I bought a used 2019 Niro EV last month (12k miles) and couldn't be happier with the car so far. The one concern I have going forward is what to do in the event that I need warranty service for a recall or some other issue, because nobody near me will service it for anything beyond rotating the tires. I live in Western Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh) where Kia doesn't sell any EVs. I bought the car from a dealership in Ohio that also doesn't sell new EVs, but did have a used one, and told me that they have EV-certified techs on staff, and that a lot of dealers in other areas probably do as well. It turns out that these are claims I should have dug into further, because, while it's true that many Kia dealers do have EV-certified techs, what really matters is whether the dealership is certified by Kia to do warranty repairs, and finding out which ones fit this criteria is very difficult After a whole lot of phone calls to Kia Consumer Affairs, it seems that my nearest one that fits this criterion is well over 100 miles away, which isn't great. Basically, what I'm finding is that dealers that don't sell EVs new don't service them, and for some reason, Kia doesn't sell EVs in PA, which is a CARB state, but does in Virginia, which I don't think is. My local Kia dealer was happy to do my state inspection and will do routine maintenance that any NTB type place will, but beyond that, says that they won't do any warranty service, even if it doesn't involve the drivetrain. So basically there's no reason for me to take it to the dealer at all. I asked Kia Consumer Affairs what I should do in the event of a problem that requires service. They said that they would pay for towing to an EV-certified shop, but that if they determine it's not covered under warranty, I could be on the hook for towing it back to me, and I'm guessing that would be pretty expensive. After doing a search here (one that I should have clearly done before I bought the car) I found this thread, which details some similar experiences people have had in areas where Kia isn't selling EVs. Reading these posts does not inspire confidence that I will be happy if I need service in the future, but since it's been over a year, I figured I'd just ask around here to see if anyone else has been through a similar situation, or if EV-certified shops are starting to pop up in new areas. I'm sure the pandemic has slowed things down, but does anyone see any cause for hope here?
The good news here is that you haven't had any issues, which bodes well for the future. Eventually, all Kia dealers will be EV-certified because they won't have a choice. The tricky part is the time frame. I'm hoping the next electric Kia product -- probably the Kia Imagine -- will be available in 50 states, which would solve your problem. Unfortunately, Kia have yet to talk about its sales strategy for this and other electric product in the U.S. THe Kia Imagine may hit dealerships late 2021, but I suspect 2022 is more likely.
Your situation without an EV-Certified dealer nearby must be a mix of frustration and angst! I'm not in the same situation, however I have a 2019 Niro EV with 31,000KM on the dial and, touch wood, I have yet to take my car in for a serious work. Up here I am required to visit the dealer for a routine "service" every 12,000KM where they check and top up the fluids, rotate my tires, check the brakes. The Niro is so reliable I wouldn't sweat it too much; my "downtime" at my dealer is always less than two hours. Good luck and keep the faith...you're driving an amazing vehicle.
We are not in a ZEV or CARB state and have successfully had our 7500 and 15000 mile check ups completed at our local dealership. They also took care of the TSB for the pump, the SA for the charge cord cover, replaced the windshield under the extended coverage (including calibration of the cameras afterward), and repaired the tire under the extended coverage. I seem to have hit the jackpot with my local dealership garage (thank goodness since there are now 6 Niro EVs in my metro area using them - yes, we have all bought our EVs 400+ miles away and brought them here).
It's nice to hear that there are dealers out there willing to help out. Here in Pittsburgh, I've detected a lot of hostility from the service advisors I've talked to, like not only do they not service EVs, but they don't seem to want to. I don't know if it's a job security thing or if they're roaling coal types who think of all EV drivers as crunchy eco warriors. Whatever it is, it's really frustrating. I just hope it changes in the coming years.
Kia of Muncie (Indiana) is my closest dealer, but not in an EV state. I was able to stop at dealer 11-7-20 to inquire about service if I purchased Niro EV out of state. The sales manager found the email he had received earlier in 2020 - didn't give me the date but apparently before coronavirus. Kia corporate was announcing rollout of Niro EV in 2 tiers; Indiana was scheduled for 1st half of 2021 to receive EV's. This manager commented that the rollout has been delayed at least 6 months so Indiana may not get Kia EV's until 2nd half 2021 or later. I have not searched too diligently, but have not seen info on additional state rollouts. Can anyone verify any of that?
