[Ros Bradley]

Please can somebody let me know if they have had problems with flat battery on the KIA NIRO

I have had to call the RAC three times in the last year and not weather related or if the car has been used or not !
I was told by the dealer that the car is not good on short journeys , which is not a good enough reason .
Also my car has been doing a long journey once a week so the battery is being charged

i would be grateful for any feed back it is due to be checked by another KIA Dealer later this week but just wanted some feed back before going thand you so much

 

[iooi]

Is this the self charging version?
Age/mileage?
If so does it have the battery reset button?


What do you consider a long journey?

 

[Ros Bradley]

2017 24000 miles self charging , no battery reset button

 

[iooi]

This was the official Kia advice over the lockdown.

Kia’s guidance in full

1. When leaving your vehicle for extended periods, always ensure that all doors and tailgate are closed fully, interior lights are switched off and the car is locked with the remote transmitter. This will not only ensure the vehicle security but also minimise drain on the battery.
2. Try to avoid running the petrol or diesel engine for short periods only and switching off while still cold. Whenever the engine is started, it is preferable to keep it running until full temperature is achieved.
3. If suitable battery charging equipment is available, charge the 12v battery at regular intervals (recommended every two weeks). Alternatively use an intelligent charger which can be connected permanently and will periodically monitor / maintain battery condition. Refer to the Owner’s Manual for further guidance, paying particular attention to how and where to connect charger leads. The Intelligent Stop Go (ISG) system (where fitted) can be damaged if chargers or jump leads/packs are incorrectly connected.
   N.B. the charging advice does not apply to Kia Niro self-charging hybrid models with a 12v lithium-ion battery.
4. If you are not able to use a battery charger, start the engine and allow it to idle for 20 minutes. Switch off all unnecessary electrical items (e.g. lights, heated rear screen, fan, heated seats, etc.). Please ensure that you remain with your vehicle during this process to ensure safety and security. It is recommended that the engine is run in this way at least every two weeks.
5. Should you find your 12v battery has already discharged, recharge the battery using a battery charger if available. If you use a jump pack or jump leads to start the vehicle, refer to the Owner’s Manual for further guidance, paying particular attention to how and where to connect leads. The Intelligent Stop Go (ISG) system (where fitted) can be damaged if chargers or jump leads/packs are incorrectly connected.
   N.B This too does not apply to Niro self-charging hybrid models equipped with 12v lithium-ion batteries.
6. Niro self-charging hybrid models (‘18 model year onwards) are equipped with a 12v lithium-ion battery and a battery reset switch. You can help preserve your 12v lithium-ion battery charge by operating your vehicle in accordance with the information provided in Point 4. On no account should a charger, jump pack or jump leads be attached to your vehicle. Instead, if the 12v lithium-ion battery is discharged, it can be reset by pressing the battery reset switch. Please refer to the Owner’s Manual for more information. All other Kia vehicles are equipped with a conventional 12v battery which should be maintained as detailed previously.
7. For electric & plug-in hybrid vehicles it is recommended that the high voltage battery is left in a fully charged state.

A lot of people suffered with battery issues last year in all manufactures. I think the 1st lockdown and lack of use killed a lot of batteries that were only kept alive previously, as they were in constant use. In effect weak batteries.
Once they were left for weeks with no use, it just killed them off.
Once they hit that point, the only real way is to change them.

Has anyone checked that the battery terminal & main earth points are clean and making good connections? As this can effect battery charging.

 

[Clocktoys]

I have a 2017 self charging Niro. My battery drained flat while I was parked up listening to the radio. Is anyone listening to your radio with the engine switched off?

 

[iooi]

What you have to remember with Kia, is that power does not go off straight away when you turn the car off. It can be 5 mins before it fully shuts down.
Add in that the Niro 12 V is only for accessories and not like a normal car for starting the engine. Means it is much smaller.

There have been cases where a fault in a sensor means that the car does not shut down fully as ECU picks up a error. As you can imagine with a smaller battery, that can soon lead to a flat battery.

This is why newer cars have the 12V reset, which allows the car to start as it then gets power to the necessary parts to start the car.

Seems advice on the 12V battery is a 3 to 5 year life. So short journeys are going to tend to the 3 year lifespan.

 

[drcolin]

What you have to remember with Kia, is that power does not go off straight away when you turn the car off. It can be 5 mins before it fully shuts down.
Add in that the Niro 12 V is only for accessories and not like a normal car for starting the engine. Means it is much smaller.

There have been cases where a fault in a sensor means that the car does not shut down fully as ECU picks up a error. As you can imagine with a smaller battery, that can soon lead to a flat battery.

This is why newer cars have the 12V reset, which allows the car to start as it then gets power to the necessary parts to start the car.

Seems advice on the 12V battery is a 3 to 5 year life. So short journeys are going to tend to the 3 year lifespan.

My battery went flat after 2 hrs of having the tailgate up. Is there an easy way I can turn off everything that drains the battery or do I have to switch off all the lights individua;lly. I have one of those awnings that fir over the tail gate and it allows me to make coffee etc when I go out - but it does mean the tailgate is open for protracted periods of time

 

[iuygoig]

Two hours of tailgate open should not drain a battery flat, or anywhere near to flat. Do the interior lights also come on when the tailgate is open? You could remove the bulb.

My Sportage interior lights will go off of their own accord after about 15 minutes.

I would suggest that there is a problem with the battery and it would be a good idea to get it checked out at a battery specialist. Lockdown has damaged many batteries.

 

[iooi]

My battery went flat after 2 hrs of having the tailgate up. Is there an easy way I can turn off everything that drains the battery or do I have to switch off all the lights individua;lly. I have one of those awnings that fir over the tail gate and it allows me to make coffee etc when I go out - but it does mean the tailgate is open for protracted periods of time

Did you turn the ignition off?

As per above no way should just the tailgate open flatten the battery in that time frame.
I can only guess that other stuff was running.

Also there is the possibility that the 12V battery was long passed it's best.

 

[Harovia]

I have been driving for 60 years. My Niro is the first car to have its battery go flat under normal use conditions.
I would have been stranded in a below ground car park yesterday if my wife had not been with me and with a fully charged cellphone. My car is four years old and only just gone over 11,000 miles.