BrakeNewsOwner complaints, read early

Your vehicle report

2022 Kia Niro

The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.

NHTSA data through October 2026View original NHTSA data Change vehicle

Your vehicle at a glance

Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.

Owner complaints
31
Received Apr 2022 to Sep 2026
Official recalls listed
1
Naming this model year; check your VIN for applicability
BrakeNews flagged problems
1
Statistical signals, not official defect findings or recalls

Owner reports

Most reported problems

  1. 1
    Airbags fail to deploy in crashes3 complaints · 9.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
  2. 2
    Check engine light comes on repeatedly3 complaints · 9.7% of this vehicle’s complaints
See all reported problems

Official NHTSA records

Recalls to check

  • Recall #23V534000Kia 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.
View recall details

BrakeNews signals

Flagged complaint patterns

Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.

How flags are identified

Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 5 crashes, 0 fires, 4 people injured, 0 deaths.

Explore by system

Where do owners report problems?

Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.

Schematic car with five system shortcutsGeneric side view, with the front on the left. Numbered links explore engine, brakes, steering, electrical, and body complaints. Text controls below provide the same choices.12345FRONTSCHEMATIC VIEW

Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.

View selected problems

Showing all 2 listed problems by system.

Engine & powertrain

Brakes

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Electrical & lights

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Airbags, belts & seats

Steering, suspension & tires

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Body, doors & glass

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Driver assistance

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Other

No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.

Complaint history

When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.

Complaints received about the 2022 Kia Niro
3
Show as a table
MonthComplaints
April 20221
May 20221
June 20221
July 20220
August 20220
September 20220
October 20220
November 20220
December 20220
January 20230
February 20230
March 20230
April 20230
May 20230
June 20230
July 20231
August 20230
September 20230
October 20230
November 20230
December 20233
January 20241
February 20240
March 20241
April 20240
May 20241
June 20240
July 20240
August 20240
September 20240
October 20240
November 20242
December 20240
January 20250
February 20250
March 20250
April 20250
May 20251
June 20252
July 20250
August 20250
September 20251
October 20250
November 20252
December 20252
January 20262
February 20260
March 20261
April 20261
May 20262
June 20261
July 20262
August 20261
September 20261
October 20260
Total31

Problems owners report

Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.

ProblemComplaintsShareShare ratioStatus
Airbags fail to deploy in crashes39.7%9.9×
Check engine light comes on repeatedly39.7%8.1×BrakeNews flag · First signal: Aug 2026
Model estimate of a matched recall within 24 months: 1.4%

AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.

Recalls

  • NHTSA recall #23V534000July 31, 2023121,411 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.

    A fire increases the risk of injury.

    Remedy

    Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.

Other model years

About this data

NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2022 Kia Niro.

Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.

Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN