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Kia Niro PhevModel year report

2018 Kia Niro Phev Problems

Complaints
13filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
11,000miles, 6 complaints with mileage
Recalls
1campaigns on record
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2018 Kia Niro Phev (complaints, recalls, investigations). Report an error

NHTSA recorded 13 consumer complaints for the 2018 Kia Niro Phev. The part named most often is transmission and drivetrain, with 6 complaints (46% of the total), followed by engine (4) and electrical system (2). 6 of the complaints include a mileage, and 100% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 11,000 miles. Of all complaints, 1 involved a crash, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign and 52 technical service bulletins for this model year. Transmission and drivetrain complaints overlap with 1 recall campaign covering the actuators/solenoids and 4 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: Fuel system (1), Suspension (1).

Example complaints

Transmission and drivetrain: “The transmission fails to engage immediately to the gear shifted to. When stationary and with the vehicle in reverse, if you proceed to press the accelerator and the vehicle starts to move backwards, the vehicle will continue to roll in the reverse direction even after switching the gear selector to drive and pressing the accelerator. This problem happens when switching from either drive to reverse or reverse to drive.”

NHTSA complaint #11144919, filed 2018-11, 50 miles

Engine: “Vehicle randomly flashes message to check hybrid system. Warning message disappear after vehicle reset but the message has repeatedly come up very often now. Message pops up during many different scenarios: after charging, before charging, while charging, and during operation.”

NHTSA complaint #11190496, filed 2019-03, 15,000 miles

Electrical system: “I received KIA letter about the recall SC276 for HCA issue around 1/15/24. I brought my 2018 Kia Niro PHEV to Kia Dealer in San Jose. They inspected and concluded that the vehicle is safe with the recall SC276. However, they did not replace the fuse as stated in Kia's recall instructions. Ten days later, I was on the road, slowing down at the intersection and the car suddenly lost power, the Dashboard show the message for 'EV System failed'. My battery was fully charged at work, which is 2 miles away. My gas tank was full and I couldn't start my car again. …”

NHTSA complaint #11572995, filed 2024-02

Mileage when problems were reported

100% of the 6 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 5,000 and 24,000 miles.

50%0–1033%10–2517%25–500%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: 11,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Fewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

201820193202020233202432026
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 2018 Kia Niro Phev → · 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. 52 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 52 bulletins →

Other model years of the Kia Niro Phev

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
202361,3002———Too new
20221214,0001———Not enough data
20205501———Not enough data
2019263,0001——Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20181311,0001———Not enough data

All Kia Niro Phev model years

Frequently asked questions

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2018 Kia Niro Phev have?

NHTSA recorded 13 consumer complaints for the 2018 Kia Niro Phev as of Oct 28, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2018 Kia Niro Phev is reported most often?

Transmission and drivetrain is named most often, in 6 complaints (46% of the total), followed by engine with 4.

Has the 2018 Kia Niro Phev been recalled?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

At what mileage are problems with the 2018 Kia Niro Phev reported?

Among the 6 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 11,000 miles and the middle half falls between 5,000 and 24,000 miles; 100% 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.