There are 2 stored owner reports matching the electrical system leading-label group for the 2020 Kia Niro in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 2 of 2 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)There were no symptoms prior to the warning message and warning symbol on the dash. Warning message was "Check EV System". I took my car to the dealer immediately. The dealer has had my car for 3 1/2 months, since Sept 12, 2025. Now the field tech from Kia, on 12/22/25, says that the Electric Power Control Unit (EPCU) needs to be replaced. This could have cause the vehicle to stop in the middle of traffic and cause an accident.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The component that failed was the Hydraulic Clutch Actuator, which is part of the hybrid transmission system. This component was already replaced in May 2024 under recall SC276, but it failed again. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The failure significantly affects the vehicle’s drivability. The most noticeable issue is a loud, explosive-like sound during operation and a slipping sensation, especially when braking at low speeds on city streets. The vehicle feels unstable and difficult to control during these episodes. This creates a serious safety risk for me and for others on the road. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, it was inspected by a Kia dealership authorized by the manufacturer as part of recall SC276 in Colorado. It was later inspected again in February by Kia Serramonte in California for the same issue, but the problem still persists. Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, there are currently no warning lights illuminated. However, the vehicle shows abnormal behavior such as jerking, loss of power, and a noise similar to an explosion. These symptoms first appeared before the recall in 2024, and then reappeared in August 2024, just a few months after the repair until now. Due to financial limitations, I was only able to take the vehicle in for service in November 2024, and finally left it at the dealership in February 2025. The so-called “repair” lasted two months, but the dealership refused to take responsibility. I had to pay $3,188 out of pocket, and even after that, nothing was fixed — the vehicle remains defective.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.