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Kia Niro EVModel year report

2020 Kia Niro EV Problems

Complaints
19filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
31,441miles, 6 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2020 Kia Niro EV (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 2020 Kia Niro EV. The part named most often is other or unknown, with 8 complaints (42% of the total), followed by electrical system (6) and fuel system (3). 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 67% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 31,441 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 63 technical service bulletins for this model year. Electrical system complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the fluid/coolant and 42 technical service bulletins filed under the same part.

This model year has fewer than 25 complaints on record, so the numbers below can change a lot with a few new reports.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Vehicle speed control (1), Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) (1), Wheels (1).

Example complaints

Other or unknown: “Volume on vess and backup alert system greatly exceeds recommended levels, to the point where backing up out of garage can annoy neighbors in their homes. When backing out of a parking spot at a local strip mall, the volume of the backup alert from the vess was so shocking that it startled a pedestrian, causing them to trip and almost fall on their face. Kia does not provide a way to reduce vess volume to closer to NHTSA recommended levels. …”

NHTSA complaint #11383350, filed 2020-12, 89 miles

Electrical system: “Faulty EPCU and circuit board damaged from coolant leak, as described by Kia technician. Other components have been affected. Estimated $3,000 in parts left to replace. Total repair cost is looking to exceed $13,000. On last failure of car, I was driving as the Electical Vehicle Systems error occurred and the car went into neutral and when it slowed down, went into Park. Car would start and drive 10-15 feet before becoming inoperable again. Dealership says they fixed by adding coolant and they couldn't replicate the error. It took me 200 ft of driving to do it. …”

NHTSA complaint #11569415, filed 2024-02

Fuel system: “About 7 months ago, Refill Inverter Coolant warning came up. Since then, I've scheduled service appoitment wtih Van Nuys Kia dealership 5 times to resolve this issue, but even after recent appoitment 2 weeks ago, this warning is still came up on my dashboard. Every time I start the car, the persistent refill inverter coolant light comes on. I believe I am experiencing this issue because KIA and their dealership where I bought my car doesn't want take ownership of this issue and resolve it. I am deeply concerned about my safety and the safety of my children when I drive my Kia vehicle.”

NHTSA complaint #11633536, filed 2025-01

Transmission and drivetrain: “-Abnormal Reduction Gear and/or EV motor Rumble noise as identified in KIA TSB-234. The car is available for inspection. -Car not working properly/increasing the risk of stall or breakdown while driving and therefore increasing the risk of collision/accident. There is a loss of power and increased revolution noise from the reduction gear/EV motor increasing the incidence of vehicle failure during operation and accident, therefore increasing the incidence of property and bodily injury/damage due to known issues by KIA currently being serviced only under TSB and not as a recall. …”

NHTSA complaint #11557339, filed 2023-11

Mileage when problems were reported

67% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 11,000 and 55,000 miles.

17%0–1033%10–2517%25–5033%50–750%75–1000%100–1500%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (6 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 31,441 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: rising. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

202020212023202442025420264
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2020 Kia Niro EV → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 63 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 63 bulletins →

Other model years of the Kia Niro EV

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202461,6502———Too new
2023159,0153———Too new
2022329,5002——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Rising
20201931,4412———Rising
2019198,0500———Rising

All Kia Niro EV model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2020 Kia Niro EV have?

NHTSA recorded 19 consumer complaints for the 2020 Kia Niro EV as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2020 Kia Niro EV is reported most often?

Other or unknown is named most often, in 8 complaints (42% of the total), followed by electrical system with 6.

Has the 2020 Kia Niro EV been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2020 Kia Niro EV reported?

Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 31,441 miles and the middle half falls between 11,000 and 55,000 miles; 67% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.