Kia America is recalling 121,411 Niro hybrid and PHEV hybrids due to an electronics issue that could lead to a fire.
According to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it is possible fluid may leak “into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator” which can result in an engine fire.
2017- 2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in hybrid vehicles are being recalled. There have been no reported vehicle fires.
The recall is the Korean automaker’s latest for issues related to potential fire risks.
In March this year, Hyundai and Kia recalled over 500,000 SUVs and minivans in the US due to fire risks.
In documents posted to US safety regulators, Hyundai and Kia said there were issues with water getting into a circuit board on the hitches, potentially causing a short circuit, even if the ignitions were off.
Hyundai reported one fire and five heat damage incidents. Kia reported no fires or injuries.
In 2019, Kia recalled over 5,000 Niro hybrid cars in the UK due to possible overheating in electrical relay.
In this instance, it did not report any of these failures leading to fires or injuries, but issued the recall to make sure it was “swiftly corrected.”
Kia Niro owners will be given notification letters, which are expected to be sent by the end of September. The NHTSA said dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator and install a new fuse free of charge.
