2025 Kia Niro

Routine

Owners filed 17 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the unknown or other. It has been recalled 1 time.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Unknown or Other8
100
Suspension2
000
Vehicle Speed Control1
000
Tires1
000
Steering1
000
Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control1
000
Forward Collision Avoidance1
100
Electrical System1
000
Air Bags1
000

1 safety recall

Part 573 reports
Seats25V024000
Filed Jan 17, 202580,255 vehiclesKia America, Inc.

Defect. Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2023-2025 Niro EV, Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV), and Hybrid vehicles. The floor wiring assembly beneath the front passenger seat may become damaged, which can prevent the front air bags and seat belts from deploying properly or cause an unintended side curtain air bag deployment.

Risk. Air bags and seat belts that deploy improperly or an air bag deploying unintentionally can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy. Dealers will inspect, replace and reroute the floor wiring assembly, as necessary, free of charge. In addition, dealers will install wiring covers. Owner notification letters were mailed February 27, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC332.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 10, 2026MI

My car was shifted into drive but when I press accelerate my car went backwards. I’ve reported this to kia numerous times and they refuse to fix it

Tires
Filed Aug 14, 2026FL

The vehicle began shaking violently on the Florida Turnpike, and the factory-installed tire completely separated from the factory rim at highway speeds. This was a life-threatening equipment failure on a brand-new vehicle fully covered under Kia’s 5-year/60,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. The vehicle is at the dealership awaiting repairs. The tire size is 205/60R16

Suspension
Filed Jul 23, 2026GA

Finally got car back from previous repairs and it was making a loud groaning noise all the time. Took it back to dealership and they said they had to repair the rack and pinion system and the gears were shredded. Employee says they now have another niro with the same problem as my original symptoms when transmission was replaced twice. Car has consistently had problems with the RPMs being incredibly high at low speeds but the dealership can’t seem to replicate the problem. Car randomly switched over to manual mode after a long drive. Video of problems given to employee and just said he’s going to give them to his field technician. Car has now been at the dealer for over 4 months and was finally returned because they can’t reproduce the problem.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 17, 2026NM

Re: Driver Safety Downgrade Stemming from Recent Software Update Complicating Tire Pressure Display Accessibility I am writing as the owner of a 2025 Kia Niro HEV to express my concerns regarding a recent software update that altered how tire pressure information is accessed on the instrument cluster. Prior to the update, tire pressures were available through the steering wheel page button, allowing drivers to view this safety-critical information with a single press and a quick glance. After the update, the tire pressure screen was removed from the page sequence and relocated into a deeper Vehicle Information submenu that requires multiple button presses and menu navigation. This change has created a significant safety issue. Tire pressure can only be displayed while the vehicle is in motion, yet the update now requires the driver to divert attention from the road to navigate several screens in order to access it. This is a clear regression from a human factors and safety standpoint. The previous method was intuitive, efficient and aligned with safe driving practices. The new method increases cognitive load and driver distraction at precisely the moment when attention should remain on the road. I respectfully request that Kia reevaluate this change and consider restoring tire pressure visibility to the steering wheel page button or another single-action, high-visibility location. Tire pressure is not a secondary diagnostic item; it is essential real‑time safety information t

Suspension
Filed Jul 6, 2026NJ

I purchased this vehicle new from the dealer last year. The second time I went to them for an oil change the tires were worn out oddly and needed to be replaced. They said the car needed an alignment that I had to pay for. I purchased replacement tires from another shop and had the alignment paid for at another shop. The dealer refused any responsibility. This vehicle has not been in any accidents and miles driven are highway miles

Electrical System
Filed Jun 17, 2026GA

Transmission was replaced but then completely shut down as I was making a right turn. Multiple indicators on dash went off and safety errors kept scrolling across dash. Vehicle then wouldn’t shift at all. TCM was replaced but vehicle has high RPMs at low speeds. Has been at the dealership now for over 90 days.

Vehicle Speed Control
Filed May 13, 2026CA

Situation: Slowing on exit lane from freeway while in I-Pedal mode. Anomaly: As i gradually lifted the accelerator pedal, at about 61 mph the car strongly accelerated. My response: I lifted my foot entirely off the accelerator pedal and scanned the dash to confirm that cruise control was not active. Acceleration continued. I tapped the accelerator pedal and the acceleration stopped. We were now at 69 mph and close to the car in front of us.

Forward Collision AvoidanceCrash
Filed May 6, 202635,000 milesFL

The contact leased a 2025 Kia Niro. The contact was stopped at a traffic light during the night. When the light changed, the contact was partially turning when the other vehicle slammed into the contact's vehicle. No injuries were reported. The contact stated that the front collision sensor failed. The contact was not warned of the impending collision. The driver-side and passenger-side air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was taken to the collision center. A police report was filed. The contact believed that the sensor failed in the evening and worked as intended during the daytime. The insurance company was notified of the accident. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,500.

Unknown or Other
Filed Apr 17, 2026MI

On now 4 occasions--intermittently my car will go into drive when shifted into the reverse shift I don't know what component is impacting this. My safety and others safety is at risk by my car literally going forward when it's supposed to be in reverse. I've taken my car to the dealership two times and they have not been able to recreate it or fix anything. I've reached out to KIA corporate for a resolution but have not gotten follow up: Case#XXX (case where I was supposed to get a response from a case manger) and XXX (original case). To my knowledge I don't know if it's been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others No warning lamps or signs. It happens intermittently and seemingly no rhyme or reason when it happens. This happened back in November 2025 and most recently this April.

Unknown or Other
Filed Mar 18, 2026CA

I believe the issue is related to something connected to the AC system or a component underneath the hood. The exact part that malfunctioned has not been confirmed. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because some kind of leak or fumes were being sent into the car through the AC vents, causing myself and others in the vehicle to feel sick. I have taken the car to 3 Kia Dealerships. All of which have been extremely dishonest (have tons of proof) and say they cannot verify problem. I took it to an outside independent shop and they verified it instantly and wrote a very detailed invoice about the problem. They couldnt pin point where it was coming from though. The vehicle has only been inspected by the 3 Kia Dealerships and the independant shop Brake Busters I purchased the car in November of 2025 and had no problems until February 22nd 2026. No warnihg lights or messages came on prior. The symtoms that started were Nausea, Headaches, light headedness, vision blurry, and almost caused me to pass out at wheel several times.

Steering
Filed Feb 24, 2026WA

I visited Car Pros Kia Tacoma for a wheel alignment on my 2025 Kia Niro EV. After the service, I was told the alignment was completed correctly and I was given a printout showing all values in the green. However, the vehicle did not feel stable or safe to drive afterward. The steering felt off, and the car did not track straight. Because the vehicle felt unsafe, I took it to Firestone the next day for a second opinion. Firestone performed a full alignment check and their “before” measurements showed that the alignment was significantly out of specification, including major issues with front toe, rear toe, and thrust angle. These values were far outside normal ranges and could affect handling and safety. Firestone then corrected the alignment, and their “after” measurements showed the vehicle was properly aligned and driving normally again. Their report clearly shows the difference between the unsafe alignment I received from Kia and the corrected alignment they performed. In summary: • Kia performed an alignment that was not actually within proper specifications. • I was told the alignment was correct when it was not. • The vehicle felt unsafe to drive after Kia’s service. • Firestone’s diagnostic confirmed the alignment was significantly off. • Firestone corrected the alignment and the vehicle immediately drove normally. I am filing this complaint because the dealership returned my vehicle in a condition that affected its stability and safety, and the documentation from Fire

Unknown or OtherCrash
Filed Nov 5, 2025MI

On November 3, 2025 I had an accident/event in my KIA Niro. At 2:20 I had been sitting in my car with the engine running and the gear was in (P) park. I was on an incline. When I saw the child I was babysitting ‘s bus arrived, hopped out of the car (it was still running) and walked behind the car, and stood waiting for him. I told him to hold on and we would go inside after I grabbed my phone and turned the car off. I opened my drivers side door to grab my phone, when the car started moving very rapidly backwards. I made every effort get control of the car but I was unable to, as I was hanging half in half out of the car. I collided with a Toyota truck, and damaged the passenger side rear bumper and lights and the side panel on the passenger side. It all happened immediately after I opened the driver side door. By the grace of God my charge and myself were not hurt, as we were standing directly behind the car moments before I went to turn off my engine and get my phone.

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 10, 2025OR

I'm writing to express my disappointment and frustration with my recent car purchase. The salesperson's failure to clearly explain the contract has left me with unexpected expenses and a higher payment than anticipated. Furthermore, the car's persistent malfunctions have caused me significant stress and anxiety. The manager told me he was not inclined to help me because he did not like my survey answers so he wouldn't help me like any other customer and I made sure he clarified this . The first day I had it at 40 miles I tried to take it back because I could not get the car to get out of traffic it would not go in any gear it just wouldn't Now, thr R flashes red, the backup camera stays on while driving forward for a while, zero rpms when your going 75, then so fast you can't see #s, window fluid comes right back in your face, something new all the time. Went hunting and had to back down a small hill and get a running start to make it. It's a brand new car. Should not be having problems. Despite my efforts to address these issues, the dealer's lack of cooperation, and Kia Customer Care, have only added to my distress. I just get passed from one person to the next. I ask to speak to a certain person and they won't let me or look into my notes. They told me they were kia property and i could not. This car is going to get me killed or badly hurt. I hope that you will take my complaints seriously and take immediate action to rectify this situation. Car will not go into gear after

Unknown or Other
Filed Oct 10, 2025OR

I'm writing to express my disappointment and frustration with my recent car purchase. The salesperson's failure to clearly explain the contract has left me with unexpected expenses and a higher payment than anticipated. Furthermore, the car's persistent malfunctions have caused me significant stress and anxiety. The manager told me he was not inclined to help me because he did not like my survey answers so he wouldn't help me like any other customer and I made sure he clarified this . The first day I had it at 40 miles I tried to take it back because I could not get the car to get out of traffic it would not go in any gear it just wouldn't Now, thr R flashes red, the backup camera stays on while driving forward for a while, zero rpms when your going 75, then so fast you can't see #s, window fluid comes right back in your face, something new all the time. Went hunting and had to back down a small hill and get a running start to make it. It's a brand new car. Should not be having problems. Despite my efforts to address these issues, the dealer's lack of cooperation, and Kia Customer Care, have only added to my distress. I just get passed from one person to the next. I ask to speak to a certain person and they won't let me or look into my notes. They told me they were kia property and i could not. This car is going to get me killed or badly hurt. I hope that you will take my complaints seriously and take immediate action to rectify this situation. Car will not go into gear after

Forward Collision Avoidance › Adaptive Cruise Control
Filed Oct 1, 2025CA

I am reporting a serious safety concern regarding the 2025 Kia Niro Hybrid and its adaptive cruise control system. When the cruise control is activated and set to maintain a certain speed, the vehicle continues at that speed regardless of whether there are other vehicles in front of it. In multiple instances, the car approached slower-moving vehicles at 45 mph without reducing speed or giving any warnings. There was no automatic braking or even a prompt to alert the driver of the imminent danger. This is extremely dangerous and could easily result in a rear-end collision if the driver is not fully alert. It is especially surprising because the same vehicle features intelligent climate control functions—such as adjusting fan speed during phone calls and preventing windshield washer fluid odors from entering the cabin while the A/C is running. Given the level of attention to such minor details, the lack of basic forward collision mitigation behavior is unacceptable. The issue was reported to a Kia service center, but no clear explanation or resolution was provided. I believe this may be a software bug or a design oversight that has not been properly acknowledged. Recommendation to other drivers: always keep your eyes on the road and be ready to intervene, even if the adaptive cruise system is engaged. The risk of collision is high if you rely on the system to slow down for vehicles ahead. This needs to be investigated immediately before it leads to serious accidents. I urge the

Unknown or Other
Filed May 11, 2025OH

The engine light went on. I took the car into the dealer, where they explained that the navigation system needs to be updated. But they couldn't update the navigation system, because the Kia website for that is down. Since this isn't actually an engine issue, I retrieved my car. The dealer suggested that I try to update the nav system myself, as the website for consumers is different from that for dealers. No dice: that website is down. 1. The fact that my car needs a map update causes the engine light to go on? That's misleading--bad design, in my opinion. 2. The navigation system update website being down means that I'm driving around with the engine light on. If an engine issue occurs now, I might disregard it because the light's on already. 3. According to Kia's technical service bulletin on this subject, nav system are available in spring and fall. So if I do get this fixed anytime soon, it'll just happen again in the fall.

Air Bags
Filed Mar 17, 2025FL

Took car in and dealership kept it. Recall indicated that parts were available, however, dealership says that because there's additional fraying of wires, they don't have the parts. When I contacted Kia corporate, they confirmed that they have release of parts indicated as "TBD." According to NHTSA records, they should have the parts but they say they don't and can't indicate when parts will be available.

17 of 17 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2017
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20262000Routine
2025 — this page17100Routine
20249100Routine
202344200Routine
202231100Routine
20219100Routine
202038130Routine
201956121Fatalities reported
201860300Routine
201781450Routine

Compare every Niro year →

Reading this record

No unusual pattern of severe incidents in the complaint record.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Jan 17, 2025. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.