NHTSA campaign 18V666000 · Kia campaign SC168

Kia Recall 18V-666: Electrical Resistance at Main Relay May Cause Fire

NHTSA recall 18V666000 (Kia campaign SC168) was reported by Kia Motors America on September 25, 2018, with 27,030 vehicles potentially affected (per NHTSA). NHTSA's record lists the Kia Niro for model years 2017–2018. Owners were notified on November 23, 2018, per NHTSA.

Updated daily from NHTSA's recall files

Is my vehicle included?

This page lists, by model year, the vehicles NHTSA's recall record names for campaign 18V666000 in the model years try.vin imports (1995 and later); NHTSA's own record can list more. A model year on the list doesn't mean every vehicle of that year is included, and some may already have been repaired.

To see whether a specific vehicle is included and still needs the repair, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Kia VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Key facts

NHTSA campaign
18V666000 (also written 18V-666 or 18V666)
Filed by
Kia Motors America
Kia campaign number
SC168
Report received
Potentially affected
27,030 vehicles (per NHTSA)
Component
Hybrid Propulsion System
Owners notified

Repair completion: 87.64% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated October 21, 2026)

NHTSA cautions against comparing completion rates across recalls or manufacturers. How try.vin reads them.

Vehicles listed for this recall

NHTSA's recall record lists these vehicles for recall 18V666000. try.vin imports model years 1995 and later, so NHTSA's own list can be longer. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to it. Build dates are NHTSA's range for a model year (per NHTSA); a vehicle built in that range is not necessarily included.

Kia

  • Kia Niro

    • 2017, 2018 · Vehicles built November 1, 2016 – September 11, 2017 (per NHTSA)
All Kia recalls

NHTSA's recall notice

As NHTSA's recall record states it for campaign 18V666000.

Defect description

Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Kia Niro hybrid electric vehicles. The Main Relay within the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) may have inadequate connections between its contacts, causing increased electrical resistance.

Safety consequence

The increased electrical resistance can overheat the rear seat which is above the PRA, increasing the risk of a fire.

Manufacturer remedy

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the Power Relay Assembly (PRA) for damage. If no damage is found, the main relay will be replaced. If damage is found, the PRA will be replaced. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began November 23, 2018. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC168.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Sources

Official NHTSA notice for recall 18V666000

Campaign details come from NHTSA's recall files, which try.vin imports once a day. The plain-language subject and the completion rate come from the U.S. Department of Transportation's Recalls Data dataset. How try.vin reads recall data.