2018 Kia Niro Recalls, Complaints & Specs
3 safety recalls list the 2018 Kia Niro, and owners have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
3 safety recalls for the 2018 Kia Niro
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
-
Actuators/solenoids (power train)
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.
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…
-
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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the PRA and replace either the PRA or the Main Relay, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 9, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at…
-
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.
Remedy: Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be…
60 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2018 Kia Niro have filed 60 complaints with NHTSA; 5 describe a crash. Reports cite 4 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 58,363 miles. Complaints peaked in 2023 with 14 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The dealership is falsely reporting to Kia Corporate and the NHTSA that Recall SC276 is 'completed' by only replacing a fuse. They are refusing to replace the actively leaking, fire-hazardous Hydrauli”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 15, 2026 · Engine
“My 2018 Kia Niro had the Hydraulic Clutch Actuator (HCA) replacement in 2024 due to a recall. About two years later, it failed again causing the call to completely stop working creating safety issues”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 15, 2026 · Unknown or other
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2018 Kia Niro (Niro FE, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Touring). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 43–50 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 46–52 / 40–49 |
| Fuel | Regular, Regular Gas and Electricity |
| EPA class | Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (AM6) |
Compare Kia Niro model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia Niro model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 Kia Niro | 4 | 82 |
| 2018 Kia Niro | 3 | 60 |
| 2019 Kia Niro | 1 | 56 |
| 2020 Kia Niro | 1 | 39 |
| 2021 Kia Niro | 1 | 9 |
| 2022 Kia Niro | 1 | 31 |
| 2023 Kia Niro | 2 | 44 |
| 2024 Kia Niro | 1 | 10 |
| 2025 Kia Niro | 1 | 17 |
| 2026 Kia Niro | 0 | 2 |
Checking a specific 2018 Kia Niro
How do I know if my 2018 Kia Niro has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 3 campaigns currently list the 2018 Kia Niro; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 18V666000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Optima7,512 complaints
- Soul5,553 complaints
- Sportage4,699 complaints
- Forte2,553 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.