Kia Niro clutch part leak can cause engine fire
critical How serious is it? About this label
A fire under the hood can injure people, so treat this as urgent; Kia has not told owners to stop driving or to park away from buildings, but get the car inspected quickly.
What's wrong, in plain English
These cars use a part that works the clutch with fluid under pressure. That fluid can leak onto the small circuit board inside the part. Fluid and electronics do not mix, and the leak can start a fire in the engine compartment. A dealer will inspect the part, replace it if it is leaking, and fit a new fuse, all free of charge. Owners of these Niro and Niro Plug-in Hybrid models should have the inspection done as soon as a dealer can take the car.
What you should do
2. Call your Kia dealer to schedule the inspection, or contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542 and mention recall SC276.
3. Let the dealer replace the clutch actuator if needed and install the new fuse — there is no charge.
Affected vehicles (3)
Who to contact
Kia — official Kia recall lookup
Customer service: 1-800-333-4542
The bigger picture
- Kia powertrain recalls: fire, drive power loss and rollaway risks · all 8 Kia recalls in this area
Official notice
- Component
- POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:INTERNAL:CLUTCHES/BANDS:ACTUATORS/SOLENOIDS
- Summary
- 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.
- Safety risk
- A fire increases the risk of injury.
- 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. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC276.
Verify your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov. Recall repairs are free of charge by law.