Kia Recalls Niro EV and EV6 Models for Driveshaft Failures

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling 2023-2024 Niro EV and 2023 EV6 vehicles because one of the drive shafts may have been improperly heat-treated, allowing it to break under load and resulting in a loss of drive power.

Due to a manufacturing error by the supplier, Hyundai WIA, the left hand drive shaft in the subject Niro EV vehicles and rear inner drive shaft in the subject EV6 vehicles may have been improperly heat-treated. An improperly heat-treated drive shaft may break under load resulting in a sudden, unexpected loss of motive power, thereby increasing the risk of a crash.

All owners of the unsafe vehicles will be notified by first class mail with instructions to bring their vehicles to a Kia dealer. Kia dealers will replace the affected drive shaft with a new one. The planned owner notification begin and end date is 29 March 2024.

Chronology

• 3 – 5 January 2024. Kia Corporation (Kia HQ) informs Kia North America (Kia NA) Safety Office of an incident in Turkey of a broken left drive shaft involving a 2023 MY Niro EV. Kia HQ requests Kia NA Safety Office monitor issue. Kia NA Safety Office performs field data analysis and identifies no broken left drive shaft incidents involving the Niro EV
• 9 January 2024. Kia HQ informs Kia NA Safety Office that the rear inner driveshaft for EV6 is manufactured by same supplier as the Niro EV but on a different production line than the Niro EV left drive shaft. Kia HQ requests Kia NA Safety Office to also monitor EV6. Kia NA Safety Office conducts field data analysis involving the EV6 and identifies two (2) potential EV6 rear inner driveshaft breakage incidents. Kia NA Safety Office begins to work on collecting parts.
• 16 January 2024. Kia NA Safety Office ships collected EV6 rear inner drive shaft to Kia HQ for further analysis.
• 23 January 2024. Kia HQ informs Kia NA Safety Office with supplier investigation results and identifies certain Niro EV left drive shafts and certainEV6 rear inner drive shafts may have been improperly heat-treated. Kia NA Safety Office updates field data and confirms no new incidents.
• 24 January 2024. Kia NA decides to recall 2023-2024MY Kia Niro EV and certain 2023MY Kia EV6 vehicles. No crashes, injuries or fatalities are claimed in the NHTSA filing.