kia is aware of the fault with the exhaust heater exchange on these particular year/model vehicles. Kia should be recalling these vehicles with the faulty system for diagnosis and repair as this is a major safety concern on the road not only for the driver, but also for other motorists as well.

- Hanover, PA, USA

I am unsure of what to say about my car. I saw a check oil light flicker and it went away. The car had oil when I checked on it so it didn't seem to be a problem. There was no sign of leakage and no sign of burning oil or fuel. Several days later, the check oil light came on permanently. Before I could get the car anywhere, the car started making a strange sound. I took it to my usual shop. They said it had sprung a spontaneous leak. They said it was a large oil pressure switch leak. They replaced the sensor and added oil. They said there was some damage but that the car was still drivable. I drove the car for a week and then when I was on the highway, the car starting roaring and shaking like I was in an earthquake. The check engine light started blinking. I could not accelerate properly and had to coast to safety on the electric. I was able to use my friends scanner and found 4 misfire codes: PO300-303. My neighbor (a mechanic) looked at the vehicle and said that was damage was internal and was going to need extensive work or a new engine. He didn't have the time to take the vehicle apart so we did not find the true cause and I am now wondering if this is a new safety issues or related to the recall. I did not receive the recall information until recently (I tend to have issues receiving my mail sometimes) and haven't even had time to get to the dealership to check on it. Everyone I have spoken to has said this is how Kia's are and they are not worth purchasing.

- Hatfield, PA, USA

The Exhaust heat recovery system has a valve that can malfunction and allows coolant to leak into the exhaust and ignite it into the atmosphere. It can cause misfires in the engine, there are technical service bulletins (TSB 212 and Pitstop Tech bulletin PS709 that are attached to this report) that have more information on this issue. This can drain the coolant from the system and cause engine overheating issues. Some shops may misdiagnose it as a head gasket problem. This is a common problem for Kia Niro's 2017-2022. A new heat exchanger as of now costs $3000 brand new from the OEM and Kia is very strict about how they apply their warranty to any kind of part. Please can you help remedy this issue for Niro owners.

- Watertown, WI, USA

My 2017 Kia Niro (hybrid) discharges white smoke and overheats while being driven. I brought it to a reputable mechanic immediately. After an inspection, it was discovered that coolant is leaking into the engine because the heat exchange system is not functioning correctly. There are 6 similar complaints files about the same model vehicle (NHTSA 11561701, 11550994, 11547940, 11442817, 11457565 & 11491873) and many that have not been filed on line but complaints are the same. A Kia dealership said that the part (#28601G5320) is on back order everywhere w/ no availability in sight. This is a $3000-$6000 repair and is ridiculous. No engine lights or indications of anything malfunctioning, this needs to be recalled ASAP!

- Bonney Lake, WA, USA

EHRS fails, causing coolant leaks & cracked cylinders

- Sammamish, WA, USA

I was driving and the car was stuttering. Then after I stopped for a bit it resumed normal operations. Then the warning light came on, then it went off again. This happened for a couple of weeks until finally, while on a road trip at the end of July 2023, the car seemed to just lose power in 4th gear and I would have to really rev the engine just to keep it moving, that happened while on a road trip. I called the dealership several times during the trip and they said I-??d already had the computer recall reset so they didn-??t think it made any sense. I took it to my neighborhood repair shop when I got back and they said two spark plugs are shot, they replaced them and it ran fine. But now it-??s stuttering again, just a few months later. I called the dealership again and they said I could bring it it for a diagnostic (not free) and then I got a letter about a recall. Not sure if it-??s related to my issue because the dealer said probably not and said they-??d call me when they knew more and my car had the computer issue not this one. No one has called and the car is still stuttering. I took it to the mechanic again and he said spark plugs look fine, but again, it is losing power in 4th gear, just around 45 mph only when I-??ve been driving for more than two hours. I would just like the dealership to take a look and fix it.

- Geneva, NY, USA

Car stalled, overheated due to coolant leaking into car parts which is causing catyllac converter to not work correctly. The issue is not with the catillac converter but the faulty piece that causes coolant leaking. This is a known issue amongst Niro Users. KIA is illegally forcing customers to purchase the most expensive part instead of bypassing so that the heat exchange system doesn-??t leak into converter. The same issue affects the EV model which KIA has recalled but they refuse to add the hybrid to the recall list. Please help. The repair is $3,000 and customers that have paid to fix only end up in the same position moths later with the same issue. I reported the issue to KIA and my claim was denied.

- Norwalk , CT, USA

Car gives digital signal of overheating, white smoke pours out of exhaust but there is no code that allows dealership to diagnose and remedy. This has occurred twice in the last 6 weeks and the car has sat at the dealership for weeks. This problem and inability to repair without a $1,200 exhaust system replacement is well documented on-line [XXX] ] and the dealership is unhelpful. It appears there's a design flaw that allows this to occur and should be remediated by the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- Pittsburgh, PA, USA

Few days ago, the check engine light turned on in the dashboard of the Kia Niro 2017 The car was taken to an authorized Kia dealership for diagnostic. The dealership informed that the "Fuel air filter kit & NVLD" needed to be changed at the expenses of the owner. The same issue was described in the "Kia technical service bulletin... SA395" in the NHTSA website. This bulletin explains that the dealership has to repair this issue under warranty, even if the warranty is expired. The dealership said that this car VIN number is not covered by this bulletin; however, the issue is exactly the same as described in the mentioned document. The car mileage is under 54,000 miles. I would appreciate if NHTSA reviews the list of VIN numbers in order to cover all the cars that present this problem.

- Hoschton, GA, USA

Car caught on fire while in motion on the highway due to safety recall issue

- Orlando, FL, USA

Active Air flap system error message and check engine light. Error message and check engine light come on and off randomly kind of annoying since I've only had it just over a month and already have to have it go to get repaired

- Knapp, WI, USA

My 2017 Kia Niro (hybrid) discharges white smoke and overheats while being driven. I brought it to a reputable mechanic immediately. After a thorough inspection, it was discovered that coolant is leaking into the engine because the 'heat exchange recovery unit' is not functioning correctly. There are two similar complaints about the same model vehicle already posted on your site (NHTSA #11442817 & #11457565). A Kia dealership told my mechanic that the part (#28601G5320) is on back order everywhere w/ no availability in sight.

- Worcester, MA, USA

Major coolant leak causing engine to overheat

- Jonesboro, GA, USA

On 12/03/2021 I noticed white steam coming from the exhaust of my vehicle. Very shortly after noticing this issue I lost all heat and the engine temperature began to rise. I immediately checked the engine coolant level and noticed the reservoir was empty. On 12/04/2021 an authorized dealer diagnosed the issue as a cracked catalytic converter/heat recovery unit. This assembly allows exhaust gases to heat up engine coolant to improve gas efficiency. When the system fails it allows engine coolant to burn off an causes the vehicle to unexpectedly over heat, hence putting the occupants at great risk. Simple internet research has shown that this is a common problem with this vehicle yet the dealer is refusing to pay for the replacement of this defective part.

- Lancaster, NY, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated while driving at 70 mph, an abnormal sound was heard, and the vehicle lost forwards momentum. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact coasted the vehicle to the shoulder of the road. As the contact exited the vehicle, an abnormal odor appeared under the hood. There were no flames present. The contact stated that oil was seen leaking underneath the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred. The vehicle was unable to drive. The contact mentioned NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V257000 (Hybrid Propulsion System) as a possible solution to the failure however, the Vin was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the engine needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

- Lancaster, TX, USA

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 was approximately 94,000.

- Edgewood, WA, USA

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro hybrid. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check hybrid system message was displayed. After stopping and turning off the vehicle, the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer rk Kia of vineland located at 612 N. delsea dr building 1, vineland, NJ 08360 who diagnosed that the engine failed due to a lack of oil in the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but, no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 57,000. The VIN was not available.

- Salem, NJ, USA

The car misfires due to the egr valve and the engineer's of the car can't come up with a fix for the misfire problem the car has no power when this happens and is unsafe

- New Port Richey, FL, USA