2017 Kia Niro: fire, smoke or burning smell

7 of the 83 complaints about the 2017 Kia Niro describe fire, smoke or burning smell.

owner complaints: 7
of this car's complaints: 8%
recalls: 0

Is there a fix? 21 service bulletins cover this area of the car. See below

Fire, smoke or burning smell by model year

2021
1
2020
3
2019
3
2018
3
2017
7

What owners say

Filed Sep 16, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · TN · fire

On XXX, at approximately 11:30 a.m., a friend and I were driving on XXX near [XXX], when I noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment. As I pulled over to the side of the road, a warning light appeared on the dashboard. Once stopped, I saw flames coming from the engine compartment. We immediately got out of the car, retrieved our dogs from the back seat, and ran away from the burning car. Another motorist who had witnessed the flames pulled over behind us. Because our cell phones were still inside the car, we used his phone to call [XXX]. The Tennessee Highway Patrol and the Fire Department responded to the scene. The car was completely destroyed by the fire and was declared a total loss. We were unable to retrieve anything from the car. There was no collision with another car or object. The car is now located at [XXX]. Telephone [XXX]. On XXX KIA Ourisman of [XXX] had installed a rebuilt engine, as according to them, the original engine had “thrown a rod.” An insurance claim has been filed with GEICO. Complaints have been filed with KIA of [XXX] and [XXX] KIA of [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Apr 15, 2026 · Engine, Steering · 50,500 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving approximately 60 MPH, there was smoke coming from the rear of the vehicle. The message, "Turn Off the Vehicle and Stop" was displayed, and the transmission failure warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and turned off the vehicle. Once the vehicle was turned off, the smoke dissipated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who diagnosed that there were holes in the engine, power steering, and there was an engine oil leak. The engine, transmission, and battery were replaced. However, 2 months later, the contact attempted to start the vehicle; however, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was scheduled to be towed to another dealer, Buster Miles Kia (1401 S Quintard Ave, Anniston, AL 36201). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure, and it was determined that the repair was not covered under warranty or recall. The failure mileage was approximately 50,500.

Filed Dec 11, 2025 · Engine · 112,000 miles · AL

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Engine Overheated - Turn Engine Off" was displayed with white smoke coming from the exhaust system. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the coolant level was extremely low. The contact stated that coolant was added to the reservoir; however, hours later the coolant level was low again. The vehicle was towed to the local mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the head gasket was blown and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 112,000.

Filed Apr 29, 2024 · Transmission · MD · fire

The contact owned a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the temperature gauge began to indicate that the vehicle was overheating. The contact then observed smoke emanating from the engine compartment. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle soon became engulfed in flames. Local emergency services arrived and were able to extinguish the flames. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard and deemed a total loss by the contact's insurance provider. A fire report was filed. A police report was also filed, with no injuries reported. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number:Â 23V534000 (Engine), and the VIN was included, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Feb 5, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · FL · fire

Car caught on fire while in motion on the highway due to safety recall issue

Filed Nov 2, 2022 · Engine · 97,000 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an undisclosed speed, he noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. The contact stated that her son pulled over to input more coolant however, upon starting the vehicle, the coolant immediately drained from the reservoir. Additionally, the contact stated that a burning odor could be detected throughout the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that a hole was in the exhaust and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 97,000. The VIN was not available.

Filed Jun 20, 2018 · Electrical · 8,000 miles · AR · fire

Tl* the contact owned a 2017 kia niro. While the vehicle was parked at the contact's residence, a loud abnormal noise was heard. The contact looked outside and noticed that the front passenger turn signal light and the middle of the vehicle were on fire. The fire department was called and extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The fire department stated that the battery caused the fire and declared the vehicle a total loss. There were no injuries sustained. The dealer was not notified. The manufacturer was called and the contact was awaiting a call back. The failure mileage was approximately 8,000.