Most common 2022 Kia Niro problems
Share of the 31 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Niro complaints by model year
Best Niro years: 2021. Years to avoid: 2023, 2025, 2022. Compare all years →
2022 Kia Niro recalls (1)
Power train › Automatic transmission › Internal › Clutches/bands › Actuators/solenoids
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2022 Niro and 2018-2022 Niro Plug-in Hybrid vehicles. Fluid may leak into the printed circuit board inside the hydraulic clutch actuator, which can result in an engine compartment fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the hydraulic clutch actuator as necessary and install a new fuse, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 29, 2023.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2022 Kia Niro:
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles.
What 2022 Kia Niro owners say
Brakes
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that the Hybrid Engine alarm activated and illuminated. The contact parked the vehicle for a few hours, and when restarting the vehicle, the alarm was no longer displayed. The contact continued to drive at approximately 5 mph. When pressing the brake pedal to park, the brake pedal floored with no resistance, and the vehicle began to accelerate. The contact immediately turned the vehicle towards the left to avoid crashing into a nearby building, jumped a curb into a ditch, causing the vehicle to bounce several times, and landed on the main street where it came to a stop. The air bags were deployed when the vehicle jumped the curb, landing in the ditch. The contact received bruises and cuts to their right leg and femur, chest, and back injuries. Medical attention was needed. The vehicle was damaged on the front end and was towed. …
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormally loud grinding sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the brake pads and rotors were replaced. While replacing the brake pads and rotors, the mechanic became aware that the parking brake cable housing was at an improper angle on the rear wheels, causing friction to damage the parking brake housing and exterior rubber. The mechanic determined that the parking brake cable assembly needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not received any additional repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
Electrical system
The contact owns a 2022 Kia Niro. The contact stated that the rearview camera displayed a distorted image while the vehicle was in reverse(R). The failure obstructed the driver's visibility, preventing the driver from safely operating the vehicle. Additionally, there was a delay with the image appearing on the screen when the vehicle was in reverse(R). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but it was unknown if the vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, the vehicle failed to start up, 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. …
This car was purchased certified pre-owned from a Kia Dealership with 46,227 miles in October 2024. Within a month (Nov 2024), the electrical system would die overnight and we would require a jump start. This seemed to align with colder temperatures. After the first or second jump start, a headlight blew out. We replaced it. Then a tail light blew out and we replaced that one too. It seemed that there must be a connection between the electrical failure and the headlights / tail lights burning out. We took it in for 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. …
Engine & cooling
The vehicle has a recurring P0420 code ("Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold Bank 1"). A boroscope inspection at Ricardo Caballero Kia Santa Isabel (invoice #[redacted] dated December 5, 2025) confirmed internal disintegration of the catalytic converter, with physical pieces of the catalyst falling out when the exhaust pipe was removed. This failure appears related to Recall 23V534 (SC276) and TSB PS709 (overheating / coolant boiling issues in 2017-2022 Niro Hybrid models). Motorambar, Inc. (official Kia distributor in Puerto Rico) has ignored my warranty claim since December 2 and December 22, 2025 (more than four months). Motorambar is now refusing to authorize a courtesy loaner vehicle at the dealer Ricardo Caballero Kia Santa Isabel, claiming the tests will take less than 5 days. This leaves me without transportation. …
Vehicle with code p0420, Kia dealership technician say: the problem was the spark, proceeded to change it and clear code. Check engine turn on again, the same person say: it's a ring piston, the car was leaked engine oil to exhaust and he see blue smoke, no evidence for part of dealership and dealership never mention the car was consuming excessive engine oil. I mentioned the law of emission to change the catalyst and the boss say: I can't change it but the problem will be come but never do anything to change it. In other dealership Kia the technician dismantle the exhaust and see ceramic part coming from the catalyst, his recommendation is change it. Dealership make a formal petition to motorambar distributor official ok Kia in PR and motorambar refuse to change the part with the evidence provide by dealership: technician report and photos. …
2022 Kia Niro engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined | Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | Single-speed | FWD | 123 / 102 / 112 MPGe | 239 mi |
| 1.6L 4-cyl hybrid | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 53 / 48 / 50 | — |
| 1.6L 4-cyl plug-in hybrid | 6-speed dual-clutch | FWD | 48 / 44 / 46 | — |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2022 Kia Niro a good car?
Based on 31 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2022 Niro rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Niro at the same age. It is one of the Niro years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2022 Kia Niro?
The brakes — 8 complaints, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (7) and engine & cooling (6).
How many recalls does the 2022 Kia Niro have?
There is 1 recall for the 2022 Kia Niro, the most recent from July 31, 2023 (actuators/solenoids). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Niro?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2021. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2023, 2025 and 2022. See the full Kia Niro years comparison.
At what mileage do 2022 Kia Niro problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 90,000 miles; 25% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.