Kia Niro Electrical problems by year

electronic safety assists in traffic and from the vehicle failing to start when needed. Stored codes show lost CAN communication among multiple modules: U0101, C1611, C1693, U0111, U0164, U0293, U042B, U1341. Confirmed by two Kia dealerships over five warranty visits. V1-2 (Coughlin Kia, Dublin OH): software updates; warnings returned. V3 (Ricart Kia, Columbus OH): inspected, released OK; warnings returned. V4 (Ricart): Kia Techline case [[redacted]] opened; CAN signal confirmed out of spec at a passenger kick panel connector; dash harness replaced per Techline under warranty (2,800). V5 (current): same warnings returned within days, confirmed by the dealership; vehicle is in the dealer's possession for continued diagnosis and available for inspection. Warnings first appeared June 2026 at 58,500 miles, recurring since. Current mileage 59,700. No crash or injury. Kia Consumer Affairs case open. Note: attached RO [[redacted]] says no issues found after repair - outdated; warnings returned within days, vehicle back at dealer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

problem and no codes are being logged. On the third occasion, the dealer replaced the 12-volt battery. The failure occurred on the dealer's lot when I arrived to retrieve my car, but the technician reported that the problem went away and no codes were logged, so I should leave with my car. Subsequent to the battery replacement and including the failure on the dealer's lot, the problem has occurred 6 times in 7 days. Prior to the 12v battery replacement, the problem occurred once every 4 to six weeks. The problem has occurred a total of 9 times between April 25th and August 31st, 2026. This is an extremely dangerous problem as failures occur in traffic and require police assistance to safely tow or jump start the car. Should this failure occur during a left turn or on a highway, the outcome could be catastrophic. The car is available for inspection upon request. There are no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure other than the announcement that the parking brake is being automatically engaged. I have opened a case with KIA Customer Care.

undiagnosed. On a hybrid vehicle an undiagnosed engine or propulsion system fault represents a potential safety concern. The CPO certification process failed to identify this defect prior to sale."

intermittent faults including potential thermal runaway/fire hazard, other potential safety hazards, severe mental distress, and time/financial losses. Real time telematics updates when parked ultimately resulted in total loss of vehicle, likely due to logic induced parasitic 12v battery drain from previously mentioned unauthorized aftermarket devices. Second ("new") vehicle from the same lot shows similar symptoms and contradicting Carfax reports. Parked pending investigations.

on July 6, 2026, the vehicle displayed warnings indicating that the 12V battery needed to be charged. On July 8, 2026, the vehicle would turn on, but the engine would not start or operate. Multiple attempts to jump-start the vehicle failed, including using a portable jump pack, another vehicle, and assistance from a tow truck driver. The vehicle displayed warnings stating that the 12V battery needed charging, the battery was draining, and that the hybrid system needed to be checked. Because the vehicle could not be operated and I was stranded away from home, I am concerned about the reliability and safety of the vehicle. The vehicle has undergone multiple repairs, including a transmission replacement, but I continue to experience warning messages and a loss of confidence in the vehicle's ability to operate reliably. I am requesting that this issue be reviewed for possible safety concerns.

after a long drive. Video of problems given to employee and just said he's going to give them to his field technician. Car has now been at the dealer for over 4 months and was finally returned because they can't reproduce the problem.

replaced the battery in my car. Around Mar 15, 2026, the Check Engine Light displayed. I called the Kia Dealership on Capitol Expy in San Jose 3-4 times, but they Kia dealership don't call back. On 05/15/2026, for the first time I drove about 50 miles return trip. While driving North on I-280 from [[redacted]] to [[redacted]] , over rolling hills that had some incline, the Check Engine Light came on.I scheduled service. I experienced that the vehicle struggle to climb the incline of rolling hills, after the battery charge was exhausted and the engine was running only on gas. The gas was 3/4 full. This is a safety hazard for me to be interrupted by Check Engine Light twice while driving and that too when my car has not even completed 30K miles. My car is sin Service on 05/26/2026 and in the shop for 3 days diagnosis. The Kia Dealership has yet to determine the problem. I have had to rent my own rental car even though I purchased Extended Warranty on the car. Problem 2, Blind Spot Warning Light on right side mirror: On 05/13/2026 and on 05/22/2026, the Blind Spot warning light on right side mirror does not display oncoming traffic when my car is parallel to the lane markings. On 05/13/2026, I was driving at 30mph and on 05/22/2026 I was stationary in the center divider. In both instances, the passing driver had to honk at me really loud -- to avert an accident. Both problems are severe safety hazards. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the battery terminals were loose. The vehicle was repaired; however, when the contact arrived to retrieve the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The dealer inspected the vehicle; however, no cause for the failure was found. The contact was informed by the dealer that the vehicle had an open recall, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V426000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The vehicle remained at the dealer unrepaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

hazardous locations and disabling critical safety systems, including hazard lights, power steering assist, and emergency braking. If a total power loss occurs while the vehicle is in motion, it could result in a sudden loss of motive power and control, posing an unreasonable risk of accidents or injury. Dealer/Manufacturer Confirmation: The problem was confirmed by Ourisman Kia of [[redacted]] ). The dealer replaced the 12-volt battery after identifying diagnostic code D04 ("Insufficient Battery Charge Condition Identified"). Despite proof of regular use (1,000 miles/month), Kia America has denied warranty coverage, claiming "insufficient driving". Warning Symptoms: There were no warning lamps or messages prior to either failure. The vehicle functioned normally until it became completely inoperable. I have since installed a third-party battery monitor to mitigate the risk of being stranded by a third failure. Evidence of Trend: A technician at the dealership noted a similar 12V failure in another new 2024 model (Carnival). Numerous other 2024 Niro owners report identical "parasitic drain" issues on NHTSA and consumer forums, suggesting a systemic manufacturing or software defect in the charging system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

resultant sudden increase in driver distraction that is generated. Multiple steps and layers of infotainment screen navigation can be required to get to a workaround for music or navigation. The problem has been explained to the dealer service center multiple times but they are unable to replicate it and are explained that they are unaware of the issue on other similar vehicles. Video recordings of the intermittent functioning have been shown to the dealer. Since they could not replicate it, they are unwilling to correct the issue. The issue was first noticed in October 2024 and initially explained to the dealer service in February 2025.

a software update to see if that solved it, we also had them check the hybrid battery and the 12V battery. No other issues were detected. Eventually the problem just stopped happening. Now in Nov 2025, a year later, the problem has returned. The car's electrical system dies overnight and we have to jump start the car. And another tail light / turn signal has burned out. This time, we called a dealership to ask about any recalls or pending software updates and they said there was nothing showing in their system. We are now driving without a turn signal, which is a significant safety hazard. We will have to go back and replace the tail light / turn signal bulb. But what about the situation recurring? How do we get the car to stop 'dying' overnight in cold weather?