Total Complaints
5 filings
KIA NIRO PHEV · model year
2020 KIA NIRO PHEV
5 NHTSA complaints, and 1 active recall for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2020KIANIRO PHEV carries 5 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2020 NIRO PHEV is power train with 2 filings, followed by steering (1) and service brakes (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability. This model year has 1 active recall campaign, which means the manufacturer is obligated to remedy the covered defect at no charge for the life of the vehicle — the full NHTSA campaign numbers are listed below.
NHTSA currently has 38 investigation files overlapping the 2020 NIRO PHEV, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| POWER TRAIN | 2 |
| STEERING | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY | 1 |
Recalls (1)
23V53400031/07/2023
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.
Recent Complaints
20241115STRUCTURE:BODY
On [XXX], Flakes of paint starting peeling away and flew over the windshield while simply driving along an interstate highway at 65 MPH on a calm, dry and sunny day in CO. (A factory paint application defect of the SWP paint color is a common owner complaint) Issue reported to Kia Customer Service on NOV 15th, 2024 who provided case No.[XXX]
20240922SERVICE BRAKES
The vehicle locks the left wheel when braking. It skids and brakes in one simultaneous action. It doesn't happen often but occasionally if I'm in heavy traffic. I reported this problem to the Kia dealer who found no problem. I really feel that this requires investigation as it could cause an accident. El vehÃculo bloquea la rueda izquierda al frenar. Patina y frena en una sola acción simultánea. No sucede a menudo, pero de vez en cuando, si hay mucho tráfico. Informé de este problema al concesionario de Kia, que no encontró ningún problema. Realmente creo que es necesario investigarlo, ya que podrÃa provocar un accidente.
20231102POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2020 Kia Niro. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
20220929STEERING
The bearings in the steering wheel is going bad. The car is a 2020 and should not have this issue. Theyâre claiming itâs not covered under basic warranty since my mileage is 77,637, over the 60,000 mileage. Even with this many mileage, a steering wheel bearing should not go bad this quickly.
20201018POWER TRAIN
WE PURCHASED A NEW 2020 KIA NIRO EX PREMIUM PHEV ON 10/10/2020 AND REGRET IT. LESS THAN A WEEK AND 50 MILES IN WE HAD THE "CHECK ACTIVE AIR FLAP SYSTEM" WARNING. APPARENTLY THIS A KNOWN PROBLEM, HTTPS://WWW.KIANIROFORUM.COM/THREADS/2020-PHEV-CHECK-ACTIVE-AIR-FLAP-SYSTEM.9142/ HOW RIDICULOUS THAT A WELL KNOW AND VERY WIDESPREAD FAULT LIKE THIS IS NOT ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER BEFORE THE SALE. THE 1-800 PEOPLE WERE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT COULD NOT ANSWER EVEN THE MOST SIMPLE QUESTION. Q - IS THE VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE? A - IF YOU FEEL THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE THEN DON'T DRIVE IT. VERY CAVALIER BUT I SUSPECT THE REP WAS NOT PROVED DETAIL AND SCRIPT. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT KIA DIRECTLY AND ALSO VIA THE BBB. FROM WHAT I SEE THE DEALER IS ALSO A VICTIM. I AM BUILDING MY CASE FOR A LEMON LAW RETURN. HOW SAD A LARGE AND EXCITING PURCHASE GOES WRONG SO QUICKLY AND THAT BASIC SAFETY QUESTIONS CAN'T BE ADDRESSED. *LN CONSUMER STATED VEHICLE WOULD RANDOMLY STOP AUTOMATICALLY AND
Mileage: 50
Compare 2020KIANIRO PHEV to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations 1 Open
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV have?▼
The 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV?▼
Yes, the 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV has 1 recall(s). The most common affected component is POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV?▼
The most-complained component for the 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV is POWER TRAIN with 2 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING and SERVICE BRAKES.
Is the 2020 KIA NIRO PHEV safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.