2020 KIA Niro Phev Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Niro Phev years
- Not enough data 5th of 8 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 KIA Niro Phev. That ranks 5th out of 8 Niro Phev model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 50 miles. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 5owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2020 KIA Niro Phev problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train | 2 | 40% | 50 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2020 KIA Niro Phev recalls (1)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train:automatic transmission:internal:clutches/bands:actuators/solenoids
Problem: 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.
Risk: A fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Pedestrian alert sounds (DP22005) — opened Jan 27, 2023, closed Aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V063000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
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…
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…
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…
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.
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…
Other KIA Niro Phev years
← 2019 Niro Phev · 2021 Niro Phev →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Niro Phev | 2 | 1 |
| 2024 Niro Phev | 3 | 1 |
| 2023 Niro Phev | 6 | 2 |
| 2022 Niro Phev | 12 | 1 |
| 2021 Niro Phev | 1 | 1 |
| 2020 | 5 | 1 |
| 2019 Niro Phev | 26 | 1 |
| 2018 Niro Phev | 13 | 1 |
See all KIA Niro Phev problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
Embed this 2020 KIA Niro Phev badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2020 KIA Niro Phev?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, steering problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2020 KIA Niro Phev?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2020 KIA Niro Phev a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Niro Phev model years, the 2020 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.