2021 KIA Niro Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Niro years
- Not enough data 9th of 10 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 1 recall: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 9 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 KIA Niro. That ranks 9th out of 10 Niro model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (3 complaints, 33%). Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 injury. There is 1 safety recall covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
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- 9owner complaints
- 1safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 KIA Niro 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 | 3 | 33% | — | — | — |
| Electrical System | 2 | 22% | — | — | — |
| Engine | 2 | 22% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 22% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 11% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2021 KIA Niro 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.
I own a 2021 Kia Niro. The rear backup camera intermittently fails to operate. When shifting into reverse, the display screen will either go completely black or the camera will not activate at all. This issue occurs unpredictably and without warning. As a result, I am unable to see behind the…
This is a hybrid vehicle. It has Dual clutch transmission. Since I have owned it, intermittently the clutch does not disengage completely. This causes the vehicle to try to pull ahead but my foot is on the brake. The vehicle does not stall. Somehow it figures out it can't pull ahead and somehow…
EV motor and drive train have a clattering noise, much like a playing card attached to a bicycle clattering against the wheel spokes. it speeds up and slows down with the acceleration of the motor.
I was backing out of a tandem parking spot in a private garage and got too close to a pillar, and tried to pull forward into the spot. It felt like the car got snagged on the pillar, but while pulling forward slowly, the gas pedal snapped off and the car accelerated quickly and uncontrollably. I…
I received important safety recall letter for NHTSA recall # 23V534. the HCA & or Fuse might need to be replaced . I brought the 2021 Nero to my local Kia dealership, Eagle kia ,Riverhead NY on January 18th. The dealership still has the vehicle & claims that a code came up when they did the…
Other KIA Niro years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Niro | 2 | 0 |
| 2025 Niro | 17 | 1 |
| 2024 Niro | 10 | 1 |
| 2023 Niro | 44 | 2 |
| 2022 Niro | 31 | 1 |
| 2021 | 9 | 1 |
| 2020 Niro | 39 | 1 |
| 2019 Niro | 56 | 1 |
| 2018 Niro | 60 | 3 |
| 2017 Niro | 82 | 4 |
See all KIA Niro problems by year, every KIA model, or the KIA VIN decoder.
Similar KIA models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2021 KIA Niro?
Owners most often report power train, electrical system, engine problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 3 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2021 KIA Niro?
Yes, 1 safety recall. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 KIA Niro a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Niro model years, the 2021 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.