2017 Kia NIRO HYBRID
Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report
Quick Summary
The 2017 Kia NIRO HYBRID has 24 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 0.3x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is other problems (17% of all complaints), specifically: leased the car on sunday and drove home 10+ miles. odometer had 15 miles on it. left the car in the garage for two days and attempted to drive it early wednesday. (did not drive the car until wednesday, and only attempted once. owned the car for less than 3 days.) backing out of the garage and w. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.
24
Total Complaints
0
Recalls Issued
—/5
Safety Stars
0.3x
vs Segment Avg
Known Problems
OTHER
4 complaints- • LEASED THE CAR ON SUNDAY AND DROVE HOME 10+ MILES. ODOMETER HAD 15 MILES ON IT. LEFT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT EARLY WEDNESDAY. (DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL WEDNESDAY, AND ONLY ATTEMPTED ONCE. OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 3 DAYS.) BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE AND W
- • ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2018, I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE COMING BACK FROM AUSTIN AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS I HEARD A SOUND OF SOMETHING RATTLING ABOVE MY HEAD. MY PASSENGER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM THE SUNROOF AREA. HE CRACKED OPEN THE SUNROOF ACCE
- • MY 2017 KIA NIRO CAUGHT ON FIRE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE. NO COLLUSION WAS INVOLVED. I GOT A WARNING MESSAGE TO STOP THE ENGINE DUE TO A PROBLEM BEING DETECTED IN THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I PULLED OFF OF THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC AND NOTICED BLACK SMOKE COMING
“LEASED THE CAR ON SUNDAY AND DROVE HOME 10+ MILES. ODOMETER HAD 15 MILES ON IT. LEFT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT EARLY WEDNESDAY. (DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL WEDNESDAY, AND ONLY ATTEMPTED ONCE. OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 3 DAYS.) BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE AND W”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BRAKES
3 complaints- • WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE RIGHT REAR FLEXIBLE BRAKE LINE LOOSE WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE HARD LINE. I TIGHTENED THE FITTING ADDED APPROXIMATELY 6OZ OF BRAKE FLUID TO THE RESERVOIR AND LEAK CHECKED THE SYSTEM UNDER PRE
- • NEW KIA NIRO ROLLS BACK ON INCLINES IN DRIVE AFTER REMOVING FOOT OFF OF BREAK AND RIGHT BEFORE PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, ON PAVED, CITY STREETS. NEVER HAD THIS WITH OTHER AUTOMATICS. NEW KIA NIRO JUMPS FORWARD/ACCELERATES SHARPLY WHILE IN DRIVE WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY (1-3
- • DURING EMERGENCY BRAKING THE CAR SKIDS LIKE THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKES ARE NOT WORKING. THIS HAS RESULTED IN THE CAR GOING INTO A SIDEWAYS SKID. I ENCOUNTERED THIS NUMEROUS TIMES IN SLIGHTLY WET/SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS WHEN PANIC BRAKING FROM ~35 MPH.
“WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE RIGHT REAR FLEXIBLE BRAKE LINE LOOSE WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE HARD LINE. I TIGHTENED THE FITTING ADDED APPROXIMATELY 6OZ OF BRAKE FLUID TO THE RESERVOIR AND LEAK CHECKED THE SYSTEM UNDER PRE”
— NHTSA complaint filing
SPEED CONTROL
3 complaints- • WHEN PRESSING THE RESUME BUTTON THE CAR HAS ACCELERATION WIDE OPEN THROTTLE WELL BEYOND THE SET SPEED OF THE SPEED CONTROL. MOST OF THE TIME THE RESUME DOES NOTHING BUT SET A NEW SPEED, THE CURRENT SPEED.
- • I ACCELERATED TO 65MPH.I SET THE CRUISE CONTROL. 2 SECONDS LATER I SEE THAT I AM ACCELERATING. I PRESS CANCEL AT 72 MPH. I PRESS THE CRUISE BUTTON AGAIN, TURNING OFF THE CRUISE, THEN ON AGAIN. SLOW TO 65, PRESS THE - SET AND IT IMMEDIATELY STARTS SPEEDING UP. SECOND REPORT. 4TH AND 5TH TIME TO HAPPE
- • NEW KIA NIRO ROLLS BACK ON INCLINES IN DRIVE AFTER REMOVING FOOT OFF OF BREAK AND RIGHT BEFORE PUSHING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC, ON PAVED, CITY STREETS. NEVER HAD THIS WITH OTHER AUTOMATICS. NEW KIA NIRO JUMPS FORWARD/ACCELERATES SHARPLY WHILE IN DRIVE WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY (1-3
“WHEN PRESSING THE RESUME BUTTON THE CAR HAS ACCELERATION WIDE OPEN THROTTLE WELL BEYOND THE SET SPEED OF THE SPEED CONTROL. MOST OF THE TIME THE RESUME DOES NOTHING BUT SET A NEW SPEED, THE CURRENT SPEED.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
BODY/STRUCTURE
3 complaints- • EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES POP OFF, JUST FROM PULLING ON THE HANDLES TO OPEN THE DOOR.
- • VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY (PARKED AND UNLOCKED). UPON PULLING THE HANDLE TO OPEN THE DOOR (BACKSEAT, DRIVER'S SIDE), THE HANDLE BROKE OFF AND FELL TO THE GROUND. I RETRIEVED THE HANDLE AND A (BROKEN) PLASTIC CONNECTING PIECE.
- • ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2018, I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE COMING BACK FROM AUSTIN AND HEARD WHAT SOUNDED LIKE AN EXPLOSION. AFTER A FEW MOMENTS I HEARD A SOUND OF SOMETHING RATTLING ABOVE MY HEAD. MY PASSENGER SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS COMING FROM THE SUNROOF AREA. HE CRACKED OPEN THE SUNROOF ACCE
“EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES POP OFF, JUST FROM PULLING ON THE HANDLES TO OPEN THE DOOR.”
— NHTSA complaint filing
TRANSMISSION
3 complaints- • I HAD THIS CAR 2 MONTHS WHEN I REALIZED I AM NOT GETTING MPG AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION IS JERKING OFF. MPG ON HIGHWAY IS ABOUT 35 MPG AND ABOUT 40 IN STREET. ABOUT TRANSMISSION EVERY TIME I AM ABOUT SLOWING DOWN I HEAR NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH OF CAR AND SOME TIMES I FEEL SHAKE, AND ALSO FEW TIMES VERY
- • THE ACCELERATION RAPIDLY FLUCTUATES AND IT FEELS LIKE IT IS VIBRATING.
- • WHILE DRIVING MY 2017 KIA NIRO ON REGULAR ROADS, IT HAD A DRAMATIC DOWN SHIFT IN FIRST GEAR FROM A STOP. CONTINUED FOUR MORE STOPS WHEN APPROACHING A HILL, THE SPORT MODE DID NOT WORK AND BARELY MADE IT UP HILL, NO CHECK ENGINE OR OTHER LIGHTS. SHOP COULDN'T RECREATE PROBLEM. THE RECALIBRATED THE TR
“I HAD THIS CAR 2 MONTHS WHEN I REALIZED I AM NOT GETTING MPG AND ALSO THE TRANSMISSION IS JERKING OFF. MPG ON HIGHWAY IS ABOUT 35 MPG AND ABOUT 40 IN STREET. ABOUT TRANSMISSION EVERY TIME I AM ABOUT SLOWING DOWN I HEAR NOISE FROM UNDERNEATH OF CAR AND SOME TIMES I FEEL SHAKE, AND ALSO FEW TIMES VERY”
— NHTSA complaint filing
Estimated Repair Costs
Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.
🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist
Based on 24 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:
- ☐OTHER: LEASED THE CAR ON SUNDAY AND DROVE HOME 10+ MILES. ODOMETER HAD 15 MILES ON IT. LEFT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE FOR TWO DAYS AND ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE IT EARLY WEDNESDAY. (DID NOT DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL WEDNESDAY, AND ONLY ATTEMPTED ONCE. OWNED THE CAR FOR LESS THAN 3 DAYS.) BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE AND W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BRAKES: WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING AN ISSUE WITH THE REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM. FURTHER INSPECTION FOUND THE RIGHT REAR FLEXIBLE BRAKE LINE LOOSE WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE HARD LINE. I TIGHTENED THE FITTING ADDED APPROXIMATELY 6OZ OF BRAKE FLUID TO THE RESERVOIR AND LEAK CHECKED THE SYSTEM UNDER PRE
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐SPEED CONTROL: WHEN PRESSING THE RESUME BUTTON THE CAR HAS ACCELERATION WIDE OPEN THROTTLE WELL BEYOND THE SET SPEED OF THE SPEED CONTROL. MOST OF THE TIME THE RESUME DOES NOTHING BUT SET A NEW SPEED, THE CURRENT SPEED.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐BODY/STRUCTURE: EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLES POP OFF, JUST FROM PULLING ON THE HANDLES TO OPEN THE DOOR.
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
- ☐General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)
Kia NIRO HYBRID — Year Comparison
How does 2017 compare to other years? Fewer complaints = more reliable.
Full years-to-avoid analysis →NHTSA Safety Rating
No NHTSA safety rating available
At a Glance
- Complaints
- 24
- Recalls
- 0
- Fire reports
- 1
- Crash reports
- 0
- Injury reports
- 0
- Segment avg
- 80
Check a Specific VIN
See recalls for YOUR 2017 Kia NIRO HYBRID