AI Damage2020 KIA Niro Phev: common problems
Owners of the 2020 KIA Niro Phev filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and steering. The maker issued 52 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 52
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 40% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 3 Structure 20% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 20% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (40% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Steering: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 5.
- Structure: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 5 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Exterior lighting | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Lane departure | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
(A factory paint application defect of the SWP paint color is a common owner complaint) Issue reported to Kia Customer Service on NOV 15th, 2024 who provided case No.[XXX]
The vehicle locks the left wheel when braking. It skids and brakes in one simultaneous action. It doesn't happen often but occasionally if I'm in heavy traffic. I reported this problem to the Kia dealer who found no problem. I really feel that this requires investigation as it could cause an accident.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V534000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
The bearings in the steering wheel is going bad. The car is a 2020 and should not have this issue. Theyâre claiming itâs not covered under basic warranty since my mileage is 77,637, over the 60,000 mileage. Even with this many mileage, a steering wheel bearing should not go bad this quickly.
Less than a week and 50 miles in we had the "check active air flap system" warning. Apparently this a known problem, https://www.kianiroforum.com/threads/2020-phev-check-active-air-flap-system.9142/ how ridiculous that a well know and very widespread fault like this is not addressed by the manufacturer before the…
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,282 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Niro Phev has 7 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
PARTIAL REPAIR – ELECTRICAL A/C COMPRESSOR - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
INFOTAINMENT SOFTWARE UPDATE PROCEDURE - This bulletin provides information on the process for downloading infotainment software updates and preparing USB for installation on applicable Kia vehicles. The software…
- PITSTOP
TECHNICAL OPERATIONS: EXTERNAL DAMAGE TO ULTRASONIC SENSOR: This Pitstop provides information related to Parking Distance Warning (PDW) alerts and repairs involving ultrasonic sensors. The PDW system alerts the driver…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
SERVICE ACTION: KIA CONNECT MODEM RESET (SA611) - This bulletin outlines the procedure for resetting the modem in certain 2016-2025MY Kia vehicles listed on page 3 that are equipped with Kia Connect Services. The…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
AVN 5.0 WIDE DEALER MODE FACTORY RESET - This bulletin provides the procedure to perform the ‘Dealer Mode Factory Reset’ on multiple 2020-2021MY vehicles (listed on page 5) equipped with AVN 5.0 Wide head units. The…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
AVN 5.0 WIDE NON-RESPONSIVE RADIO ICON (AM, FM, SXM) - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This…
- This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity…
This bulletin provides information relating to the correct transmission fluid type and fill quantity requirement for each Kia model. A flush is required ONLY when a transmission is replaced.
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
AVN 5.0 WIDE SCREEN FREEZING OR MAP DELAY WITH WIRED APPLE CARPLAY - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles to remedy an inaccurate map…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
UNEVEN/SLIPPERY ROAD WARNING DISPLAYED ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER - This bulletin provides information to update the software on 5th Generation AVN wide on certain 2020-2023MY Kia vehicles (refer to model list on page 3) to…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
PARTIAL REPAIR - ELECTRICAL A/C COMPRESSOR - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin…
- TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN
OVERHEAD CONSOLE SUNGLASS DOOR-LATCH REPAIR - This bulletin provides information to repair the overhead console lamp assembly and sunglass door latch on some 2012-2023MY model vehicles listed in the table below, which…
NHTSA lists 52 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 KIA Niro Phev?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, steering, structure. Total complaints: 5.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 KIA Niro Phev?
NHTSA lists 52 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 KIA Niro Phev from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.