2020 Kia Niro Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2020 Kia Niro, and owners have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2020 Kia Niro
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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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…
39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2020 Kia Niro have filed 39 complaints with NHTSA; 2 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 2 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 56,106 miles. Complaints peaked in 2026 with 13 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“This is a supplemental complaint to NHTSA Complaint #11744598 and #11749340. Multiple 2020 Kia Niro Hybrid and Plug‑In Hybrid vehicles are exhibiting identical Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) failures.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, September 29, 2026 · Service brakes
“The contact owns a 2020 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving 79 MPH, the thermostat displayed that the engine was running hot and there was white smoke coming from the front of the vehicle,”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 31, 2026 · Engine and engine cooling
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2020 Kia Niro (Niro Electric, Niro FE, Niro Plug-in Hybrid, Niro Touring). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 43–112 MPGe |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 46–123 / 40–102 |
| Fuel | Electricity, Regular, Regular Gas and Electricity |
| EPA class | Small Station Wagons |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 1.6 L |
| Transmission | Automatic (A1); 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 2020 Kia Niro
How do I know if my 2020 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. 1 campaign currently lists the 2020 Kia Niro; your car may already have been repaired under it.
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 23V534000).
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.