NHTSA vehicle safety data

2021 Kia Niro EV Recalls & Complaints

The 2021 Kia Niro EV has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Kia dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2021 Kia Niro EV. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2021 Kia Niro EV owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Kia Niro EV, describing incidents dated July 29, 2021 to May 20, 2025.

Most-cited components

Back Over Prevention 1 complaint
Service Brakes 1 complaint

Newest complaints

ODI #11663437 · Filed May 28, 2025
The rear brake rotors on the vehicle are pitted, as confirmed by a local repair shop. The "incident" is ongoing. Kia refuses to repair or replace them under warranty (25,500 miles on the car), claiming they are wear item. However, pitting is not wear, in fact quite the opposite. My analysis (30+ yrs…
ODI #11427104 · Filed July 30, 2021
I'm a new Niro Ev driver. The VESS noise when reversing the vehicle is very loud. It is too loud, I live in close proximity to neighbors and have to get up early for work and the sound is a major nuisance, I would not want a neighbor that has this car . I understand VESS in place for safety but the…

Read all 2 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2021 Kia Niro EV in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP22-005: Pedestrian alert sounds
Closed August 7, 2023
- Recall 22V-063

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Rearview Camera Image May Not Display/FMVSS 111

NHTSA #25V426000 · Back Over Prevention — Sensing System — Camera · NHTSA notice

Reported June 20, 2025 · Kia America, Inc.

Potentially affected: 11,327 vehicles

Repair completion: 60.73% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Kia campaign SC342 · Owners notified November 7, 2025

Defect description

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Niro EV vehicles. The circuit board for the rearview camera may become damaged and cause the rearview camera image not to display. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

Safety consequence

A rearview image that does not display reduces the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Manufacturer remedy

Dealers will replace the rearview camera, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 7, 2025. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC342.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2021 Kia Niro EV. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Kia Niro EV.

Service Brakes

ODI #11663437

Incident: May 20, 2025 · Filed: May 28, 2025

The rear brake rotors on the vehicle are pitted, as confirmed by a local repair shop. The "incident" is ongoing. Kia refuses to repair or replace them under warranty (25,500 miles on the car), claiming they are wear item. However, pitting is not wear, in fact quite the opposite. My analysis (30+ yrs in the auto business): As an EV, regenerative braking means the actual brake systems are rarely used. Noise at low speeds prompted the inspection at a local shop. Braking under high speeds does not result in noise, telling me the system relies too heavily on the front brakes. The result is the rear rotors are too often unused leaving them to rust and then pit. Tesla recognizes that regen braking can actually harm brake rotors, suggesting burnishing the brakes at times using the following procedure: 1) Drive the vehicle at approximately 50 mph - 55 mph (80 km/h - 90 km/h) on a straight road. 2) Apply moderate, consistent pressure to the brake pedal to slowly decelerate the vehicle, releasing at 10 mph (15 km/h). 3) Repeat this procedure 6 times, waiting at least 30 seconds between applications. Since the rear brakes do not appear to engage on the Kia Niro, this method is fruitless. Other Niro drivers report this as seen here: [XXX] I my opinion, the vehicles should at minimum be repaired under warranty or recalled to "rebalance" the brake system. Thank you... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Back Over Prevention

ODI #11427104

Incident: July 29, 2021 · Filed: July 30, 2021

I'm a new Niro Ev driver. The VESS noise when reversing the vehicle is very loud. It is too loud, I live in close proximity to neighbors and have to get up early for work and the sound is a major nuisance, I would not want a neighbor that has this car . I understand VESS in place for safety but the reverse backup beeping is just a step down from a garbage truck backing up, especially in the silence of a residential neighborhood in the early AM hours. Furthermore, I and others as seen on web forums will reverse faster than we normally would do to be able to take the car out of reverse as quickly as possible to stop the blaring beeping. This creates its own risk, as if there is less time to react if there is a pedestrian behind the vehicle. The volume of the noise should be greatly reduced. It is also unnecessary noise pollution. Kia, please fix this.

Other Kia Niro EV model years

Check your 2021 Kia Niro EV VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Kia Niro EV at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Kia VIN